The capital of the Russian Federation is Moscow. It is one of the largest cities in the world. More than 8,75 million people live in Moscow. Moscow is the cultural, communications, government, industrial, scientific, and transportation centre of Russia. It lies in western Russia, in the European part of the country. The Moscow River, for which the city was named, flows through the city.Moscow was founded during 12th century. Moscow emerged as the most powerful Russian city in the late 1400 s. The princes of Moscow played a leading role in uniting various Russian lands and in conquering non-Russian peoples and territories. Moscow became the capital of the Russian Empire and was the home of Russia's czars until 1712, when the capital was moved to St. Petersburg.Moscow again became the Russian capital in 1918, after the Bolsheviks (later called Communists) took control of the country. In 1922, Russia and three other republics united to form the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Moscow was chosen as the Soviet capital.The Communists lost power in the Soviet Union in August 1991. In December, the Soviet Union was dissolved. Russia and other former Soviet republics became independent countries. Most of the republics, including Russia, formed the Commonwealth of Independent States. Moscow remained the capital of Russia. The city of Minsk, in Belarus, was named headquarters of the Commonwealth.Moscow is built in the shape of a wheel. This shape can be traced to the city's early history, when rings of fortifications were built to protect it from attack. Today, wide boulevards extend from the city's centre, forming the spokes of the wheel. They cross circular ^boulevards, which make up the inner and outer rims of the wheel.A major highway circles Moscow. Past the highway lies the Green Belt, a ring of forests and parks covering about 1,800 square kilometres.The oldest and busiest sections of Moscow lie near the Kremlin, a huge walled fortress at the city's historic centre. Just north and east of the Kremlin is the main business, commercial, and administrative district. Encircling this area and the Kremlin are Moscow's main shopping streets and many cultural buildings. Most of the city's new residential and industrial districts lie in the outermost rings.At the city's heart on the banks of the River Moscow lies the Kremlin, a walled fortress housing all the government buildings. Nearby St. Basil's Cathedral was built in the 16th century to celebrate a military victory; it is now a museum.
