1. RUSSIA

2. LOCATION Sits in both Europe and Asia Northeastern Hemisphere
Far north of the equator and parts of it are within the Arctic Circle

3. Population Distribution
Total population of almost 144 million – mostly on the European side
Population density is low – 22 people per square mile
Eastern Russia is mostly uninhabitable

4. Landforms Because of its size, Russia has a lot of physical features
Mountains, plains, plateaus
Northern European Plain
West of the Ural Mountains, north of the Caucasus Mountains
The Ural Mountains are the ‘barrier’ between Europe and Asia
Western Siberian Plain grows rugged in the east becoming the Central Siberian Plateau
Eastern Siberia is very mountainous

5. Climate Very harsh climate due to its northern location
The northern part of the country has permafrost
Below this is Subarctic – ground isn’t frozen all year, evergreen trees are present
Western Siberian Plain – Semiarid – very dry, just enough rain for grass

6. Resources Lots of petroleum and natural gas
Coal and high quality iron ore
Lumber from the forest regions
Industrial area is in the European region
Siberia’s location and climate make it hard to develop

7. Label on the Map: Murmansk Ural Mountains St. Petersburg Ob River
Moscow
Irtysh River
Sochi
Yenisey River
Omsk
Angara River
Mirny
Lake Baikal
Irkutsk
Lena River
Vladivostok
Kolyma River
Physical Features:
Amur River
Volga River

8. Vocabulary Czar – Emperor, king Invaders – enemies entering by force
Communism – a single political party controls the government
Socialism – the government controls economic resources

9. History in a Nutshell

10. Early History Biggest impact was the Slavs around 700BC
By 800s AD, had built towns in Western Russia
s – Ruled by the Varangian Russes
1200s – taken over by Batu Khan and the Mongols
Isolated Russia from European influence
1330 – Grand Prince Ivan I in charge, Moscow grew strong, Mongols weak
1480 – No more Mongols
1547 – Ivan IV becomes Czar

11. Invaders Ivan IV expands Russia to Pacific Ocean
Invaders had a hard time with the climate and the distance
Invading armies were rarely successful
Napoleon invaded in 1812, Russia destroyed everything
Winter starts, Russians attack – only 10k of 420k survive
Hitler tried in WWII – only 5K of 300K survived

12. The Soviet Union
After the Industrial Revolution, many were poor and starving
The Bolsheviks start a revolution, set up a communist government and a socialist economy
1922 – Becomes the USSR (Soviet Union)
– Josef Stalin in charge, isolates USSR from the world
After WWII, USA and USSR are the most powerful in the world
Tensions and conflict between USA and USSR lead to Cold War
1991 – USSR collapses, no longer communist