1. Eastern Europe and Eurasia
Unit 5
Eastern Europe and Eurasia

2. Section 1
Poland

3. What was the Renaissance?
Focus Question
What was the Renaissance?

4. Physical Characteristics
Covered in the Northern European Plains
Rich soils
Sandy
Not suited for farming
Thousands of lakes
Mild summers
Severely cold and snowy winters
Resources
Coal, sulfur, copper,
Depends on Europe for Iron and petroleum

5. World War II Today 95/100 people are catholic
Before world war II Poland was multiethnic
The Nazi occupation changed that
Today only 9,000 Jews live here
Prior to WWII 3 million Jews lived in Poland
Jews lived in Ghettos
The Nazis burned the Ghettos and built concentration camps.
The Poles were the country that suffered the most
Over 6 million were killed
Half were Jews
Period is known as the Holocaust- “A fire burns something completely”

6. Post WWII The soviet Union took over Eastern Poland
Jewish people fled the lands
Today everyone who lives in Poland is Polish
Only a small percentage of Jews live in the country
Seclude themselves from the other poplation

7. Communism No More
Communism took over Poland in the 1940’s backed by the Soviets
The people did not support communism
The Catholic Church refused to bend to the Communist
1990 Communism in Poland ends

8. Poland Today Market economy Member of the EU
Unemployment is very high at 20%
Farming, mining, and heavy industry all fuel the economy

9. The Czech and Slovak Republics and Hungry
Section 2
The Czech and Slovak Republics and Hungry

10. The Three Nations
Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and Hungary all are crucially different from the rest of Europe
Controlled by the communist Soviet Union until 1989
Secluded and isolated from Europe because of Communism

11. Czech Republic Population: 10 million Size: Relative to South Carolina
Landscape: Plateaus and Mountains
Until 1993 the counties of the Czech Republic and Slovakia were united
After communism fell in the 1980’s Czechoslovakia had a velvet revolution. (Bloodless Revolution)
Czech Republic received its independence in 1993

12. The Two Lands of the Czech Republic
Western Czech Republic is known as Bohemia
Contains: mines, and industry
Natural Resources: Coal, iron, copper, quartz
Capitol is Prague
Eastern Czech Republic is known as Moravia
Pollution
56% of their forests have been destroyed by acid rain
Poorer Region

13. Slovakia Gained its independence in 1993 Population: 5 million
Mixed economy: Faming and Industry
Farming: Oats, Potatoes,
Factories: earth moving equipment

14. Hungary Dominated by 1 ethnic group Roman Catholic Size: Indiana
90% Hungarian
Roman Catholic
Size: Indiana
2 Regions
Eastern half
Fertile
“Breadbasket of Europe”
Western half
Hills, valleys, and plateaus
Coal, iron, and bauxite are found here
Industry: steel and Aluminum
Member of the EU and NATO

15. Section 3
The Balkan Peninsula

16. What problems did Poland go through during WWII?
Focus Question
What problems did Poland go through during WWII?

17. The Balkans The region has Balkanized
Broke into small groups
All were taken control of by communist after WWII
Soviet Union
Remained communist until the late 1980’s-early 1990’s
Region is made up multiple nations and ethnicities

18. Romania Population: 23 million Ethnicity: Romanian
Religion: Eastern Orthodox
Natural Resources: Iron, Coal, Minerals
Farmland: Rich but farmers are terribly poor
Region is very poor
Energy is so scarce that television only airs 2 hours a day
Main jobs are in soda factories ran by the U.S.
Making plastic
Printing labels

19. Bulgaria Water Source: Danube River
Weather: Warm summers and mild winters
Known as the garden of Eastern Europe
Ethnicity: Slavic
Taken over by the Soviets after WWII
Became communist
Became a Democratic nation in the late 1990’s
Today they are a poor region but are improving because of western currency and tourism

20. Albania Population: 3.5 Landscape: Mountains
Known as the “Hermit of Europe”
Most people earn less than $100/month
Western nations build here because of the low wages
Economy is improving
Rely on western currency

21. Yugslavia Created post WWI
Broke into 6 countries after communism fell in the late 1980’s
Slovenia
Croatia
Macedonia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Serbia and Montenegro
Kosovo

22. Serbia and Montenegro Croatia
Known today as Yougslovia
Population 10.5 million
Poor region
30% unemployment
Croatia
Population 5 million
Eastern orthodox
Poor nation

23. Section 4

24. Baltic States Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia Terrain: Flat
Climate: Humid Continental
Population: 8 million
Religion: Lutheran and Catholic
Lands: Marshy
Gained Independence After WWI
Was annexed to the Soviets
Gained Independence again in 1991

25. Challenges Life was hard under Soviet rule People were uprooted
Ethnically divided
Limited natural resources
Size
Russian minorities
Opportunities
Industrialization
Member of the EU

26. Ukraine Religion: Orthodox Population: 50 million Rich Farmland
Grains and cereals
Were taken over by the Soviets after WWI
Soviets took their land and Crops
Ukraine Burned crops so the soviets couldn’t have them
Soviets withheld grain from Ukraine
5-8 million starved to death
Gained Independence in 1991
1986 Chernobyl Explosion

27. Belarus Moldavia Population 4 million Terrain: Hilly
Religion: orthodox Christianity
Received independence in 1991
Wanted to reunite with Russia
1996 became a union state
Chernobyl destroyed their land
1/5 farmland lost
Population 4 million
Terrain: Hilly
Close ties to Russia

28. Chapter 20
Russia

29. What is the significance about todays date?
Focus Question
What is the significance about todays date?

30. Russia Physical Characteristics
Largest country in terms of area
11 time zones
Terrain: Varies by region
Landscape contains: mountains, hills, and many rivers

31. Physical Characteristics
Ural Mountains are a main mountain range in Russia dividing Europe and Asia
Volga river is their main river
Europe's longest river
Caspian Sea is a main water source
Larges lake in the world
Fresh water

32. Ecosystems Plant and Animal life depend on location
Climate in most of Russia is Subarctic or Continental
Tundra
Land by the arctic sea
Treeless
Animals: Reindeer, rabbits, polar bears

33. Regions of Russia Taiga Region below the Tundra Broad forested zone
4 million square miles
Region where hunters and trappers get meat and furs
Provides Russia with their paper and wood
Steppes
Grassland
Rich soils
Farmland
Productive agricultural region

34. Siberia Asian expanse of Russia Remote and isolated
Few humans live here
Permafrost covers the majority of the land
Buildings are 6 feet off the ground
Abundance of natural resources

35. Section 3

36. Issues in Russia 80% of the residents are Russian
¾ the population lives in large cities
25 million people in Russia belong to non Russian ethnic groups
Looked down upon by the rest of Russia
Post USSR
Some resent the new way of life
Anarchist try to overthrow the government

37. Transportation Difficult to maintain good transportation
Cold climate, mountains, vast landscape
In the summer months Rivers are used to transport goods
Only have a short window to move goods
Winter months freeze the river
Railroads are the greatest movers of people and goods in Russia
93,000 miles of track
Runs year round

38. Economic Problems Russia has a market economy Currency is the Ruble
I ruble = $1.75
Russia has a large black market
Life expectancy for males 61
Population of Russia has declined by 3 million since the 1990’s
People can not afford to have families
Women are waiting longer to have children
Family size is decreasing