RUSSIA

Conventional long form: Russian Federation

Local long form: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya

Local short form: Rossiya

Population: 138,739,892 (2011 estimate)

Median age: 38.7 years

Age structure: (2011 estimates)
0–14 years: 15.2%
15–64 years: 71.8%
65 years and over: 13%

GDP per capita (PPP): $15,900 (2010 estimates in US dollars)*

Suffrage: 18 years old; universal

Legal drinking age: 18 years old

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*As of 2011, Moscow had more billionaires than any other city in the world.

Advertising Note

Before the breakup of the USSR in 1991, the Eastern Bloc produced its own consumer goods—and one brand fit all. Since shortages were common, there was no need to advertise consumer goods inside the USSR. Basically, few premium-quality Soviet products existed, but two that the world would buy were vodka and caviar. Unfortunately, one of the two staples of entertaining in Russia—black caviar—was taken off the market for nine years because of overfishing in the Caspian Sea and the Volga River. Epicureans were pleased when farm-raised sturgeon caviar became available again in 2011.