Russia Day
Russia Day is a holiday that’s observed on the 12th of June every year, and it’s a holiday that’s been observed in the Russian Federation since 1992. This holiday celebrates the democratic reforms in that country when the Russian Federation adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on June 12th of 1990.
Because this holiday is an official holiday in Russia, most schools, banks, and public offices are closed on this day. This is a day on which the president gives speeches, the people sing the national anthem, and flags are hoisted all over the country. People may also attend concerts on this day, watch fireworks displays, and do other celebratory activities.
The History Of Russia Day
On December 26th, 1991 the Soviet Union was officially dissolved and the Russian Federation was established. This was followed by the proclamation of June 12th as an official holiday by the Supreme Soviet of Russia in 1992 and was called Russian Independence Day. In 2002, it was renamed Russia Day because there was some confusion by Russian citizens over the name and whom Russia had gained independence.
Amazing Facts About Russia
Want to learn more about Russia? If you do, then we’ve crafted a list of Russia-related trivia that everyone can enjoy—regardless of whether it’s Russia Day or not. So without further ado, let’s roll up our sleeves and learn a few bits of trivia.
- By area, Russia is the largest country in the world. It has a total area of over 17,075,400 square kilometers.
- Russia covers more than 1/9th of the Earth’s land area.
- Russia is 1.8-times larger than the U.S.
- In Russia, it’s considered to be bad luck to give an even amount of flowers to women.
- The Russian Olympic team arrived 12-days late to London for the games because they were still using the Julian calendar.
- The deepest subway in the world is the Metro of St. Petersburg. It’s 100-meters deep.
- Russia has 25% of its territory in Europe and 75% of its territory in Asia. However, only 20% of its population lives in the Asian part of the country.
Customs, Traditions & Celebrations
Although this day is an official Russian holiday, many Russian citizens are still somewhat ambivalent towards the holiday. In a recent poll, only about 1 in 5 Russian citizens consider this day to have significant symbolic meaning and most view this day as simply an excuse to have a day off from work and to have a little bit of fun.
Since this day essentially is a remembrance of when the Soviet Union fell, many Russians view this day with some animosity. However, that doesn’t mean Russian Day isn’t without its traditions or celebrations. For instance, there are many track and field events that are held right outside the Kremlin on this day.
Inside the Kremlin, there are often awards given out to scientists, writers, and other prominent Russians on this day for excellence in science, humanitarian causes, or culture. Other events that celebrate this day include firework displays, concerts, and public speeches that acknowledge the achievements of great Russians.