There is no doubt that the Russian economy as it stands is based upon the country’s massive natural resources which include oil, gas and precious metals. The country has a massive stake in the worldwide supply of gas, something we saw when a gas line was “switched off” due to a dispute with a neighbouring country, and this is likely to continue for some time to come. However, annual economic growth in Russia has been averaging around 8%, prior to the credit crunch and worldwide recession, which is certainly something which warrants further investigation.

There are a number of very prominent and very strong economic sectors in the Russian economy which include the aircraft industry, electronics, telecoms and agriculture to name but a few. The country also has very strong trading relations with China, the US and the majority of the leading worldwide economies which bodes well for the future. It will be interesting to see how these strong overseas partnerships develop because there is very much a public face and a private life for the Russian economy. The headlines you see regarding friction on the political scene do not necessarily reflect the underlying strength and direction of the Russian economy.

There are a number of relatively easy ways to invest in Russia which include direct equities, collective investments as well as index tracking investment vehicles. Direct equities attract the highest risk/reward ratio while collective investments and index tracking investments will give a general return linked to some specific index or economic indicator. So depending upon your personal risk/reward ratio profile there are options to mix and match the above investment vehicles.

After many years in the “cold” there is no doubt that the Russian economy is now well and truly back in the international fold although work still needs to be done with regards to regulations and business practices. As time progresses and trading relationships with the US, China and other leading economies continue to strengthen there is no doubt that the Russian economy is well-positioned for the future. The massive array of natural resources available to the Russian authorities will forever be in the minds of overseas investors and overseas governments, keen to have access to these potential riches.

Russia has an enormous amount of natural resources. The natural gas reserves in Russia are the largest in the world, with coal and oil reserves placed at second and eighth position respectively in the world. Thus, Russia’s major export products comprise of the natural resources mentioned above. It is the largest exporter of natural gas and the second largest when it comes to exporting oil in the world. Actually, the bulk of its exports about 80% include natural gas, oil, timber and metals.

This happens because of high domestic consumption and low income tax. The income tax is charged at 13% flat rate in Russia. It stands second in terms of personal tax charged in the world after UAE where no income tax is charged. This low income tax has made the citizens more contented and also contributed to the increase in the revenue collection of the Russian government.

This makes it one of the best markets for starting an import business. The new policy adopted by the government is much liberal than what it had in the past, and now it does let you import certain items easily that were difficult to import earlier. You can now easily set up an import business in Russia and take advantage of the improved spending power of its population.

Russia has more graduates in higher education than the other countries of Europe and its literacy rate among the average population is quite high. This makes it easy for you to successfully tap the stylish and urbane import goods market. The imported products that are high in demand include computers, electronics, apparels and luxury goods.

The major industries in Russia also require imported machinery and equipment that they can use to enhance their production. The major industries that depend upon imported plants, equipment and machinery include mining, oil and energy sector. If you can find the right contacts then you can benefit hugely from this highly profitable market.

Exporting products from Russia can also make you a fortune, especially if you already have an experience of conducting business in key sectors such as natural gas, oil and coal. You can easily export these products from Russia, as it is already famous across the world for such exports, and you would not have to make an extra effort in order to convince your buyers. You can make huge profits by getting these products for yourself and then supplying them to the highest bidder.