Russia has applied to host the .
The application documents were submitted to the headquarters of the International Exhibitions Bureau, or BIE, in Paris.
Vicente Gonzalez Loscerates, BIE's secretary general, personally accepted the application from the representatives of the Russian delegation. He praised its "high quality," the city's bid committee said in a statement.
The parameters of the event state that it can run for up to six months and must adhere to a "wide universal theme that applies to all humanity."
Deputy Premier Arkady Dvorkovich congratulated the bid team on its successful application and said the country will honor all its obligations in preparing Russia's fourth-biggest city for hosting the World Expo, the statement said.
Erik Bugulov, head of the Expo 2020 Yekaterinburg bid committee, said Russia will be able to host the event at the highest level. He added that the committee's next task will be to convince the BIE's inspection team, which will visit Yekaterinburg early next year, that the city is ready to hold the event.
If Russia wins the right to host the World Expo in 2020, organizers expect almost 150 countries to participate. It will be one of the biggest in the history of the international event, which dates back to 1851.
In the six months the exhibition will run, 32 million visitors can take part in its offerings. Russia chose "global intellect" as theme for its proposal.
Besides Yekaterinburg, other contestants to host the 2020 World Expo include Izmir, Turkey; Ayutthaya, Thailand; Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Sao Paulo.
The winner will be determined by voting in November 2013 in Paris, Interfax reported.
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