o, Kirov, Kostroma, Kurgan,
Kursk, Leningrad (St. Petersburg), Lipetsk, Magadan, Moscow,
Murmansk, Nizhniy Novgorod, Novgorod, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Orel,
Orenburg, Penza, Perm', Pskov, Rostov, Ryazan', Sakhalin
(Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk), Samara, Saratov, Smolensk, Sverdlovsk
(Yekaterinburg), Tambov, Tomsk, Tula, Tver', Tyumen', Ul'yanovsk,
Vladimir, Volgograd, Vologda, Voronezh, Yaroslavl'; 6 krays (krayev,
singular - kray); Altay (Barnaul), Khabarovsk, Krasnodar,
Krasnoyarsk, Primorskiy (Vladivostok), Stavropol'; 10 autonomous
okrugs; Aga (Aginskoye), Chukotka (Anadyr'), Evenkia (Tura),
Khantia-Mansia (Khanty-Mansiysk), Koryakia (Palana), Nenetsia
(Nar'yan-Mar), Permyakia (Kudymkar), Taymyria (Dudinka), Ust'-Onda
(Ust'-Ordynskiy), Yamalia (Salekhard); 1 autonomous oblast
(avtomnykh oblast'); Birobijan
note: the autonomous republics of Chechnya and Ingushetia were
formerly the autonomous republic of Checheno-Ingushetia (the
boundary between Chechnya and Ingushetia has yet to be determined);
the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg are federal cities; an
administrative division has the same name as its administrative
center (exceptions have the administrative center name following in
parentheses)

Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union)

National holiday: Independence Day, June 12 (1990)

Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of
legislative acts

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Boris Nikolayevich YEL'TSIN (since 12 June
1991) was elected for a five-year term by universal suffrage under
the constitution of 12 December 1993, but subsequent presidents,
beginning with the 16 June 1996 election, will serve a four-year
term; election last held 12 June 1991 (next to be held 16 June
1996); results - percent of vote NA; note - no vice president; if
the president dies in office, cannot exercise his powers because of
ill health, is impeached, or resigns, the premier succeeds him; the
premier serves as acting president until a new presidential election
is held, which must be within three months
head of government: Premier and Chairman of the Russian Federation
Government Viktor Stepanovich CHERNOMYRDIN (since 14 December 1992),
First Deputy Premiers and First Deputy Chairmen of the Government
Oleg SOSKOVETS (since 30 April 1993) and Vladimir KADAN