In existence since 1904, theTASS Russian News Agency is one of the world's largest international information agencies. The successor to the Soviet TASS news agency, it was re-named in 1992, when Russia proclaimed its sovereignty following the collapse of the USSR. It has retained its status of being the state central information agency.TASS relies on a widespread net of correspondents. Currently, It has more than 130 bureaus and offices in Russia and abroad.TASS also cooperates with more than 80 foreign news agencies.TASS' editorial and other desks process information from correspondents, check and analyze facts, and translate into five foreign languages.TASS has accumulated a rich body of experience throughout the course of its 100-year history. The agency's widespread network of correspondents, its modern means of distributing and storing information, and a well-oiled mechanism of cooperation between its editorial, reference and reporter departments, all enable TASS to provide quick and full coverage of all kinds of events shaping Russia and the world. The agency also operates a photo service, the largest of its kind in Russia. This unique service offers pictures of the latest breaking developments, available for prompt transmission in digital form. Clients also have access to an extremely rich photo archive dating back to the beginning of the 20th century.