1. WHAT IS RUSSIA?

2. GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT  Size  Climate  Vegetation  Arability of land  Geographic position

3. WHAT IS RUSSIA? GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT  Size control & communication expansion

4. WHAT IS RUSSIA? GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT  Climate Severe continental climate Rainfall heaviest in northwest

5. WHAT IS RUSSIA? GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT  Vegetation TUNDRA FOREST ZONE  Taiga  Mixed  Wooded Steppe STEPPE SEMI-DESERT DESERT

6. WHAT IS RUSSIA? GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT  Arability of land SOIL:  Forest = PODZOL  Wooded Steppe & Steppe = CHERNOZEM AGRICULTURE:  Short growing season  Low production yields

7. WHAT IS RUSSIA? GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT  Geographic position Plain allowed expansion & invasion Situated on 2 continents