Curving around the North Pole in a huge arc, Russia spans almost half the globe from east to west and about 4,000 kilometers (2,500 miles) from north to south.  Divided into eleven time zones, Russia is by far the world's largest country.  It occupies much of Eastern Europe and northern Asia.

Traditionally, Siberia included all of Russia east of the Ural Mountains.  The terrain is diverse and filled with extremes.  There are great stands of forest, long mountain ranges, and vast plains.  The Far North of Siberia is basically desert tundra and permafrost.  In the south of Siberia, there are areas with mild climates, favorable for intensive agriculture and advanced industry.  Most of the population of Siberia is located in the south and in urban areas.  Villages throughout the region are drying up as many try to move to the cities.

Ethnically, the population of Siberia is mostly Russian with Russian being by far the predominant language in the region.  Other significant people groups include Chinese, Buryat, and other Asians, including people from the former Soviet Republics.  The farther one travels east, the higher the oriental population grows.

The most significant factor of geography in missions work is the sheer size of the region.  Getting from one place to another can take a large amount of time.  Getting around the region, however, is ordinarily not difficult as trains, buses, and roads go to almost every city and village.