Physical Geography: Russia

Bye Bye Soviet Union

In 1991, the Soviet Union broke up into 15 independent republics.

Russia is by far the Largest

A Vast and Varied Land

Russia is the world’s largest country.– Covers 6.6 million square miles– Stretches across both Europe and Asia

Mountains and Plateaus

Ural Mountains – Mark the boundary between European and Asian

Russia Caucasus Mountains

– Contains Russia highest point, Mt. Elbrus (and extinct volcano)

Central Siberian Plateau– Contains the Sayan Mts. And Yablonovyy Mts. That

mark the border between Russia and China

Plains Areas

North European Plain– Makes up most of European Russian

The northern part of the plain is flat and drains poorly– Results in many swamps and lakes

The Southern part contains navigable waterways and a rich black soil known as Chernozem

– About 75% of Russia’s population lives in the North European Plain

West Siberian Plain– Ural Mts. Divide NEP and WSP – Poorly drains

Result: Swamps and Marshes

Coasts, Seas, and Lakes

Russia has the longest continuous coastline of any country in the world.– Stretching 23,400 miles– Because of extremely cold weather, most ports are not accessible year-round

because of ice Black Sea

– Russia’s Fishing Industry has thrived here Caspian Sea

– Largest inland body of water in the world– Not a sea because it does not connect to the ocean

Lake Baikal– Third largest lake in Asia– Deepest freshwater lake in the world– Estimated to contain about 20% of earth’s fresh water

Rivers

Volga River– 4th largest river in Russia– Called Matushka Volga or “Mother Volga”– Gives Russia a water route to northern Europe

Hydroelectric Power – power generated from falling water– 2/3 of Russia’s water traffic travels along the Volga

Siberian Rivers– Rivers flow south to north– Water melts earlier in the south, causing water to dam up at the frozen north

Results in swamps and marshes– Amur River

Marks border between Russia and China for about 1,000 miles Warmer than most of Siberia

– Siberia’s main-food producing Area

Natural Resources

Minerals– Petroleum deposits, dry natural gas, coal, nickel, aluminum,

gemstone, platinum group metal, sulfur, and tungsten. World’s largest nickel producer

Soil and Forest Land– Only 10% of Russian land is farmable

Permafrost – permanently frozen layer of soil– Black Earth Belt – Contain most of Russia’s farming

Extends from Ukraine to southwestern siberia– 1/5 of earth’s remaining forest lie in Russia

75% in eastern Russia Diminishing faster than Amazon

Climate and Vegetation: Russia

It’s Cold

Eastern Siberia– Contains Russia’s coldest winters– Verkhoyansk the “cold pole of the world”

Temperatures as low as -90°F

High Latitude Climates

Russia’s high latitude results in cold winters and short summers Tundra

– A vast treeless plain, where temperatures average below freezing– Located in Northern Russia bordering the Artic Ocean– Has weeks of no sun in the winter, and continuous sun in the summer

Subarctic – Dominate climate in Russia– Taiga – the coniferous forests extending across much of subarctic

North America and Eurasia, bordered by tundra to the north and steppe to the south

Russian taiga is world’s largest coniferous forest

Mid-latitude Climates

Humid Continental– Milder (and more livable) weather than Tundra and

Subarctic Moscow: 9°F - 21°F (January) 56°F - 75°F (July)

– Makes up majority of Russia’s North European Plain– Contains mixed forest and fertile land

Steppe– Wide, grassy plains of Eurasia– Contains fertile chernozem soil