Russia and the Post-Soviet States Top 10 Notes Chapter 5

#1: What is Eurasia? Some geographers suggest that the huge connected landmass of Europe and Asia should be seen as ONE continent – Eurasia! The landmass is nearly ½ of the Northern Hemisphere (8.5 million square miles). Spans 11 time zones Largest country in this region is Russia (2x the size of USA). 15 Countries within 4 regions Slavic States: Belarus, Moldova, Russia, and Ukraine. Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Caucasus Region: Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia. Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania – closer to Europe than Russia.

#2: Physical Patterns Landforms Northern European Plain – agricultural belt West Siberian Plain – tundra, permafrost, harsh Central Siberian Plateau Ural Mountains – boundary between Europe & Asia Steppes (vast grasslands) in central & southern portion In the west the land is flat and becomes increasingly mountainous toward the east and south Climate/Vegetation Winters – long/cold; Summers – short/cool Four broad bands of vegetation: tundra, forest, steppe, and desert Russian Taiga – largest continuous area of forest in the world – coniferous trees

#3: Environmental Issues Region’s governments reluctant to address environmental issues Urban/industrial Pollution Ignored during urbanization Very polluted cities (Moscow - high infant mortality/birth defects, caused by pollutants) Nuclear Pollution Chernobyl Nuclear waste dumped in sea (14 reactors, thousands of barrels) Kazakhstan – testing ground for Russia, has tons of waste waiting for disposal, might earn $30-40 billion by taking in waste from other countries (like France) Resource Extraction Lots of natural and mineral resources in remote locations Russia – largest natural gas reserves, major oil deposits, forests, coal, iron ore, nickel Some of world’s worst oil spills and oil pipelines

#4: Chernobyl 1986: Accidental explosion destroyed a nuclear reactor at Chernobyl, Ukraine. Cloud of radiation went into the air. 5,000 people were killed, 30,000 disabled, 100,000 evacuated, millions exposed to radiation. 12.3 million acres of land were polluted from radiation Long term effects: water pollution, birth defects, various kinds of cancer. Town of Chernobyl no longer exists – people were evacuated, buildings bulldozed to the ground, nuclear reactor was encased in steel to prevent further radiation from escaping and causing harm. Not fit for human occupation for a long time!

#5: Water & Climate Issues Hydroelectric dams damaged by pollution Volga River – best waterway for Russia but doesn’t flow to world ocean (goes to inland Caspian Sea) Most rivers east of Ural Mts flow from south to north into Arctic so not much use Decline/disappearance of Aral Sea (due to water diversion) declared largest man made ecological disaster on Earth Russia has high levels of CO2 and greenhouse gases but also the forests absorb global carbon Glaciers are melting and shrinking

#6: Economic Issues Cities settled by longest railroad in the world, the Trans-Siberian Railroad (5,700 miles long) Crude oil and natural gas are best exports, finance Russia’s economic recovery Gazprom – state owned energy company in Russia; 10th largest oil/gas business in the world, trades with European Union Food Production – agriculture is hampered by harsh climate, rugged landforms, short growing seasons, boggy soils, or require extensive labor/water/fertilizer – only 10% arable land Urban family gardens – important source of nourishment Soviet Union state owned industries but now privatization (private companies/individuals own industries)

#7: Political Issues Vladimir Putin – elected president in 2000 and 2004 He suggested Dmitri Medvedev for President in 2008 and Putin became Prime Minister In 2012, Putin became President again and Medvedev became Prime Minister Corruption? Russian Mafia works with wealthy, dominated by former KGB (Soviet intelligence agency during Cold War) – illegal activities, arms trade

#8: Population Issues Low birth rates and aging population BUT human well-being is much lower than developed areas of world Choosing to have 1-2 children, increase in women’s ed, severe housing shortage, free health care, retirement pensions, concern over gloomy economy, desire to make $ and have fun, abortion related, declining life expectancies Loss of health care, physical/mental distress, alcohol abuse, suicide, smoking 249 million people – one of least densely populated areas on earth with 32 people per square mile (most people live in “European” Russia west of Ural Mts) Over 100 ethnic groups and speak more than 200 languages.

#9: Gender Issues Double day for women workers – job outside the home and return home to domestic tasks “Marketing” of women Internet-based mail-order bride services Large increase in sex workers, sex trade generates $9 billion per year, dominated by Russian Mafia

#10: Religious Revival Official Soviet Union ideology was atheism Orthodox Church was tolerated but few went to church because open practice could be harmful to career NOW, religion is part of cultural revival across former Soviet Union Siberia – Tibetan Buddhism Orthodox Christianity and Evangelical Christianity both promote with faith comes economic success Islam practiced in Central Asia, many fear extremists

Example: Chechnya Issues This region declared its independence from Russia in 1991– Russia continues to fight to keep it Chechens are Sunni Muslims 2002: Terrorists from Chechnya seize a theater in Moscow and over 300 die (receiving aid from al-Qa’ida) Sept. 1, 2004: Terrorists from Chechnya take hostages at a Beslan elementary school in Russia and 344 killed (including 186 kids) and hundreds wounded