Nelson Ricardo 2500/Sandbox
The proud few articles that have passed the rigorous nomination process to attain Star article status are the best travel guides Wikivoyage has to offer. They essentially meet Wikivoyage's criteria for perfection, are at least competitive with the best of existing travel guides to the destination, and at best exceed all competition. If you are an aspiring Wikivoyage writer, look no further than these rigorously formatted articles to understand exactly what you should shoot for!
Asia
[edit]East Asia
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is an industrial city of wide boulevards and criss-crossing rivers, located along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. Although many only know it for the horrific split second on August 6, 1945, when it became the site of the world's first atomic bomb attack, it is now a modern, cosmopolitan city with a lot of great food and nightlife.
is a major transit hub in western Japan. But with white peaches, a brooding black castle, scenic cycling, and the famous Kōrakuen Garden, there are plenty of reasons to catch a later train and get out of the station to explore.
Southeast Asia
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The famed Island of the Gods, with its varied landscape of hills and mountains, rugged coastlines and sandy beaches, lush rice terraces and barren volcanic hillsides all providing a picturesque backdrop to its colourful, deeply spiritual and unique culture, stakes a serious claim to be paradise on earth.
is a Buddhist stupa and temple complex dating from the 8th century, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of world's truly great ancient monuments, the single largest Buddhist structure anywhere on earth, and few who visit fail to be taken by both the scale of place, and the remarkable attention to detail that went into the construction.
fast becoming one of Bali's most popular attractions, is an island paradise a world away from the hassle and hectic pace of South Bali. Neither hawkers nor traffic mar the magnificent scenery; this is a fine place to just put your feet up and relax. Main activities include surfing, diving and snorkeling. The water is some of the clearest you will find anywhere, and a vivid aqua blue in colour.
is far removed from the drunken bikini scene in Kuta, and is regarded as the cultural centre of Bali. It is famous as an arts and crafts hub, and much of the town and nearby villages seems to consist of artists' workshops and galleries. There are some remarkable architectural sights, artistic gems to be found, and a general feeling of well being to be enjoyed, all thanks to the spirit, surroundings, and climate of the place.
is a city-state in Southeast Asia. Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, since independence it has become one of the world's most prosperous countries and sports the world's busiest port. Combining the skyscrapers and subways of a modern, affluent city with a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences and a tropical climate, with tasty food, good shopping and a vibrant nightlife scene, this Garden City makes a great stopover or springboard into the region.
Khao San Road is a small road located about a block from the Chao Phraya River at the northern side of Rattanakosin in Bangkok. Backpackers and budget travelers are drawn here by some of the cheapest accommodation and travel deals in Thailand. Over the years gentrification has taken place as new guest houses, restaurants, bars and clubs moved into the area.
Pratunam is a shopping district in Bangkok. It is a major market area with thousands of fashion stores that sell wholesale with cheap prices guaranteed, especially if you buy in bulk.
Yaowarat and Phahurat is a multicultural district in Bangkok, home to the city's sizable Chinese and Indian communities. By day, Yaowarat doesn't look that much different from any other part of Bangkok, though the neighborhood feels like a big street market and there are some hidden gems waiting to be explored. But at night, the neon signs blazing with Chinese characters are turned on and crowds from the restaurants spill out onto the streets, turning the area into a miniature Hong Kong (minus the skyscrapers). Phahurat is an excellent place for buying fabrics, accessories and religious paraphernalia.
Yaowarat and Phahurat Tour is a one-day-and-night guided walking tour through Yaowarat and Phahurat, the home of Bangkok's sizable Chinese and Indian communities.
South Asia
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is an archaeological site of immense historical significance in northwestern Sindh, Pakistan. Established in about 2,600 BCE, this was one of the main centres of the Indus Valley Civilisation. Home to some 35.000 to 50.000 people, it was also one of the largest and most developed cities of its time. Today, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro are a highlight on any trip to Pakistan.
Europe
[edit]Benelux
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is a medium-sized city in the Gooi area of North Holland in the Netherlands. Once called the Garden of Amsterdam, most travelers still come over to cycle and hike through the surrounding forests and heath. The city is also known for its modern architecture, with Dudok's Hilversum Town Hall (Raadhuis Hilversum) being the most significant design. For Dutch people, Hilversum became synonymous with the Dutch media industry.
Central Europe
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is the closest of the boroughs of Lübeck to the Baltic Sea. As the name suggests, it is situated at the very mouth of the river Trave. For hundreds of years, Travemünde has been a popular seaside resort and harbour on the German Baltic coast of Schleswig-Holstein. Daily passenger and cargo ferries leave to Scandinavia and the Baltic states but the pristine white beach and the rich history encourages people to stay. The town is trying to built a new future as a tourist destination to avoid the fate of many faceless ports.
Britain and Ireland
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is an island in the Outer Hebrides (otherwise known as the Western Isles) off the west coast of Scotland. It is joined to the larger island of North Uist by a short double-track road causeway.
is a lovely part of north-central London. The key sights are a wealth of under-stated historical attractions, and the magnificent open spaces of Hampstead Heath. Kenwood House is one of the most accessible of London's great Regency homes, John Keats has a museum devoted to his life and work at his former residence here, and the inspiration for many of John Constable's landscapes is all around you on Hampstead Heath. Combine those with some of the most interesting historical pubs in the whole city, and a vibrant restaurant and cafe scene, and Hampstead really does have much to offer the visitor.
The ancient cathedral city has a history dating back over 2000 years. Romans, Saxons, Vikings, and Britons from all eras have each left their mark. It is home to some of Europe's best-preserved historical buildings and structures, including York Minster and dozens of other churches, the Shambles medieval shopping street, countless handsome townhouses, and the city's walls and gatehouses. Other popular attractions on the bucket lists of York's 7 million annual visitors include the Jorvik Viking Centre and Britain's National Railway Museum.
is a town in the northeastern corner of the English county of Hampshire, adjacent to the borders with Surrey and Berkshire. Farnborough used to be an isolated hamlet, and grew into a medium-sized town over the course of the 20th century. This growth was built on the back of the aviation industry; Farnborough was the site of the first powered flight in Britain, made by Samuel Cody in 1904. Today, the aerospace, defence and technology industries thrive and aviation heritage is evident all around the town. Farnborough is best known as the home of the biennial Farnborough International Airshow, which has been running since 1948.
France
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the center of contemporary Paris and the site of such landmarks as the Louvre and of the Tuileries and Palais-Royal, is full of attractions for travelers of all inclinations, including some of the finest parks, museums, shops, and bars in the city. The 1st occupies the Right Bank of the River Seine and extends onto the western section of the Île de la Cité in the midst of the river.
is a lovely coastal town in Hérault, southern France. It is known above all for its oyster production and numerous quality seafood restaurants. Bouzigues can be thought of as a seaside resort without the resort, with very limited accommodation, and not too many tourists. It is a perfect getaway for anyone who wants to enjoy a slower pace of life.
Iberia
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is absent from most international travellers' itineraries, and is thus an excellent place to experience genuine Portugal without hordes of tourists. It is a UNESCO Creative City known for its art and its hot springs.
Nordic countries
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is the capital of Denmark and what a million Danes call home. This "friendly old girl of a town" is big enough to be a metropolis with shopping, culture and nightlife par excellence, yet still small enough to be intimate, safe and easy to navigate. Overlooking the Øresund strait with Sweden just minutes away, it is a cultural and geographic link between mainland Europe and Scandinavia. This is where old fairy tales blend with flashy new architecture and world-class design; where warm jazz mixes with cold electronica from Copenhagen's basements.
Amager is a district and island southwest of central Copenhagen, covering some 96 km² (37 mi²), and mostly notable as the home of Copenhagen Airport and the charming old fishing hamlet of Dragør. Long considered the backwaters of the city, this old working class district is now undergoing rapid development, contributing to some wonderful contrasts; from the huge uncultivated wetlands of Kalvebod Fælled, the ultra modern Ørestad development area, the laid back and impossibly picturesque Dragør fishing hamlet to the fiercely local patriotic public housing blocks on the northern part of the island.
is an old but youthful university town 70 km (43 mi) north of Stockholm. It is home to the oldest university and the largest cathedral in the Nordic countries. It was the most important place in Sweden during the Viking era, and became the birthplace of modern biology with Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century.
Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus
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is a small, historic town in the center of Novgorod Oblast, long famous domestically for its balneological mineral waters resort, but much more famous among international travelers as Dostoevsky's summer retreat, and the basis for the fictional town of Skotoprigonievsk in The Brothers Karamazov.
Oceania
[edit]Australia
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is a small town built on big dreams in a remote corner of the vast Kimberley region of Western Australia. Its unaffected pastoral feel makes a comfortable base from which to explore the majestic natural attractions in the rugged surrounding landscape.
is a small town that endured more than 100 years of decline after its gold rush era boom to retain a distinctive impression of the Goldfields' fickle fortunes. The graceful heritage buildings impart histories no less peculiar than the eerie sculptures at nearby Lake Ballard, making Menzies an intriguing destination for the inquisitive traveller.
North America
[edit]United States of America
[edit]California
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is a major city in California, the centerpiece of the Bay Area, well known for its liberal community, hilly terrain, Victorian architecture, scenic beauty, summer fog, and great ethnic and cultural diversity. These are only a few of the aspects of the city that make San Francisco one of the most visited cities in the world.
Chinatown-North Beach in San Francisco combines two adjoining neighbors, both of which are among the city's most popular immigrant neighborhoods. Culturally and aesthetically, they could not be more different yet their streets mesh seamlessly together.
Civic Center-Tenderloin is an area of Downtown San Francisco. As the name implies, the Civic Center is the primary center of government within the city and many important civic institutions are housed here. Aside from its official duties, it also moonlights as a cultural center with many fine museums, theaters, opera houses, and symphony halls located here.
Fisherman's Wharf is San Francisco's most popular destination among travelers, with circa 12 million visitors flocking here each year. For over a century its historic waterfront was the hub of the city's fishing fleet and is still famous for the depth and variety of its harvest, as well as for having some of the best seafood restaurants in the city. Today, it's also renowned for its numerous tourist attractions such as museums, souvenir stores, historical buildings and piers, and scenic vistas over the Bay.
The Golden Gate area is in the northern section of San Francisco. It is made up of two National Historic Landmarks — The Presidio and Fort Mason — as well as several upscale neighborhoods including Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow, and the Marina District. It has some of the most beautiful scenery and intact natural environments in the city.
is internationally recognized for its spectacular granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves, and biological diversity. The 750,000-acre, 1,200 square-mile park contains thousands of lakes and ponds, 1600 miles of streams, 800 miles of hiking trails, and 350 miles of roads.
Florida
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At Walt Disney World Resort, you can explore human innovation and cooperation; enjoy rides both thrilling and enchanting; relax and recuperate on the beach or the golf course; and discover an entire resort where children and adults can have fun—together.
At Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom, you can learn how tough it is to be a bug, dig for dinosaur bones, challenge the mysterious Himalayan yeti, and view hundreds of live animals in authentic settings.
At Walt Disney World's Disney Springs, you can design your own T-shirt or marvel at the biggest Disney store in the world; enjoy the fine cuisine of Wolfgang Puck or eat amongst the dinosaurs; visit a virtual-reality theme park or see incredible acrobatic feats; and in general just get away from the Disney parks for a while.
At Walt Disney World's Epcot, you can visit Mexico, France, and China, all in the same afternoon; survive crash tests in an experimental car; soar over California with the wind in your hair; and learn all about human achievement and international cooperation.
At Walt Disney World's Hollywood Studios, you can help Indiana Jones escape from the Nazis, take a wild limousine ride through Los Angeles, get shrunk to the size of a gnat, and learn all about the behind-the-scenes process of creating films and animation.
At Walt Disney World's Magic Kingdom, you can pillage the Caribbean with Jack Sparrow, spin through a tea party with the Mad Hatter, protect the galaxy with Buzz Lightyear, and visit the six themed lands of the world's most popular theme park.
Mid-Atlantic
[edit]Baltimore
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is a historic maritime neighborhood east of Baltimore's Inner Harbor area that contains the city's densest collection of pubs, bars, and restaurants (good ones, that is).
New York
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The largest city in New York State's Niagara Frontier is a city full of surprises. Though Buffalo is sometimes the butt of jokes about chicken wings, its long-suffering sports teams, and the mountains of snow under which it is supposedly buried each winter, local residents and others who are in the know tell a different story: one of vibrant nightlife, world-class museums and cultural attractions, tight-knit neighborhoods with community spirit and a real sense of place, a winning combination of high quality of life and low cost of living — and the sunniest summers in the Northeastern United States. Alternatively, you can do a tour of the Historic Churches of Buffalo's East Side, a Star itinerary.
is a tiny hamlet in Orleans County, New York. Located just north of the county seat of Albion, Childs is near the center of the county and has just enough activity to make it worth considering as a jumping-off point for a tour of the region.
Washington, D.C.
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is the capital of the United States and the seat of its three branches of government. It has an unparalleled collection of free, public museums, and the lion's share of the nation's most treasured monuments and memorials. The vistas on the National Mall between the Capitol, Washington Monument, White House, and Lincoln Memorial are iconic throughout the world.
Anacostia is the popular name for the huge swathe of Washington, D.C. consisting of the many neighborhoods East of the River. Its heart, in the small, historic neighborhood of Anacostia, is immediately across the Frederick Douglass Bridge from the newly built Nationals Ballpark.
Georgetown is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C. to the south of Woodley Park and west of Dupont Circle across Rock Creek Park. It is a major center of tourism in the capital for its high-end shopping and dining, quaint 18th century rowhouses on cobblestone streets, rowdy collegiate nightlife, waterfront harbor, and Georgetown University.
The National Mall is a National Park and the monumental green space at the heart of the city, the heart of the national psyche, and the heart of civic America. It stretches two miles just south of the White House, from the U.S. Capitol Building in the east to the Lincoln Memorial and Potomac River on the west. The park is home to the Smithsonian, a huge collection of the nation's best (and free) museums, as well as most the country's most famous memorials and monuments. It is the number one destination for visitors in the city, and one of the biggest destinations in the country.
Shaw is a neighborhood in Washington, D.C. just east of Dupont Circle and south of Adams Morgan, but with history and culture rooted firmly in D.C.'s African-American history that makes it impossible to mistake for those other neighborhoods. It is one of the most diverse sections of the city, with everyone moving in for the live jazz and high-end nightclubs on U St and 14th, and for the marvelous food, including the amazing Little Ethiopia strip.
Midwest
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is a picturesque city surrounding the University of Michigan. It has a strong bent toward the arts, and an attractive and pedestrian-friendly downtown. Visitors enjoy the city's wonderful sidewalk cafe dining, unique shops, lots of bookstores, and abundant cultural opportunities.
is a United States National Park comprised of Isle Royale and the surrounding waters and small islands, a wilderness preserve in northwest Lake Superior. It's easily identified on maps of the Great Lakes: Lake Superior resembles the profile of a snarling wolf; Isle Royale is the eye. Although it's closer to Ontario, Canada, or even Minnesota, USA, it's part of the state of Michigan.
Chicago
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is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. Butcher of hogs and believer in progress, it is one of the world's great cities, and yet the metropolitan luxuries of theater, shopping, and fine dining have barely put a dent in real Midwestern friendliness. It's a city with a swagger, but without the surliness or even the fake smiles found in other cities of its size.
Along the Magnificent Mile is a one day and night sightseeing tour of Chicago.
Bridgeport-Chinatown is the South Side of Chicago at its most dynamic, as the old South Side Irish neighborhood of the Daleys increasingly blends with the old Chinese immigrant community to the north. Enormous cathedrals now stand next to Buddhist temples, and Old Style washes down lo mein. If you are a visitor, though, you only need to keep in mind two things: Chinese food and baseball.
Bronzeville, the Black Metropolis, is a mecca of African-American History on Chicago's South Side, just miles south of downtown. Gwendolyn Brooks published poetry in the Chicago Defender, Andrew Rube Foster created Negro League Baseball, and Louis Armstrong kept his trumpet singing at the Sunset Cafe to keep Al Capone off his back. Long in disrepair, the neighborhood is coming back, with new residents refurbishing historic homes, and with new dining and nightlife scenes beginning to take root.
In Lincoln Park, collegians mix with freshly-minted lawyers and barrel-chested brokers, all come to sing their good fortune in beer gardens on the north side of Chicago, a short walk from miles of beautiful parks and the fabulous Lincoln Park Zoo. Just south is Old Town, a striking collision of rich and poor, and home of Chicago's two most celebrated theaters, Steppenwolf and Second City.
The Loop is the central business district of Chicago, bounded by the Chicago River to the north and west, Harrison St to the south, and Lake Michigan to the east. It contains the tallest members of Chicago's skyline and much of the city's finest architecture, holding within them much of the city's working stiffs; for visitors, it also has the glitzy downtown theater district, and the biggest annual music festivals.
The Loop Art Tour is a guided walking tour of Chicago's impressive collection of public art in the Loop, taking 2-4 hours depending on how long you linger at each sight.
The Near North is the shop-and-awe center of Chicago. It's bounded by North Avenue to the north, the Chicago River to the west and south, and Lake Michigan to the east. With a whirlwind rush of department stores, restaurants, and luxurious hotels, there's no better place to abuse your budget than the Near North and its celebrated Magnificent Mile.
In the Near South Grant Park overflows from downtown Chicago, leading right up to the main attractions on the lakefront: the splendid Museum Campus, with three world-class (and fun!) natural science museums; Soldier Field, home of the NFL's Chicago Bears; and McCormick Place, the city's massive convention center.
North Lincoln is a collection of neighborhoods on the north side of Chicago through which Lincoln Avenue wanders, remembering treasures and curiosities of the last century in Chicago life, moving along, and forgetting them all over again.
Pilsen is a neighborhood on the Lower West Side of Chicago. Murals of Mexican cowboys notwithstanding, Pilsen is a lot like the Wild West: only a few minutes from the Loop by train, this working-class area is thick with riches in art and historic architecture, encircled by developers and speculators in search of the next hot neighborhood, and occupied by a community that's fiercely proud of where they live.
The Southwest Side of Chicago is far off the beaten path. Plenty of visitors know Midway Airport, but never see anything beyond. Truth be told, there isn't a lot to see. But the Southwest Side does hold some interest as the former home to the infamous Union Stock Yards as well as a pretty long list of hidden culinary gems well worth the trek.
Uptown is a scruffy, jazz-inflected neighborhood on the north side of Chicago. Within its boundaries, off to the side of the action, are the residential areas of Sheridan Park and Buena Park, and an exciting Southeast Asian community based around Argyle Street.
Wicker Park is the vanguard of music, nightlife, and fashion in Chicago. This article also includes the sly, enjoyable Ukrainian Village, immediately south, and pieces of the greater West Town area.
South
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is the central business district of Charlotte. It is home to most of the city's major institutions, as well as being the historic core. It is also the geographic center of Charlotte, with the center point of the city at the intersection of Trade and Tryon Streets.
Southwest
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the largest city in New Mexico is a vibrant, sprawling desert metropolis. Although overshadowed as a tourist destination by Santa Fe, it has a number of great attractions in its own right, with pleasant scenery, colorful history, and a spectacular hot-air balloon fiesta in the fall.
founded in 1607, is the capital of the state of New Mexico in the United States. With an elevation of 7000 feet, it is not only the United States' oldest state capital but its highest. With a population of about 70,000, it's not the most populous capital, but that's part of its charm. Santa Fe is consistently rated one of the world's top travel destinations for its confluence of scenic beauty, long history (at least by American standards), cultural diversity, and extraordinary concentration of arts, music and fine dining.
is a United States National Park located in the southern Utah regions of Dixie and Canyon Country. The park protects the incredible rock formations and high sandstone cliffs within its boundaries and is a favorite spot for hiking, backpacking, canyoneering and climbing. In fact, Zion has some of the most spectacular trails in the National Park System. Visitors to Zion walk on the canyon floor and look up, rather than looking down from the rim as in many parks. In addition to the magnificent monoliths and cliffs, the park is known for its desert landscape of sandstone canyons, mesas, and high plateaus.
Texas
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is vast, rugged, and one of the least visited national parks in the continental U.S. With three distinct ecosystems, endless views, and powerful landscapes, Big Bend may leave you feeling like you've stumbled onto a well-kept secret.
Canada
[edit]Manitoba
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is The Polar Bear Capital of the World, the Beluga Capital of the World, and a capital choice to see the Northern Lights right overhead.
Travel topics
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The Chicago skyline is the world's tallest and easily ranks among its most magnificent. It boasts three of America's five tallest buildings and, if you include its antenna, the massive Sears Tower remains the second tallest skyscraper in the world.
Retiring abroad can let you live cheaply in an interesting place; you are not all that likely to actually find paradise-on-earth or the fountain of youth, but you might get close enough to enjoy yourself immensely.
Scuba diving
[edit]40 Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay
is a regional dive guide intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of the Cape Peninsula and False Bay, in the immediate vicinity of Cape Town, whether as a local resident or a visitor
The dive site Pinnacle is an inshore rocky reef in the Gordon's Bay area of the east side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
The dive sites at Partridge Point, including Big Rock, Seal Rock, Deep Partridge and Peter's Pinnacles are inshore rocky reefs at the southern end of the Castle Rocks restricted zone within the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
The dive site Photographer's Reef is an inshore rocky reef near Boulders Beach in Simon's Town, on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is in the Boulders restricted zone of the Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area.
The dive site Percy's Hole is an inshore rocky reef near Rooi-els on the east side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
The dive site at the wreck of the MV Aster in Hout Bay on the Atlantic seaboard of the Cape Peninsula near Cape Town, South Africa, is the wreck of a lobster fishing boat which was scuttled to provide an artificial reef and a diver friendly wreck site.
Phrasebooks
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Russian is a Slavic language spoken by 300+ million people world-wide. Most people living in Russia use it as a first language, and many other people in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe know it as a second language. It holds official status in the Russian Federation, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as the unrecognized states of Abkhazia, South Ossetia, and Transnistria.