RUSSIA AND EURASIAN REPUBLICS – GEOGRAPHY

Lake Baikal, Russia

Giant Sturgeon- Lake Baikal Deepest fresh water lake Holds about 20% of world’s supply of unfrozen fresh water Oldest freshwater lake = nearly 30 million years Some fish and plants are prehistoric Many scientists study there

Lake Baikal Monsters Alligator Gar Tales of a prehistoric monster

Volga River -Largest River in Europe – Astrakhan = Old Russian city by the Caspian Sea once conquered by Ivan the Terrible

Volga River – Important for Transportation

East Siberian Sea

East Siberian Sea Marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean Covered with ice most of the year

Wild Life in the East Siberian Sea

Caspian Sea About the size of California, the Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water. Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan border the Caspian Sea.

Caspian Sea - Petroleum Production

Due to outdate machinery , careless practices, and strong currents, the Caspian Sea faces serious pollution issues with Russia causing about 80% of the pollution

The Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains Resources Coal Mining Gold Emeralds Potassium salts used mostly to make fertilizer

Ural Mountains Pollution The Soviet Union relocated their industrial base to the Ural Mts. during the Nazi advancement. Later, Soviet nuclear industry was developed there during the Cold War. Both have contributed greatly to the pollution in this area.

Sayan Mountains – NE of Lake Baikal

Sayan Mountains – South Russia Around Mongolian Border Often the people of this area look more Mongolian than Russian Reindeer are prevalent in this area.

West Siberian Plain

West Siberian Plan The W. Siberian Plain, just west of the Asian side of the Ural Mountains, is a home to farming, urban areas and wilderness.

Central Siberian Plain Central Siberian Plain covers 1/3 of Siberia Short, warm summers with long, harsh winters Many natural resources such as coal, iron, gold natural gas, platinum and diamonds Predominantly wooded area

North European Plains

European Plans – In Russia The North European and Eastern European Plains join to make the European Plain. (Or You’re●a●peein’ Plain) One of the greatest uninterrupted plains on the Earth and runs from the Pyrenees Mts. Across N. Europe to the Urals into Russia. Most of the area is agricultural

St. Petersburg, Russia Once the capital of Russia, Lenin switched capital to Moscow for better protection from invading nations. Built by Czar Peter the Great in early 1700s. Important port and cultural center Located on the Neva River- shipbuilding center

Moscow, Russia “About 800 years old, Moscow is the political and cultural center of Russia (347)”. Russia’s economic and industrial center Once center for heavy industry, now moving toward light industry or consumer goods manufacturing. Transportation port