eastern hemisphere, orient - the hemisphere that includes Eurasia and Africa and Australia

northern hemisphere - the hemisphere north of the equator

Russia - a former empire in eastern Europe and northern Asia created in the 14th century with Moscow as the capital; powerful in 17-18th centuries under Peter the Great and Catherine the Great when Saint Petersburg was the capital; overthrown by revolution in 1917

Russia, Soviet Union, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, USSR - a former communist country in eastern Europe and northern Asia; established in 1922; included Russia and 14 other soviet socialist republics (Ukraine and Byelorussia an others); officially dissolved 31 December 1991

Russian Federation, Russia - a federation in northeastern Europe and northern Asia; formerly Soviet Russia; since 1991 an independent state

Russian Soviet Federated Socialist Republic, Soviet Russia, Russia - formerly the largest Soviet Socialist Republic in the USSR occupying eastern Europe and northern Asia

Scythia - an ancient area of Eurasia extending from the Black Sea to the Aral Sea that was populated by Scythians from the eighth to the fourth century BC

Asia - the largest continent with 60% of the earth's population; it is joined to Europe on the west to form Eurasia; it is the site of some of the world's earliest civilizations

continent - one of the large landmasses of the earth; "there are seven continents"; "pioneers had to cross the continent on foot"

Europe - the 2nd smallest continent (actually a vast peninsula of Eurasia); the British use `Europe' to refer to all of the continent except the British Isles