Capital of Russia: Moscow
The capital of Russia is Moscow. Russia sits in Europe, has a population of 144,713,314, and uses the RUB. Official languages include Russian.
Quick facts
- Capital: Moscow
- Continent: Europe
- Population: ~144,713,314
- Area: 17,098,242 km²
- Population density: 8.5 people per km²
- Official language: Russian
- Currency: RUB
- ISO code: RU
How big is Russia?
By population, Russia ranks 9th in the world, holding roughly 1.82% of all people on Earth. By land area it ranks 1st.
Those two numbers rarely match, and the gap between them is the interesting part. Russia has 8.5 people per square kilometre, which is about 7.0 times below the world average of 59.4. It is more spacious than its population alone would suggest.
Within Europe, Russia is the most populous country of 46.
Countries of a similar size
The two countries closest to Russia in population are Mexico (127,504,125) and Japan (125,124,989).
By land area, its closest counterparts are Canada (9,984,670 km²) and United States (9,833,517 km²).
Comparisons like these are worth more than raw figures when you are trying to remember them. A number on its own is hard to hold; a number next to a country you already have a feel for is much easier.
Language and currency
Russian is spoken officially in 4 countries in this dataset, including Belarus, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan.
Russia uses the RUB, and it is the only country that does, which makes the currency name a reliable one-to-one clue.
Russia in Europe
The largest countries by population sharing this continent are Germany, United Kingdom, France and Italy.
If you are learning capitals region by region — far more effective than working alphabetically — Europe is the block Russia belongs to, and its neighbours are the ones worth learning alongside it.
Try the Country to Capital Quiz, or the harder reverse direction. There is also a full country profile for Russia and a page on the flag of Russia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capital of Russia?
The capital of Russia is Moscow.
What is the population of Russia?
About 144,713,314, making it the 9th most populous country in the world.
How big is Russia?
17,098,242 square kilometres, ranking 1st by land area, at a density of 8.5 people per square kilometre.
What currency does Russia use?
The RUB, which no other country uses.