RUSSIA AND CENTRAL ASIA ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Use your map on pages to determine the countries that were part of the former Soviet Union ( )

1. Armenia 2. Azerbaijan 3. Belarus 4. Estonia 5. Georgia 6. Kazakhstan 7. Kyrgyzstan 8. Latvia 9. Lithuania 10. Moldova 11. Russia 12. Tajikistan 13. Turkmenistan 14. Ukraine 15. Uzbekistan Former countries of the USSR

Former USSR, now Russia and 14 independent countries From 1917 to 1991 this region was controlled by a communist government and was known as the Soviet Union or Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

Difficult transition in Government The change from a Communist form of government to a more Democratic one has been difficult politically and economically.

TRANSITIONING FROM COMMAND TO FREE MARKET This region is in transition from a command to a free market economy. Government controlled (command) economy to supply and demand (free market/capitalism) Government controlled (command) economy to supply and demand (free market/capitalism)

LARGE FARMING INDUSTRY wheat farming is very productive due to chernozem - west of the Ural Mountains (part of North European Plain) wheat farming is very productive due to chernozem - west of the Ural Mountains (part of North European Plain)

Draw in the Ural mountains on the map above.

This region has little capital (money) to develop infrastructure. The countries depend on existing river and canal transportation routes. One successful level of the Russian infrastructure is the Trans-Siberian Railroad which was completed in 1905.

TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD Transportation route linking the European side of Russia to its Asian coast Transportation route linking the European side of Russia to its Asian coast What major cities does the Trans- Siberian Railroad connect? (Begins in Moscow) Novosibirsk and Vladivostok Are these site or situation cities?

SHRINKING OF ARAL SEA Textile (fabric) farmers are diverting much of the river water that empties into the sea, causing it to shrink Textile (fabric) farmers are diverting much of the river water that empties into the sea, causing it to shrink

HEAVY COTTON PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL ASIA handpicked cotton is valuable handpicked cotton is valuable students pick cotton each fall for small wages students pick cotton each fall for small wages

Energy Resources! Water – Hydroelectric power Natural Gas Oil/Petroleum Found in Caspian Sea and Siberia

Impact of Oil on the Region: Oil reserves can be found in the Caspian Sea and in Siberia Not sure how much oil is there because the countries don’t have the capital resources to find out - very expensive to drill for oil There is much foreign competition for investment in the region – investors will share in the output and profits from those resources (China is a major investor)

1.Lack of human and capital ($) resources (it’s incredibly expensive!) 2.Harsh climate on much of its land 3. Limited transportation links 4. The country is very large UNABLE TO USE ALL NATURAL RESOURCES

WIDESPREAD POLLUTION After the change to a free market economy, Russia went quickly into production of goods and ignored pollution output After the change to a free market economy, Russia went quickly into production of goods and ignored pollution output

AIR POLLUTION

CHERNOBYL The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic (then part of the Soviet Union), now in Ukraine. It is considered to be the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history. It resulted in a severe release of radioactivity following a massive power excursion that destroyed the reactor. Most fatalities from the accident were caused by radiation poisoning. The pollution caused by this accident was so severe that a new phrase was coined – “hazardscape” (pollution of air, soil, and water).

Samarkand, Uzbekistan The city is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the West, and for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study. The Bibi-Khanym Mosque remains one of the city's most famous landmarks.

REVIEW! 1.)What type of economy controls the production and consumption of goods? COMMAND

REVIEW! 2.) What transportation route links the eastern and western regions of Russia? TRANS-SIBERIAN R.R.

REVIEW! 3.) What are 3 reasons why Russia is unable to fully utilize its natural resources? CLIMATE, LIMITED TRANSPORTATION LINKS, VASTNESS OF COUNTRY

REVIEW! 4.) What caused the increased output of pollution in Russia? CHANGE FROM COMMAND ECONOMY TO FREE MARKET

REVIEW! 5.)What is the major cause for the shrinking of the Aral Sea? OVER-IRRIGATION FOR COTTON CROPS