Moscow is the capital and largest city of Russia, located in Central Russia along the Moskva River. It serves as a major global hub with a population exceeding 13 million residents within its city limits, while its metropolitan area encompasses over 21.5 million people.
The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometers, though its urban and metropolitan areas extend significantly further to cover over 26,000 square kilometers. Moscow is recognized as the most populous city entirely in Europe and holds the distinction of being the largest city by land area on the European continent.