Russian

Russian refers to both the people and the language associated with Russia, the largest country in the world by land area. The term "Russian" primarily denotes the ethnic group known as Russians, who are Slavic people native to Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. Russia's population is diverse, encompassing numerous ethnic minorities alongside ethnic Russians.

The Russian language, part of the East Slavic group of the Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family, is the most widely spoken Slavic language. It serves as the official language of Russia and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations. Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet and has a rich literary tradition, with notable writers such as Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Anton Chekhov.

Historically, Russia has played a significant role in global politics, culture, and economics. The formation of the Russian state dates back to the medieval Rus' of the 9th century, with the Grand Duchy of Moscow emerging as a major political entity in the 14th century. The Russian Empire was established in the 18th century, expanding across Eurasia until the 1917 revolution led to the creation of the Soviet Union. Russia became an independent country again following the dissolution of the USSR in 1991.

Culturally, Russian contributions include literature, ballet, classical music, and visual arts. The country has a strong tradition of scientific and technological achievements, space exploration being a notable example, with the launch of Sputnik in 1957 marking the start of the space age.

Overall, "Russian" encapsulates a broad spectrum of linguistic, cultural, historical, and social elements integral to understanding Russia's national identity and global influence.