Russia is officially known as the Russian Federation and is located in northern Eurasia, bordering several countries. Birch trees are strongly associated with Russian culture and appear frequently in songs and poetry as a symbol of Russia. Russian culture has a strong tradition of music, ballet, literature, fine art, cinema, and theater. Some of the most famous Russian artists and writers include Tchaikovsky, Chekhov, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Eisenstein, and Bolshoi Theater.