30+ Surprising Facts About Russia

Despite Russia being such a big country, spanning Asia and Europe, people may not know much about it. While Russia is making a lot of headlines, it’s good to educate yourself on some positive, fun, and interesting facts. With such a rich culture behind the large country, let’s dive into some facts about Russia you may not know. If we're being honest, if you know even a quarter of these, we'd be impressed!

No Fun

Did you know that in Russia, they don't have a word for fun? Don't get us wrong; it's not that they don't love fun, but that they've got different words for it. They use the word 'веселье,' which translates to joy or merriment.

Much like how we've got synonyms for fun - like pleasure, entertainment, and enjoyment - they've got the same thing. But isn't it interesting that there's no word for fun? We wonder what other words they don't have a direct translation for.

Gas-Sniffing Bears

There are some wild bears in Russia that have accidentally become addicted to jet fuel. In the far east regions of Russia, leftover kerosene and gasoline containers are often left in the wild. But how did bears get caught sniffing them?

Photographer Igor Shpilenok spent months observing the bears, which is when he discovered their addiction. It got so bad that some bears would even stalk helicopters. This was in hopes that they might drop leaks of fuel while flying past.

A Whistling Superstition

All cultures have their own superstitions over which they obsess. Of course, there's the classic walking under a ladder, breaking a mirror, or spotting a black cat. In Russia, they've got a funny little superstition about whistling in the house.

They say that if you whistle inside the house, money will fly out of the window. It's linked to a belief that wealth and intelligence are tied together. Whistling is carefree, so supposedly unintelligent. Therefore, those who whistle inside their homes are destined for poverty.

Rivers upon Rivers

Russia is home to some of the longest rivers in the world. In Volgograd, you'll find the Volga River, which is 2,293 miles long. It's actually the longest river in all of Europe. But it's not the longest river in Russia - just wait.

The title of Russia's longest river goes to the Lena. It's 2,668 miles long and flows from the Baikal Mountains to the Arctic Ocean. Of course, the longest river in the world is the Nile, at 4,132 miles long.