Moscow, the capital of the Russian Federation, is located along the Moskva River.  With a population of approximately 12 million, it is the largest city in the country and home to the seat of the President, the government and the State Duma (Parliament).  The Moscow Oblast, the region surrounding Moscow, has a population of approximately 7.5 million.

Moscow became the capital of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic on March 12, 1918 and on December 30, 1922, it became the capital of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.