RUSSIA official name: Russian Federation Russian flag

1945 - 1991 Russian Revolution/The Last Tsar Assasinated 1917 Romanov dynasty begins - 1613 Economic Readjustment 1945 - 1991 1848 Karl Marx Communist Manifesto

Economy Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991… Russia has tried to develop a Free Market economy. Poverty and famine are still issues. Corruption & crime has spread rapidly. Economy Moscow International Business Center 9th largest economy in the world; large energy sector and manufactured goods sector Hyperinflation resulted from the removal of Soviet price controls and again following the 1998 Russian financial crisis. Assuming the role as the continuing legal entity of the Soviet Union, Russia took up the responsibility for settling the USSR's external debts, even though its population made up just half of the population of the USSR at the time of its dissolution.[17] Where once all enterprises belonged to the state and were supposed to be equally owned amongst all citizens, they were privatized and fell into the hands of a few, who became immensely rich. Government employees, particularly medical doctors and teachers, do not receive their salaries for months, sometimes up to 6-8 months. It does not mean that they don't receive salaries at all. It started in early 90s, first as delays with payments. So the first time one received his salary a week later, then next month - 2 weeks later, and so on. Eventually it happens that in June you receive your salary for last December. One receives some money regularly, and he can survive, though the government owes him thousands. This way was quickly picked up by the other organizations, and now even if one works for a private company, he might not receive his salary on time. The government constantly promises to fix outdated payments, and pay pensions and salaries to people working in a budget system on time, but for many years it's only promises. Before the year 2000, the Russian tax system was very complicated. Counting all the taxes supposed to be paid, the total amount could reach 90%, including taxes on the salaries for employees. To pay 100 rubles to an employee, an employer had to pay about 80 rubles of tax to the state: pension funds, social insurance, medical insurance and so on. It has since been reworked to 13% flat tax on income.

People Majority live in W. part 120 Ethnic groups; majority ethnic Russians Language: Russian (mostly) Religion: Mostly Christian, large # of Russians claim no religion (atheist) 75% urban: Apartments Healthcare & education: free Lady in the picture is wearing traditional Russian garb and holding Easter eggs – some of the most famous (and most expensive) Easter eggs in history are those created by the Russian jewelry firm Faberge for the Russian czars. Last year, one of these eggs was sold at an auction in London for $18.5 million. Russia consolidated several different areas with people of different backgrounds, languages, etc. However, Russian leaders have – at various times – initiated programs to “Russify” the diverse groups, educating them in Russian language, culture, etc. Eastern Orthodox Catholicism; religion outlawed under Communists Moscow has 11.5 million people; St. Petersburg 4.8 million; 10 other cities over 1 million people Mixed economy – Socialized public services but free market capitalism

Culture Emphases on GROUP over individual, friendships important. Culture influenced by Europe, until the communist takeover in 1918. Then - communist ideology. Rich cultural tradition – museums devoted to art, literature, music, dance, history, & science, 100’s of churches dozens of notable cathedrals. Photo top: Red Square Middle: Russian nesting dolls, or matryoshka dolls Emphasis on group rather than individual has its roots in communism (first responsibility is to the state – not to yourself, your family, etc.), also Russia is a harsh place to live so historically you HAD to depend on others for survival. Majority of Russians don't have what you call in the west "good manners". Their manners are not bad, they are just Russian. Russia is quite a tough country and Russians usually do not hesitate to say what they think in a way that doesn't leave room for any misunderstandings. During the Soviet period having "good manners" was considered as a bourgeois idea. Russians are very straightforward. When they meet or phone each other, they seldom spend time on questions like "How are you?" and go straight to the point. They are not rude, it's just their way of doing things.

1100: 7 million 1796: 36 million 1850: 37 million 1897: 125 million Today: 142 million Annexation of land by the tsars contributed to the increase in population from 1100 to 1796. The abolition of serfdom, accompanied by urbanization, industrialization, and internal migration in the second half of the nineteenth century, led to significant population growth between 1850 and 1897. Famines, largely caused by civil war and the Soviet collectivization of agriculture, decimated the rural population in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1941, the population was around two hundred million. World War II caused the deaths of more than twenty million Soviet citizens. After the 1940s, population growth was slowed by the gender disparity and devastation of infrastructure caused by war. Currently – high death rate (somewhat attributable to alcoholism) and large amount of emigration

Political 1547-1917: Absolute Monarchy 1917-1991: Communist Government 1991-Present: Democracy Absolute monarchy – Though the picture is of Peter the Great (one of the more “progressive” Russian rulers), Russia’s monarchs were hesitant to share power with their people. While other monarchies around them became constitutional (or “enlightened”), this unwillingness to give people guaranteed political rights helped lead to the rise of groups like the Bolsheviks. Communist period – Command economy with a totalitarian regime – Religion outlawed and people afraid to speak out against the government. Current period – Democracy/Republic: The people were given the right to vote, and in name the public has supreme control over their government. However, much like Latin America, government corruption and “election fixing” have resulted in a less than free society. Russian government is organized into a Federation: States are self governing, with little direction from the national government. (Like the original government of the U.S. or the Confederate States). Under Putin, states lost some of their autonomy as Putin made local governor positions appointive by Moscow (instead of elective).

Political 1993 constitution: Democratic, federative, law-based state with a republican form of government. Power divided among: legislative, executive, & judicial branches. Diversity of ideologies & religions sanctioned (approved). Multiparty political system upheld. Since gaining its independence with the collapse of the Soviet Union at the end of 1991, Russia has faced serious challenges in its efforts to forge a political system to follow nearly seventy-five years of Soviet rule. For instance, leading figures in the legislative and executive branches have put forth opposing views of Russia's political direction and the governmental instruments that should be used to follow it. That conflict reached a climax in September and October 1993, when President Boris Yeltsin used military force to dissolve the parliament and called for new legislative elections (see Russian constitutional crisis of 1993). This event marked the end of Russia's first constitutional period, which was defined by the much-amended constitution adopted by the Supreme Soviet of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic in 1978. A new constitution, creating a strong presidency, was approved by referendum in December 1993. Putin, president from 2000-2008, became Prime Minister because the constitution forbade him to run for a third consecutive term. He ran for – and won – a third, non-consecutive term in 2012. Though he is often seen as oppressive by the West, his role in establishing stability has made him popular in Russia. Photo of Prime Minister Putin with Gaddafi (Libya) taken in 2008

The Kremlin & Red Square Red Square, Moscow The name Red Square has nothing to do with communism, rather red means “Beautiful” red has always been an important symbolic color for Russians. Red Square is a city square in Moscow, Russia. The square separates the Kremlin, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod. As major streets of Moscow radiate from here in all directions, being promoted to major highways outside the city, Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and all of Russia The Kremlin is a historic fortified complex at the heart of Moscow, overlooking the Moskva River (to the south), Saint Basil's Cathedral and Red Square (to the east) and the Alexander Garden (to the west). It is the best known of kremlins (Russian citadels) and includes four palaces, four cathedrals and the enclosing Kremlin Wall with Kremlin towers. The complex serves as the official residence of the President of the Russian Federation.

Land and Climate Russia is the largest country in the world. (U.S. x 2) Climate varies. Winters in West last from November to March. Siberia = 9 months of winter Russia consists of plains, dense forests, and tundra. Ural Mts: divide European regions from Asian regions. Plains are major agricultural areas. Grain (Russian wheat) is the major agricultural export. Chernoblyl see ESPN of Europe

CHERNOBYL: How Did This Happen? A reactor overheated during a test of the reactors power supply. (4/26/86) Winds carried the radioactive material into northern and central Europe. Soviet leaders concealed this for two days, and refused outside help. Health problems for people and their unborn children continue in this area even today. The explosion at the power station and subsequent fires inside the remains of the reactor resulted in the development and dispersal of a radioactive cloud in a radius of approximately 28,000 km (over 10,000 square miles) which drifted not only over Russia, Belarus, andUkraine, but also over the European part of Turkey, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Lithuania, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Austria, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Yugoslavia, Poland, Estonia,Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Ireland, France, and Corsica.[7]), Canada[8] and the United Kingdom (UK).[9][10] In fact, the initial evidence in other countries that a major exhaust of radioactive material had occurred came not from Soviet sources, but from Sweden. It was Sweden's search for the source of radioactivity that led to the first hint of a serious nuclear problem in the Western Soviet Union. Contamination from the Chernobyl disaster was not evenly spread across the surrounding countryside, but scattered irregularly depending on weather conditions. Reports from Soviet and Western scientists indicate that Belarus received about 60% of the contamination that fell on the former Soviet Union. A large area in Russia south of Bryansk was also contaminated, as were parts of northwestern Ukraine. 203 people were hospitalized immediately, of whom 31 died. Most of these were fire and rescue workers trying to bring the disaster under control, who were not fully aware of how dangerous the radiation exposure was. 135,000 people were evacuated from the area. Health officials have predicted that over the next 70 years there will be a 2% increase in cancer rates in much of the population exposed to the radioactive contamination released from the reactor. Thyroid cancer has been the most common form of fatal cancer resulting from the accident. The so-called "Red Forest" of pine trees, previously known as Worm Wood Forest and located immediately behind the reactor complex, lay within a 10 km zone and was killed off by heavy radioactive fallout. The forest is so named because in the days following the disaster the trees appeared to have a deep red hue as they died because of extremely heavy radioactive fallout. In the post-disaster cleanup operations, a majority of the 4 km² forest was bulldozed and buried. The site of the Red Forest remains one of the most contaminated areas in the world.

Kalingrad: Ice Free Port Russia took from Germany after WWII. Discuss the importance of this port city with students. Why is it important? Railroads connect Kaliningrad to Russia though Lithuania and Belarus but importing food from Russia is not cost effective. However, Kaliningrad is surrounded by European Union-member states, so trade on the wider market is indeed possible. Königsberg was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946 after the death of Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR Mikhail Kalinin, one of the original Bolsheviks. The survivors of the German population were expelled and the city was repopulated with Soviet citizens. The city was rebuilt, and went through industrialisation and modernisation. As the westernmost territory of the USSR, the Kaliningrad Oblast became a strategically important area during the Cold War. The Soviet Baltic Fleet was headquartered in the city in the 1950. Because of its strategic importance, Kaliningrad was closed to foreign visitors. Was German Koningsberg, renamed Kalingrad by the Russians. Kalingrad: Ice Free Port Russia took from Germany after WWII.

The Shrinking Aral Sea 1960’s: Soviet Union diverted two rivers that fed the Aral Sea into the desert as irrigation for farming. Continues to shrink at an alarming rate. In the 1960s, the Soviet Union undertook a major water diversion project on the arid plains of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan. The region’s two major rivers, fed from snowmelt and precipitation in faraway mountains, were used to transform the desert into fields for cotton and other crops. Before the project, the two rivers left the mountains, cut northwest through the Kyzylkum Desert—the Syr Darya to the north and the Amu Darya to the south—and finally pooled together in the lowest part of the desert basin. The lake they made, the Aral Sea, was once the fourth largest lake in the world. Picture on the left shows the Aral Sea in 1989. Picture on the right is from 2008. Kazakhstan is now undertaking efforts to save the Aral Sea, which is also very polluted. A dam project was completed in 2005 to this end, and the water level has risen modestly in response.