1. 1 RUSSIA GOVERNMENTPresented05.07.2005

2. 2 Russia. Govenment Country name: Russian Federation Former:Russian Empire, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic

3. 3 Russia. Government Contd. Government type: Federation Capital: Moscow

4. 4 Russia. Government Contd. Administrative divisions: 21 autonomous republics, 49 "oblasts" (regions), 6 "krais" (territories), 10 autonomous "okrugs" (districts), 1 autonomous "oblast," 2 capital cities - Moscow and St. Petersburg.

5. 5 Russia. Government Contd. Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) National holiday: Russia Day, 12 June (1990) Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993 Legal system: based on civil law system; judicial review of legislative acts Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

6. 6 Russia. Government Contd. Executive branch Chief of state: President Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (acting president since 31 December 1999, president since 7 May 2000) Head of government: Premier Mikhail Yefimovich FRADKOV (since 5 March 2004); Deputy Premier Aleksandr Dmitriyevich ZHUKOV (since 9 March 2004) Cabinet: Ministries of the Government or "Government" composed of the premier and his deputy, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the president

7. 7 Russia. Government Contd. Legislative branch Bicameral Federal Assembly or Federalnoye Sobraniye Consists of: the Federation Council (178 seats) the State Duma (450 seats) Elections: State Duma - last held 7 December 2003 (next to be held NA December 2007)

8. 8 Russia. Government Contd. Judicial branch Constitutional Court; Supreme Court; Superior Court of Arbitration; Judges for all courts are appointed for life by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president

9. 9 Russia. Government Contd. Political parties and leaders Communist Party of the Russian Federation or CPRF [Gennadiy Andreyevich ZYUGANOV]; Liberal Democratic Party of Russia or LDPR [Vladimir Volfovich ZHIRINOVSKIY]; Motherland Bloc (Rodina) [Dmitriy ROGOZIN]; People's Party [Gennadiy RAYKOV]; Union of Right Forces or SPS [Anatoliy Borisovich CHUBAYS, Yegor Timurovich GAYDAR, Irina Mutsuovna KHAKAMADA, Boris Yefimovich NEMTSOV]; United Russia [Boris Vyacheslavovich GRYZLOV]; Yabloko Party [Grigoriy Alekseyevich YAVLINSKIY]

10. 10 Russia. Government Contd. International organization participation APEC, ARF, ASEAN (dialogue partner), BIS, BSEC, CBSS, CE, CERN (observer), CIS, EAPC, EBRD, G- 8, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO, ITU, LAIA (observer), MIGA, MINURSO, MONUC, NAM (guest), NSG, OAS (observer), ONUB, OPCW, OSCE, Paris Club, PCA, PFP, SCO, UN, UN Security Council, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNMEE, UNMIK, UNMIL, UNMISET, UNMOVIC, UNOCI, UNOMIG, UNTSO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO (observer), ZC

11. 11 Russia. Government Contd. Diplomatic representation From Russia: Chief of mission: Ambassador Yuriy Viktorovich USHAKOV Consulate(s) general: * Houston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle From the US: Chief of mission: Ambassador Alexander VERSHBOW Consulate(s) general: * Saint Petersburg, * Vladivostok, * Yekaterinburg

12. 12 Flag description Three equal horizontal bands of white (top), blue, and red. The colors of the flag symbolic of human qualities: white, nobility and frankness; blue, fidelity, integrity, irreproachability, chastity; red, courage, audacity, self-sacrifice, magnanimity and love.

13. 13 THANK YOU, FRIENDS.