Which city is the capital of Russia?

Which city is the capital of Russia?

• A. Saint Petersburg
• B. Moscow
• C. Yekaterinburg
• D. Novosibirsk

Answer: (B)

In a country, the capital is the city where the national government is based—the place where the president or head of state, the main ministries, and the national legislature are located. For Russia, that city is Moscow, because the Kremlin houses the presidential residence and the central government, and the federal parliament sits there. The move of the capital from Saint Petersburg to Moscow happened in 1918, so Saint Petersburg, while still a major cultural and economic center, is no longer the seat of government. The other two cities are important regional centers, but they do not host the national government, so they aren’t the capital.

In a country, the capital is the city where the national government is based—the place where the president or head of state, the main ministries, and the national legislature are located. For Russia, that city is Moscow, because the Kremlin houses the presidential residence and the central government, and the federal parliament sits there. The move of the capital from Saint Petersburg to Moscow happened in 1918, so Saint Petersburg, while still a major cultural and economic center, is no longer the seat of government. The other two cities are important regional centers, but they do not host the national government, so they aren’t the capital.