Moscow (, ; Russian: Москва, tr. Moskva, IPA: [mɐˈskva] ()) is the capital and the most populous city of Russia, standing on the Moskva River in the central part of Western Russia, Moscow's population is estimated at 12.6 million residents within the city proper, while over 17 million residents in the urban area, and over 20 million residents in the Moscow Metropolitan Area. The city covers an area of 2,511 square kilometres (970 sq mi), while the urban area covers 5,891 square kilometres (2,275 sq mi), and the metropolitan area covers over 26,000 square kilometres (10,000 sq mi). Moscow is among the world's largest cities, being the most populous city entirely within Europe, the most populous urban area in Europe, the most populous metropolitan area in Europe, and also the largest city (b