russia-an emerging nation

Russia is one of the BRIC countries.These are the emerging countries with the highest economic growth rates.Information on these countries is sparse.The actual growth rate is not clear.After the break-up of the Soviet Union the population is not clear but a reasonable estimate is 150 to 200 million population.Estimates are better for the size of the economy;it should be about $1.5 trillion;this is very close to the size of the Canadian economy although our growth rate is slower now than that of Russia.Consumption in Russia is a greater part of the economy but Russia like Canada needs foreign capital.Canada has ready access to American capital just as Russia has easy access to European capital.In particular,Germany has put a lot of capital into supplying natural gas and oil.

However  Russia has a problem getting as much foreign capital as it needs.It's reputation for justice in both criminal and security(investment) cases is suspect.This makes foreigners leery about investing, at times.This is something it shares with Canada.Canada is notoriously lax in securities or the investment area.In the case of both Nortel and Bre-x there has been a tremeduous loss of wealth to shareholders with nobody from either company going to jail.Conrad Black was caught "redhanded" on video taking company records and not sentenced in Canada;he was instead sentenced in U.S.A to six years in jail.

It is likely that both Canada and Russia would have more eager foreign investors with a more tight legal system.A system that guarantees justice to investors.This might also allow tighter restrictions on foreign capital that does come into either country.