The Physical Geography of Russia

Chapter 14The Physical Geography of Russia

The LandA Vast and Varied LandWorlds largest country6,200 miles11 times zones9 mountain ranges13 seasMountains and PlateausUral Mountains separate European Russia from Asian RussiaSmall mountains but with iron ore, oil, natural gas, etc.

Caucasus Mountains Southwest, Mount Elbrus 18,510 feet

Central Siberian Plateau

Kanchatka Peninsula 100 volcanoes (23 active), as low as -90 degreesPlainsNorth European Plain poorly drained, so many swamps and lakesSouth portion has rich black soil (chernozem) which supports wheat, rye, oats75% of population live here

West Siberian Plain one of worlds largest flat areasMany swamps and marshesCoasts, Seas, and LakesLongest coastline in the world (23,000 miles)Not many seaports b/c of freezingWarm air along Black Sea fishing thrives thereCaspian Sea largest inland body of water in world (actually a lake)Lake Baikal 400 miles long , deepest freshwater lake in worldHold 20% of worlds freshwater!!!!RiversLong rivers, and many provide electric powerMost rivers are in Siberia, so European Russians often face water shortages

The Volgar River connect Moscow and Caspian Sea. Frozen half year, but provides hydroelectric powerBecoming pollutedSiberian Rivers rivers sources melt before mouths causing floodingNatural ResourcesMinerals and Energy Mineral fuels16% of worlds coal reserveMost DRY natural gas in worldNickel, aluminum, gemstones, sulfur, tungsten

Soil and Forest10% of land can have agricultureBlack Earth Belt1/5 of worlds forests, but shrinking faster than amazonRussias fishing industryHUGESturgeon being illegally hunted for caviarClimate and VegetationSection 2Russias climates and VegetationLong, cold winters and short, cool summersEastern Siberia is coldest

High-latitude climates -30 to 64 degrees, little rainTundra above arctic circle and stays dark, 10% of RussiaSubarctic most of Russia,Taiga forest belt, covers 2/5 of European Russian into Siberia (size of US)

Living in Cold ClimateHeatingSpecials metalsWater supplyMid-latitude climates most people live here

Humid Continental 9-21 in Jan. 56-75 in JulyMost of European RussiaDescent growingWar and WinterNapoleon in 1812 and Germans in WWIISteppe located between Black and Caspian SeasSlightly warmer, and winters are not nearly as harshChapter 15

The Cultural Geography of RussiaPopulation PatternsSection1Russias Ethnic DiversityEthnic Groups share common ancestry, language, religion, customs, etc.Ethnic Regions Nationalities1991 32 ethnic groups have own republics or administrative territories within RussiaThe Slavs Ethnic Russians including Poles, Serbs, Ukrainians, etc.Dominate politics and culturePractice Eastern OrthodoxyMostly speak RussianTurkic PeoplesSecond largest ethnic groupAround Caucasus Area and Volga areaMostly Muslim, but considered Trukic by languageTatars is biggest groups of Turks1994 Russia gave Tatarstan limited sovereignty (self-rule)Caucasian PeopleNear Caucasus region of southeastern RussiaMostly MuslimSpeak Russian but with different dialectDemand self-rulePopulation Density and DistributionPopulation and the Environment6th largest populationNear 150 mill people. 22 people per square mile75% live between Belarus and Ukraine and Ural Mountains (120 per sq. mile)Moscow is the major industrial cityPopulation trendsDuring Soviet Era, many moved to non-Russian republicsAfter 1991, begin to returnLife expectancy has declined because of lack of health careHistory and GovernmentSection 2Early Peoples and StatesHistory begins around 600ADSlavs settled in North European PlainDividedWest Slaves became the Poles, Czechs, and SlavaksSouth Slavs were Bulgarians, Croats, Serbs, and SlovenesEast Slavs were Russians, Ukrainians, and BelarusiansKievan Rus800 AD, Scandinavian warriors called the Varangianas cam and adopted language and customs.Built city-states known as Kievan RusPopular trading routes1200s, Mongol invaders from Central Asia took over and rules 200 years

The Rise of RussiaWhen the Mongols overran Keiv, many Slavs fled to Moskva River (Moscow) with trade routes and good farmingMuscovy kept peace with Mongols, but the princes became powerful and began refusing to pay Mongols and drive them out.Prince IVAN III (the Great) gathered the lands and created Russia1533, Ivan IV became first czar (supreme ruler) and became known as Ivan the Terrible.Romanov dynasty took over in 1613, and by then, peasants were serfs, a virtually enslaved workforces bound to the land and under the control of the nobility.Romanov CzarsFell behind in science and technology, but Peter the Great came to modernize (1600s)Russia majorily expanded including territory and trade St. Petersburg was capital1700s Catherine the Great, adapted European ways (spoke French)But this put a divide between nobility and peasants.The Russian Revolution1800s reform needed, government tyrannical, peasants hurtingCzar Alexander II freed surfsbut not well thoughtoutRussification speak Russian and be Eastern OrthodoxSocialism a belief that calls for greater economic quality in society. Spurred by Karl MarxBelieved everyone should be equal and receive equal wealththought it would end the power of the wealthyBy 1900s, riotinggoing against Czar Nicholas IIThe Soviet Era1917, representative government, but didnt have much controlBolsheviks seized control and implemented Communism.Communism a philosophy based on Karl Marxs ideas that called for the violent overthrow of government and the creation of a new society led by workers.Pulled out of WWI, but took control of everything in landCivil WarThe Soviet UnionBolsheviks won the civil war. Now known as Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)Moscow now capitalLenin dies, Stalin takes over. Makes USSR major industrial giantPeople died by hunger and labor campsKilled all who threatened him and his powerA SuperpowerWWII, fighting Germany. 27 mill Russians dieSoviet Union controlled much of Eastern Europe (1945)Satellites countries East Germany, Poland, Hungary, etc.Next 4 decades, Cold War between USSR and US fight between Communism and CapitalismThe Soviet Breakup1800s, Communism failing1985 Mikhail Gorbachev wanted Communist reform created perestroika (economic reconstruction) and Glasnost (political openness)Soviet republics begin to declare independenceBoris Yeltsin (first democratically elected president)m tried to stop continued uprising of communismA New RussiaYeltsin assumed leadershipBad economyEthnic conflictsMoving from command economy o market economyCultures and LifestylesChapter 15 section 3Religion in RussiaEastern Orthodox Church vital to Russia before CommunismCommunism promoted atheismRelaxed religious lawsbut now becoming more strict again.Christianity in Russia988, Prince Vladimir adopted Eastern Orthodox Christianity By 1453, simply Orthodox ChristianityHurt during Communism but making comebackChurches being fixedHas a patriarch and iconsIslamSouthern Regions of RussiaMostly Sunni sect, such as most Arab countriesJudaismVery persecutedCould hardly have landPogroms organized persecution and massacresDuring Communism, migrated to Israel or USBuddhismNear the Caspian Sea and near Lake Baikal Million BuddhistsEducation100% literacy rate in urban areasSoviet emphasis on free but mandatory eductionFavored military, science and engineering study verse language, history, and literature.Intelligentsia educators, writers, artists.Doctors, teachers, etc are little paidEducation changed after CommunismStudents can choose their type of schoolSchools are overcrowded and in disrepairHealth CareDisease and lifestyle helped lower life expectancyBirths are dangerous and many diseasesHealthcare is horrible. Doctors quit to become taxi drivers!The ArtsLove art, music, and writingDangerous to express yourself1600s, found inspiration in religion

Ilya Repin

Wassily Kandinsky

Culture and the SovietsBelieved artists should glorify the achievements of CommunismSocialist RealismAlexander Solzhenitsyn banished to labor camps and sent from countryThe Gulag Archipelago

Post Soviet ArtMore freedomLife and LeisureMany hardships and shortages.But leisure time allowedTennis, track and field, ice hockeyHolidaysChristmas finally reinstated for the first time since 1918

Russia TodayChapter 16Living in RussiaThe Soviet Command EconomyCommand Economy central authority makes key economic decisions. Control banks, factories, farms, mines, transportationEmphasized heavy industry became a world power, but couldnt get consumer goodsBlack MarketSU did NOT turn focus to technology, so economy stagnatedThe Market EconomyGorbachev was moving command economy to market economy businesses are privately ownedSupply and DemandPrivatizationA change to private ownershipThis didnt help the everyday manCrime damaged the economyAgriculture and IndustryKolkhozes small farms worked by farmers who shared in the farms production and profitsSovkhozes large farms run more like factoriesBoth of these were run by government and had unmotivated workersTrying to make it run by the peopleAerospace industry and military-industrial system beginning to be privately owned.Petroleum is most important industry, and crude oil is highest producer in worldWood and fishingTransportation and communicationRoads in disrepair, Harsh winters block roadsNeed railways and waterwaysTrans-Siberian RailroadMost people dont own cars but rely on public transportation, but need improvementTransporting energyPipelines!

Mass CommunicationGovernment in control of all communication , but changed since the fallPhone and internet becoming popularGlobal InterdependenceTrade: lumber, metals, chemicalsReceive consumer goods, medicines, meat, and sugarEnergy is its main item of international trade.

International Relations: