The Russian Federation is the largest nation in the world in terms of its surface area. It covers an area from the coast of the Baltic Sea in the west to the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the east. It is located on two continents: its western part is located in Europe, and its eastern part is located in Asia.

The largest Russian cities, such as the capital city of Moscow, are located in the western, European part of the nation.

The Ural Mountains separate the European part of Russia from the eastern, Asian part. The part of Russia located on the Asian continent is also known as Siberia. It is a sparsely populated area. The largest Siberian cities are located near large rivers.

The large Russian rivers, the Ob, the Yenisei and the Lena, all flow towards the Arctic Ocean in the north. The famous Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea. Despite its name, the Caspian Sea is actually a large lake. 

The northernmost parts of the nation consist of treeless tundra. Most of Russia exists in the coniferous forest zone, also known as taiga. In the southernmost parts of Russia, coniferous forest is replaced by broadleaf forests and treeless grasslands.