Russia and Neighboring Countries Chapter Four Russia and Neighboring Countries

Countries Redefine Their Relationships Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) The Slavic Countries Russia (The Russian Federation), Ukraine, Belarus, plus Moldova The Southern Caucasus Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan Central Asia Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Crossroads, Imperialism, and Cultural Diversity Eastern Slavs Rus Muscovy The Russian Empire The Soviet Union Five-Year Plans Command economy Central planning World War II

Natural Environment Midlatitude Continental Interior Climates Continentality Southern Mountain Wall The Caucasus Mountains Pamir Mountains Tien Shan Mountains (Ural Mountains)

Natural Environment (cont’d) Plateaus, Plains, and Major River Valleys Central Siberian Plateau North European Plain Siberian Plains Don and Volga Rivers flow into the Black Sea Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers flow into the Caspian Sea Ob, Yeniesy, and Lena flow into the Arctic Ocean

Natural Environment (cont’d) Desert, Grassland, Forest, and Tundra Steppe grasslands Black earth soils (chernozems) Brown earth soils Podzol soils Northern coniferous forest Tundra Permafrost

Natural Environment (cont’d) Natural Resources Mineral resources Metallic minerals (iron, gold, etc.) Diamonds Fuels Coal, oil, natural gas, and uranium Timber

Natural Environment (cont’d) Environmental Problems Oil pipeline breaks and leakages Norilsk Metallurgical Combine Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion Shrinking of the Aral Sea Sumgait industrial area The Black Sea

Global Changes and Local Responses Communism at an Economic Standstill The military Natural resource use Labor Central planning Perestroika and Glasnost Global City Regions Moscow

Point-Counterpoint Russia: Still a World Power? Russia lost possession of 14 republics (now independent countries) and sizable populations and resources. COUNTERPOINT Russia’s heartland remains together, and Russia is still the largest country in the world, with a sizable population and considerable resources.

Point-Counterpoint (cont’d) Russia’s international power is undermined by the presence of 25 million Russians who now find themselves as ethnic minorities in other countries. Russia must be careful not to offend these other countries and thereby endanger the Russians who live in them. Russia may have to make economic concessions to these countries to protect Russian minorities in them. Russians living as ethnic minorities in other countries increase Russia’s political influence in those countries because they can vote and hold political office. Russia can also pressure those countries on behalf of Russians living in them. The Russian minorities also strengthen Russia’s trading links with these countries.

Point-Counterpoint (cont’d) POINT COUNTERPOINT The Russian government has been ineffective in controlling independence movements in its own republics. Its has been condemned for human rights violations in Chechnya. Its military is underpaid, unprepared, and demoralized. Russia was unable to control the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and the expansion of NATO. Russia gained sympathy from the United States for its “war on terrorism” in Chechnya. Russian soldiers are very patriotic, as in the past, and Russia is a nuclear power. With peacekeeping troops in the former Yugoslavia, Russia influences events in that area of the world. Russia also now has a voice in NATO’s affairs.

Point-Counterpoint (cont’d) With rampant corruption, Russia’s economy is weak and has floundered since the end of Communism in 1991. Russia is unable to capitalize on selling its vast resources on the world market. Its control of Caspian Sea oil is questionable. Russia has little influence in global economic organizations. Russia’s economy is steadily improving, and the government is fighting corruption. Russia has signed agreements to supply oil to other countries and is able to control the flow of oil from the Caspian Sea. Russia has joined the Group of Seven (G7), making the organization the Group of Eight (G8).

Subregions The Slavic Countries The Southern Caucasus Central Asia The Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, including neighboring Moldova The Southern Caucasus Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan Central Asia Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan

Population Distribution and Patterns Subregions (cont’d) Population Distribution and Patterns Highest concentrations in western Russia, along the Trans-Siberian Railway, the valleys of the Caucasus Mountains, and the irrigated valleys of Central Asia. Low numbers in the mountains, permafrost areas of the north, and deserts of Central Asia.

The Slavic Countries In transition from Communism to more capitalistic economies and democratic governments. Russia The world’s largest country Has close ties with the other Slavic countries Is a nuclear power

The Slavic Countries (cont’d) The Russian Federation Ukraine Belarus Moldova

The Slavic Countries (cont’d) People Population decline in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, and Belarus and population growth in Moldova Urban Population Urban Landscapes Visual symbolism Secret Cities Culture Mostly Eastern Slavic and Eastern Orthodox Christian

The Slavic Countries (cont’d) Human Rights Gulag (Glavnoe upravlenie ispravitel no-trudovykh lagerei—"Main Directorate for Corrective Labor Camps") Women’s Roles

The Slavic Countries (cont’d) Economic Development Agriculture Virgin Lands Campaign

The Slavic Countries (cont’d) The Russian Federation Political Divisions (Krays, oblasts, okrugs) Autonomous political units North European and Middle Volga—Urals North Caucasus Siberia and the Far East Territories of the Far North

The Slavic Countries (cont’d) Heartland and Hinterland in Russia Foreign Investment Trade Science, Sports, and Society

The Southern Caucasus Countries Mountainous Caspian Sea oil New countries, ancient peoples Countries Georgia Armenia Azerbaijan

The Southern Caucasus (cont’d) People Most Armenians and Azerbaijanis do not live in their own countries. Slow growth rates in Georgia and Armenia and modest growth in Azerbaijan. Urbanization Culture Very diverse Georgians & Armenians are Christian, Azerbaijanis are Muslim

The Southern Caucasus (cont’d) Ethnic Peace and Conflict Ossetia and Abkhazia in Georgia Armenian diaspora Armenia/Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh

The Southern Caucasus (cont’d) Economic Development Agriculture Industry Oil Tourism

Central Asia Countries Kazakhstan Turkmenistan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Landlocked and arid Great Silk Road Muslim A land called Turkestan Countries Kazakhstan Turkmenistan Kyrgyzstan Tajikistan Uzbekistan

Central Asia (cont’d) People Growing population with modestly high TFRs Urbanization Lowest rates in the CIS Culture Many of their ancestors were nomadic Turkic, Mongolian, and Persian roots Subject to Russification policies Muslim

Central Asia (cont’d) Ethnic Conflict Soviet manipulations of boundaries, identities, and movements of peoples Russian settlement Central Asians as minorities in one another’s countries

Central Asia (cont’d) Economic Development Cotton production Oil and natural gas Transportation linkages Water