Europe · capital city
What Is the Capital of Russia?
Moscow
The capital of Russia is Moscow. About 12.7 million people live in the Moscow urban area — 8.8% of the country's population.
12.7 million
Urban area population
UTC+3
Time zone (+ daylight saving)
55.75°N
Latitude · 37.60°E
Yes
Largest city
Moscow at a glance
Name origin
Named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is unclear.
Time zone
UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). Daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time (DST).
Coordinates
55 45 N, 37 36 E · IANA time zone Europe/Moscow
Location of Russia
North Asia bordering the Arctic Ocean, extending from Eastern Europe (the portion west of the Urals) to the North Pacific Ocean
Largest cities in Russia
1
Moscow Capital
12.7 million2
Saint Petersburg
5.6 million3
Novosibirsk
1.7 million4
Yekaterinburg
1.5 million5
Kazan
1.3 million6
Nizhniy Novgorod
1.3 millionUrban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Minsk, Belarus — 674 km
Kyiv, Ukraine — 756 km
Vilnius, Lithuania — 787 km
Riga, Latvia — 841 km
Tallinn, Estonia — 868 km
Helsinki, Finland — 892 km
Warsaw, Poland — 1,149 km
Oslo, Norway — 1,643 km
Tbilisi, Georgia — 1,650 km
Baku, Azerbaijan — 1,930 km
Astana, Kazakhstan — 2,272 km
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — 4,636 km
Beijing, China — 5,793 km
Pyongyang, North Korea — 6,415 km
Capitals closest to Moscow
- Minsk, Belarus — 674 km
- Kyiv, Ukraine — 756 km
- Vilnius, Lithuania — 787 km
- Riga, Latvia — 841 km
- Tallinn, Estonia — 868 km
- Helsinki, Finland — 892 km
Chisinau in Romanian, Moldova — 1,145 km- Warsaw, Poland — 1,149 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Moscow
What is the capital of Russia?
The capital of Russia is Moscow. About 12.7 million people live in the Moscow urban area — 8.8% of the country's population.
Is Moscow the largest city in Russia?
Yes — Moscow is also the largest urban area of Russia (12.7 million).
What time zone is Moscow in?
Moscow is on UTC+3 — UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). Daylight saving time: does not observe daylight savings time (DST).
Where does the name Moscow come from?
Named after the Moskva River; the origin of the river's name is unclear.
Which capital is closest to Moscow?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Minsk (Belarus) is the closest, 674 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).