Russia, also officially known as the Russian Federation is the largest country in the world, covering much of the Eurasian land mass. It played a major role in world affairs during the 20th century and the beginning of 21st century. Russia is a federal republic, consisting of 89 federal subjects. From northwest to southeast, Russia shares land borders with Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland (both with Kaliningrad Oblast), Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, and North Korea. It shares maritime borders with Japan by the Sea of Okhotsk, and the U.S. state of Alaska across the Bering Strait.