World's largest country, seen in miniature

Master model-makers are re-creating the Russian landmass in miniature. The worlds largest nation has been scaled down to an 800-square-metre model, still under construction, but already on show to the public who are allowed to visit on one day each week.The Grandmaket, Russian for Grand Model, is a model on a 1:87 scale. It depicts Russias vast natural landscape, including lakes, rivers, mountains and forests, as well as its major cities, railways and historical monuments. Much of the model presents a somewhat idealised view of Russia with no traffic jams and no litter in the countryside.Grandmaket aims to give a recognisable picture of Russia by using several key buildings, key landmarks, key features of the landscape and characteristic places. The model will offer an interactive experience for visitors, appealing particularly to children. It is expected to have up to 100 buttons for visitors to press as they look at different aspects of life in Russia. More than 100 craftspeople, electronic engineers and modeling artists, have been employed to help build Russia, the model nation.