Geography of Russia

Plains 1. North European Plain—economic center for ¾ of regions people because of chernozem—Moscow and the Ukraine— one of Europe’s best ag. Areas 2. West Siberian Plain—world’s largest flat area but swamps, marshes, frozen land, evergreen forests

Mountains/Plateaus 1. Carpathians-border Ukraine in west-part of Euro Alpine 2. Caucasus-between Black/Caspian Seas- heavily forested 3. Urals-mineral rich-divides European Russia from Siberia-worn down like Appalachian Mtns 4. E. Siberian Uplands/Central Sib. Plateau-vast area of forest, mtns, plateaus and exiles!!!

Caucasus

Seas/Lakes 1. Icy H2O-White, Barents, Kara, E. Siberian 2. Cold H2O-Sea of Okhotsk, Bering Sea in N.E. 3. Warm H2O-Black Sea-flows into Med. Sea 4. Salty Inland H2O-Caspian Sea-largest inland body of H2O in world 5. Shrinking H2O-Aral Sea-Soviets over-irrigating from it 6. Deep/Old H2O-Lake Baikal-oldest, deepest fresh H2O in world ***1/5 of earth’s total freshwater*** ***1/5 of earth’s total freshwater***

Sea of Okhotsk

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

Aral Sea

Lake Baikal

Rivers Blessed with long, navigable rivers especially in the Plains—Dnieper, Don, Dniester and Matushka Volga 4 of worlds 12 largest rivers—Lena, Ob, Yenisey, Irtysh

Lena River

Ob River

Chapter 15 Sect. 1-population patterns

Ethnic Diversity Over 70 distinct ethnic groups (80% ethnic Russian) -Russian was official language during Soviet era -native language ½ of people -still spoken today along with over 100 native languages  Slavs -largest ethnic group (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus)  Turkic -most live in SW Russia and the central Asian republics -almost all are Muslim -almost all are Muslim  Caucasian -live in Caucasus region -few except for Armenians, Georgians, and Azeris

Population Density and Distribution 285 million live in Russia and Eurasian Republics -Russia—largest(143million)  Density-22 people per square mile  most people live between Baltic and Black Seas  3 major cities are Moscow, St. Pete, Volgograd

History/Govt of Russia/Eurasia

History 1400’s-Ivan III (the Great) drove out Mongols and brought Slavic groups together to for Russia **established Moscow as religious/political center—used to be Kiev Ivan IV (the Terrible) became 1 st “czar” of Russia and crushed all opposition. Expanded borders into non- Slav territories ’s-Europe advances in science/technology—Russia does not!! **Czar Peter I (the Great) comes to power-modernize Russia into European nation—St. Petersburg is new capital

History Late 1800’s-Russians tired of czars- peasants, serfs and factory workers are poor and discontent—many call for socialism—ownership by peasants & workers (Karl Marx) WWI-Russia is getting thumped-hunger, shortages of everything—March 1917 the Czar must go!! Nov Bolsheviks proclaim socialist revolution Vladimir Lenin—promises “peace, land, and bread” and Russia out of WWI 1921-Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) formed— Moscow is capital

History Late 1920’s-Joseph Stalin seeks to make Russia into world’s great industrial powers—millions die in purges/work camps/worked to death!!—took control of factories and farms 1941-Germany invades and WWII is on—30 million Russians die—Russia fights with U.S. and Allies and gains territory/power at end of WWII Cold War-1950’s-1980’s sought world influence by any means short of total war. Korea/Vietnam Wars-U.S. must contain spread of Communism

History 1990-Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia break away st democratic election in Russia— Boris Yeltsin wins! 1993-new constitution gives Yeltsin sweeping powers for political/econ reform Problem: extreme nationalist & Commies elected to Parliament and they won’t cooperate!! Russia today— inflation, shortages, crime, instability! Today Russian President is Dmitry Medvedev