Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus World Geography Today 7/4/2018 CHAPTER 17 Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus Section 1: Natural Environments Section 2: History and Culture Section 3: The Region Today Chapter 17

Landforms Section 1 Natural Environments * * * * * * * World Geography Today 7/4/2018 Section 1 Natural Environments * * * * Landforms * * * Ural Mountains—divide Eurasia Caucasus Mountains—between Black and Caspian Seas Northern European Plain—covers most of European area Crimean Peninsula—southeastern Ukraine West Siberian Plain Siberian mountains—include volcanoes of Kamchatka Peninsula Chapter 17

BERING STRAIT Separates the United States from Russia Only 53 miles wide

Russia’s Southern Boundary Black sea, Caucasus Mountains, Caspian Sea, Kazakhstan, and Mongolia

SIBERIA Means “STEPPING LAND” All land located east of the Ural Mountains Known for its brutally cold winters and WWII prison camp, but also known for timber, oil, and coal mining

SIBERIA West Siberian Plain – is flat frozen tundra and woodlands Central Siberian Plateau – located in mid-Asia (high flat peaks)

Rivers Section 1 Natural Environments Dnieper, Don, and Volga—key south-flowing rivers Ob, Yenisey, and Lena—flow into Arctic Ocean

VOLGA RIVER Largest River in Russia Eleven out of Russia’s 20 largest cities are located on the Volga (Including Moscow)

LAKE BAIKAL Largest fresh water lake in the world in volume. Second only to the Caspian Sea in size. 5370 feet deep. Contains 20% of all the worlds fresh water 1,085 species of plants and 1,550 species and varieties of animals – many are found only here. Scientist believe there are still many species left to find, but water is too dark and deep to explore

LAKE BAIKAL

Climate and vegetation Section 1 Natural Environments Climate and vegetation Russia’s climate and vegetation are influenced by latitude, winds and ocean currents, and the size of the land mass.

Climate and vegetation (continued) Section 1 Natural Environments Climate and vegetation (continued) Location in northern latitudes produces cold, harsh weather. Siberian interior is too large to receive mild ocean winds, making it very dry and cold. Moist winds from the Atlantic Ocean produce milder climate in European portion. Coastal areas of Russian Far East receive rain-bearing winds from Pacific Ocean. Climate affects vegetation, north to south—tundra, taiga, mixed forest, steppe grasslands.

Natural resources: rich in forest, energy, and mineral resources Section 1 Natural Environments Natural resources: rich in forest, energy, and mineral resources lumber and paper pulp from the taiga forests gold and diamonds in eastern Siberia key oil and gas reserves in Caspian Sea area, Volga basin, Ob basin geothermal power in Far East mines in Russia and Ukraine—coal, copper, gold, iron ore, manganese, nickel, platinum