Welcome to Moscow

Moscow took over from St Petersburg as the state capital during the communist era and has since endured sporadic periods of development, not all of which have been considered to have improved the city. Today under Mayor Yuri Luzhkov, Moscow is dramatically and very publicly reaching for a new period of world prosperity through a far-reaching and radical program of development which should see some of the 21st century's most iconic buildings within the capital of the Russian Federation.

Moscow is a rapidly changing society

A good time to be working in Russia then, as local skills strive to achieve the standards and quality expected in the West. But possibly not an overseas employment market destined to last. While Moscow leads the way in revitalising the Russian self-image, a national labour force of some 74.2 million and sliding birth rates will doubtless see profound sociological shifts in the years to come.

History and Geography

Moscow is Russia's political, economical and financial centre and around 40% of all foreign investment in the country flows direct to its capital. This relatively new democracy, however, is still a land in the thrall of the brutalist regimes, conflicts and harsh weather and geographical conditions that shaped the national identity and while considered ‘stable' still exhibits many of the symptoms of a system not yet entirely at ease with itself or its new freedoms.

In Moscow, the capital of the world's biggest country, all of greater Russia's complexity can be seen in sharp relief. Here is a city that exhibits great wealth and crushing poverty within the space of a city block, beautiful Tsarist era buildings crumbling within the shadow of monolithic modern towers, a culture where lines blur between illegality and authoritarian policing. A city with an indelible past and a clear desire for an easier future or as Time Out magazine puts it: Europe's maddest capital.

Moscow has a population of some nine million. Around 81% of the population are white Russian with the remainder being a mix of races and religions primarily from former satellites of the Soviet Union. Even in Soviet times racial integration was not as harmonious as the propaganda might have suggested and certainly though the city is very changed from then, Moscow is not yet a fully cosmopolitan city. Recently far-right groups have been extolling a particularly violent breed of nationalism. Terrorist attacks on Moscow and targets in greater Russia have also damaged race relations in the city.

Moscow's comparative new prosperity since the fall of communism has seen the end of food queues, more varied vehicles on the street and more recognisable global chains on the high streets. Lively street markets have also returned to the city streets and the religious aesthetic of the Russian Orthodox church, for so many decades barely tolerated by the state, is now making a welcome rival. If the USA was the film set for the twentieth century then Russia and certainly Moscow are making a bold bid to take over the role for the early to mid 21st century.

Climate

Moscow's weather offers pulverizing cold in winter and pleasant, if wet, summer months.

Winter kicks off in earnest around Nov with a min of -3.3° C (26.1°F) and max of 1.1° C (34.0°F) plunging down to around min -12.3°C (9.9°F ) Max -6.3°C (20.07°F) in January and February the coldest months. Death by falling icicle is not uncommon during the worst excesses of the Moscow winter, and roads become snow-strangled car parks for the duration.

June, July and August are the wettest and warmest months with July reaching a comfortable daytime average of 13.5°C - 23.1°C (56.3°F - 73.6°F)

Currency

The currency of the Russian Federation is the Rouble (RUB). Exchange rates fluctuate but one UK pound (£) is roughly equivalent to 48.28 Rubles (or $1 = 28 Rubles). The Ruble, which comes in denominations of 1, 3, 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 Rubles is comprised of 100 kopecks.

While it is illegal to use the United States dollar as currency while in Russia, many businesses will accept the dollar. Most recruitment agencies advertise job vacancies in US dollars. Russian banks will charge a fee (2-3%) for refunding a traveller's cheque. The use of credit cards in Moscow is now common and ATM's continue to pop up throughout the capital, however, cash is still preferred in many shops and businesses.

Health

Rabies, typhoid and diptheria are all present throughout Russia and appropriate preventative measures should be taken. Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E are also present in infected foods, contaminated drinking water, and bodily fluids. In short don't eat, drink or have sex with anything that you are remotely unsure of.