ch.16 russia and the caucasus

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Copyright © by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company

Chapter 16

World Geography

Physical Geography

The Big Idea

Russia is big and cold with vast plains and forests; whereas the Caucasus countries are small, mountainous, and warmer.

Main Ideas

•The physical features of Russia and the Caucasus include plains, mountains, and rivers.

•Climate and plant life change from north to south in Russia and vary in the Caucasus.

•Russia and the Caucasus have a wealth of resources, but many are hard to access.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Main Idea 1: The physical features of Russia and the Caucasus include plains, mountains, and rivers.

• Continents of Europe and Asia meet at the Ural Mountains.

• Russia is the world’s largest country.

–Twice the size of the United States

• South of Russia is a region known as the Caucasus.

– Includes three smaller countries—Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Russia’s capital, Moscow, is located in the Northern European Plain, which stretches across western, or European, Russia.

Landforms


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Rivers

• Volga River, in western Russia

–Longest river in Europe

Lakes

• Russia has some 200,000 lakes.

• Lake Baikal, in south-central Siberia, is world’s deepest lake.

– Deep enough to hold all the water in all five of the Great Lakes

Bodies of Water


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Main Idea 2: Climate and plant life change from north to south in Russia and vary in the Caucasus.

• Russia has short summers and long, snowy winters due in part to its location along Arctic Circle.

• Taiga, a vast forest of evergreen trees, covers about half of Russia.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Natural Resources

• Fertile soil for farming in Northern European plain and steppe

• Wood from taiga for building and paper products

• Metals and precious gems

Energy Resources

• Main energy resources include coal, hydroelectricity, natural gas, and oil.

• Russia and Azerbaijan have large oil and gas fields.

Main Idea 3: Russia and the Caucasus have a wealth of resources, but many are hard to access.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

History and Culture of Russia

The Big Idea

Strict rule, unrest, and ethnic diversity have shaped Russia’s history and culture.

Main Ideas

•The Russian Empire grew under powerful leaders, but unrest and war led to its end.

•The Soviet Union emerged as a Communist superpower with rigid government control.

•Russia’s history and diversity have influenced its culture.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Main Idea 1: The Russian Empire grew under powerful leaders, but unrest and war led to its end.

• The Slavs settled in Eastern Europe

• AD 800s—Viking, or Rus, traders from Scandinavia invaded the Slavs.

–Shaped the first Russian state, Kievan Rus, centered around the city of Kiev


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Chapter 16

World Geography

In the 1540s Ivan IV crowned himself czar, or emperor, and became known as Ivan the Terrible for his cruel leadership.

Strong czars built Russia into a huge empire and world power.

In the early 1900s Russians began demanding improvements and unrest grew.

Russia remained largely a country of poor farmers, while the czars and nobles had most of the wealth.

Empire


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Chapter 16

World Geography

World War I

Russian Revolution

•Russia entered World War I in 1914.

– Suffered huge losses and severe food shortages

•When the czar seemed to ignore the people’s hardship, they rose against him.

•The czar was forced to give up his throne in 1917.

• Later that year the Bolsheviks, a radical Russian Communist group, seized power in the Russian Revolution.

• In 1922 the Bolsheviks formed a new country, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), or the Soviet Union.

War and Revolution


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Cold War and Collapse

•During World War II the Soviet Union fought with the Allies.

•Opposition between the Soviet Union and the United States led to the Cold War.

•In 1991 the Soviet Union collapsed and broke into 15 independent countries, including Russia.

Soviet Union under Stalin

•Soviet Union led by Lenin became a Communist country.

•Joseph Stalin took power after Lenin’s death in 1924.

•Stalin was a brutal and paranoid dictator and punished anyone who spoke out against the government.

Main Idea 2: The Soviet Union emerged as a Communist superpower with rigid government control.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Main Idea 3: Russia’s history and diversity have influenced its culture.

Arts and Sciences

•Russia’s ballet companies are world famous.

People and Religion

•Population: more than 140 million

•About 80 percent are ethnic Russians.

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Chapter 16

World Geography

Russia Today

The Big Idea

Russia is a federal republic with a growing market economy but faces tough challenges.

Main Ideas

•The Russian Federation is working to develop democracy and a market economy.

•Russia’s physical geography, cities, and economy define its many culture regions.

•Russia faces a number of serious challenges.


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World Geography

Economy

•Russia is moving toward a market economy, based on free trade and competition.

•The Russian government has greatly reduced its control of the economy.

Government

•Russian leaders have struggled to change from communism to democracy.

•The Russian Federation is a federal republic, a system in which power is divided between national and local governments.

Main Idea 1: The Russian Federation is working to develop democracy and a market economy.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

City Life

Rural Life

• About 75 percent of all Russians live in cities.

• Most live in small apartments in high-rise buildings.

• About 25 percent of all Russians live in rural areas.

• Many live in houses.

• Many richer Russians own dachas, or Russian country houses.

City and Rural Life


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Siberia and the Russian Far East

Siberia

• Winters long and severe

• Remote region with many valuable, but difficult to access, resources.

• Main industries are lumber, mining, and oil production.

• Jobs there pay high wages, but few people chose to live there.

Russian Far East

• Long coastline region along the Pacific Ocean

• Land is heavily forested

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Chapter 16

World Geography

The Caucasus

The Big Idea

In an area long ruled by outside groups, the Caucasus republics are struggling to strengthen their economies and to deal with ethnic unrest.

Main Ideas

•Many groups have ruled and influenced the Caucasus during its long history.

•Today the Caucasus republics are working to improve their economies but struggle with ethnic unrest and conflict.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Main Idea 1: Many groups have ruled and influenced the Caucasus during its long history.

• After World War I Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia gained independence—but not for long.

• Finally in 1991 the Caucasus republics achieved true independence when the Soviet Union fell.


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Chapter 16

World Geography

Azerbaijan•Capital: Baku

•About 90 percent are Azeri and most are Muslim.

Caucasus Today

Georgia•Capital: Tbilisi

•About 70 percent are ethnic Georgians and most belong to Georgian Orthodox Church.

Armenia•Capital: Yerevan

•Almost all the people are ethnic Armenian and most people belong to the Armenian Orthodox Church.

ch.16 russia and the caucasus

Education

culture of russia

half of russia

europelakes russia

world geographymain

united states south

world geographyhistory

caucasus countries

wealth of resources