There is a great potential in Russia, both as a market and as a resource. However, unlocking that potential will require patience, an open mind and clear communication through quality translations and a focused marketing strategy.

Companies adopting these philosophies are likely to be very successful. The Russian market can be very rewarding for those who take a long term view of their business. Anyone with a solid website localisation plan now will benefit more in the future as Russia's economy strengthens and the political situation stabilizes.

Here are some details to show why every ambitious business should have a Russian language presence on their web site, or in their marketing plan.

• There are approximately 195 million native Russians living in the world. That is more than the number of native speakers of German, French, Arabic, Korean, or Japanese.
• It is the official language of Russia and for more then seventy years it was the dominant language of the former Soviet Union. The last census, which took place before dissolution in 1991, showed that the population of the Soviet Union at that time was 286 million.
• The Russian language was also widely taught as a second language in Warsaw Pact countries of Eastern and Central Europe.
• Russian is the third most widely spoken language in Europe.
• In total there are well over 300 million people in the world speaking Russian as their first or second language.
• Demand for internet services in Russia has exploded, with internet subscriber rates growing rapidly each year. Russian website localisation will put you at the forefront of this growing market
• Russian is one of the six official languages of the United Nations.
• It is a little known fact that more scientific material is printed in Russian than in any other language except English.

In addition, the Russian language has contributed enormously to the world we all live in today. Literary masterpieces by Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, Gogol, Pushkin, Chekhov and other great writers have added immeasurably to classical culture in so many ways.

One final point to bear in mind is that Russia has one of the highest educational standards in the world. As a result, a high quality of written correctness is expected from everyone. Poorly translated documents and letters may lead to a lack of credibility and could harm any potential business venture.

These facts cannot be ignored when considering any website localisation programme.

Our aim is to assist you in achieving your aims; we do far more than just translate words. Please contact us to discuss your localisation needs in greater detail.