Russia: Is it still Europe or is it already Asia?
Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2025 3:08 am
There are many reasons why the vast majority of our society has a negative attitude towards Russians and their culture. Some of them, such as historical reasons, are quite understandable; after all, it is difficult to be fond of a nation that seized our territories in the 18th century and less than two hundred years later occupied our country, preventing economic growth. However, it must be admitted that Russians and Poles, belonging to the same cultural circle, have much more in common than many other European nations.
Our common history may not be an example of fruitful cooperation, but no one can deny that our worldviews and approach to working life are very different. This fact means that exporting to one of the largest countries in the world, whose people are so close to us, can be a ticket to success for Polish entrepreneurs.
However, to make an objective statement, it is necessary to check whether the indicators of the Russian economy support this thesis. The country's GDP grew continuously from 2006 until the kuwait email list unfortunate year 2009, with an average increase of 7% per year. Unfortunately, inflation was at an even higher level, not falling below 8% since 2003. One must also take into account the structure of the Russian economy, which has not changed for many years: although services account for an ever-increasing share of GDP, industry remains a very important link in it, accounting for 37% of GDP. Russia is also an important player in international trade, and its export products are mainly energy products, such as natural gas and oil. Surprisingly, the highest levels of GDP per capita are recorded in the eastern regions, where the vast majority of us would not expect it. This figure is considerably lower in the western regions, which are territorially closer to the European Union, excluding, of course, the Moscow region.
However, when exporting to this market, the Polish entrepreneur must take into account the considerable diversity of Russian society. It is particularly great in terms of ethnicity – native Russians make up just under 80% – the remaining 20% come from the various nations of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Religious diversity is also very high in the country: according to various surveys, Christians make up only about 70% of the population, of which more than 50% are Orthodox Christians. Another 15% of the population are Muslims, and the remaining percentage are followers of religions that do not refer to the concept of gods, such as Buddhism.
All these features of society and the fact that it is increasingly inspired by Western European models have a significant impact on its preferences and shopping habits. According to a report published on pmoney.ru, up to 80% of Russians buy a lot of useless things, which indicates the growing level of consumption in this society and has a positive impact on the level of income the country receives. An equally positive factor is the increase in the number of people living in cities: the rate of urbanization currently stands at 73.1% and is expected to increase in the coming years.
Our common history may not be an example of fruitful cooperation, but no one can deny that our worldviews and approach to working life are very different. This fact means that exporting to one of the largest countries in the world, whose people are so close to us, can be a ticket to success for Polish entrepreneurs.
However, to make an objective statement, it is necessary to check whether the indicators of the Russian economy support this thesis. The country's GDP grew continuously from 2006 until the kuwait email list unfortunate year 2009, with an average increase of 7% per year. Unfortunately, inflation was at an even higher level, not falling below 8% since 2003. One must also take into account the structure of the Russian economy, which has not changed for many years: although services account for an ever-increasing share of GDP, industry remains a very important link in it, accounting for 37% of GDP. Russia is also an important player in international trade, and its export products are mainly energy products, such as natural gas and oil. Surprisingly, the highest levels of GDP per capita are recorded in the eastern regions, where the vast majority of us would not expect it. This figure is considerably lower in the western regions, which are territorially closer to the European Union, excluding, of course, the Moscow region.
However, when exporting to this market, the Polish entrepreneur must take into account the considerable diversity of Russian society. It is particularly great in terms of ethnicity – native Russians make up just under 80% – the remaining 20% come from the various nations of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Religious diversity is also very high in the country: according to various surveys, Christians make up only about 70% of the population, of which more than 50% are Orthodox Christians. Another 15% of the population are Muslims, and the remaining percentage are followers of religions that do not refer to the concept of gods, such as Buddhism.
All these features of society and the fact that it is increasingly inspired by Western European models have a significant impact on its preferences and shopping habits. According to a report published on pmoney.ru, up to 80% of Russians buy a lot of useless things, which indicates the growing level of consumption in this society and has a positive impact on the level of income the country receives. An equally positive factor is the increase in the number of people living in cities: the rate of urbanization currently stands at 73.1% and is expected to increase in the coming years.