world vs. Russia

Russia, or the former Soviet Union, has eight world champions. I don't think any other country has more than one.

What do they do that is so different that they can produce so many world champions? How do they recruit, train, and keep their kids interested in the game?

Do you think any country in the future will produce more world champion caliber chess players than Russia?

Because of cultural differences, Russia has a better atmosphere for playing chess at all. So the chance of a genius on this field being missed is reduced.
Being smart gains more popularity in Russia than in most countries.
Since chess is associated with being smart, chess is a more popular sport.
Just like the Netherlands (try to) raise great soccer players. And America baseball and basketball players etc..

I know I'm not only stating facts, but I had a discussion about this before, and I heard from several Russians this would be a probable explanation

Eh... Maybe because the Soviet chess school was traditionally strong and the government cultivated this game? I bet every pioneer sought to be another Karpov or Botvinnik. As to me, I don't really know because I had never been a pioneer. :) And today it is a quite different situation. Less finances & government support = less chess. Maybe that. Nevertheless, I wish you luck and hope that the nationality will always be on the second place after a player's personal skills and qualities. I don't really care from what country the player originates from. The more important thing is his and mine connection :)

countries with two champions.

US. Paul Morphy and Bobby Fischer.

Germany Emanuel Lasker and William Steinitz -- Okay, okay, Steinitz was Austrian, but to americans austria is basically Germany -- why split hairs? Similarly Belgium is France with better beer and uglier cities, and Portugal is the part of Spain where they don't speak Spanish, they speak Brazillian ;p ...

 They speak Portuguese in Portugal and so do the Brazilians.  Wasnt Morphy also a citizen of the late CSA ? 

Depends if you count Steinitz as Austrian-American or not, if you do then the US gets two. Also Russia, as oppossed to the USSR, could be said to have had five in Karpov, Kramnik, Khalifman, Kasparov (who describes himself as Russian) and Alekhine (fiercely anti bolshevist). The USSR only has 6 and a half champs I think? (The Soviet Union falling during Kasparov's reign)

Of course if you would accept some of the unofficial but legitimate world champs from before 1886 we could talk about France with 6 and Spain with 3 (hell even England had a couple!!)