Final answer:
England was the first country to industrialize, beginning in the eighteenth century, largely due to its advances in agriculture, surplus population, and technological innovations like the steam engine.
Step-by-step explanation:
The country that was the first to industrialize was England. The Industrial Revolution began in England in the eighteenth century, with significant advancements in agriculture, such as an increase in population and more efficient farming. This surplus of population and resources allowed England to be at the forefront of industrialization, leveraging new technologies like the steam engine for mass production in various industries, including textiles, iron, steel, and machinery. Factors such as geographical advantages, an existing commercial agricultural base, and the resulting available workforce of displaced peasants and farmers contributed significantly to England's early and rapid industrialization.
Russia, on the other hand, faced unique challenges due to its vast size and the sparse distribution of its natural resources, which initially prevented it from industrializing at the same pace as England. The construction of infrastructure like roads and railroads was immensely challenging, which made the industrialization process much slower compared to other nations like England or the United States.