Russia and the Republics

Russia and the Republics

Landforms and Resources • 1/6 of the surface of land; 8 ½ million square miles; • Can be divided into 4 major landforms: • Northern European Plain • West Siberian Plain • Central Siberian Plateau • Russian Far East

Northern European Plain-lowland area; from border of republics to Ural Mountains; chernozem (black earth)-one of world’s most fertile soil; 75% of people in region live here; Ural Mountains-separate Northern European and West Siberian Plain; Eurasia-some people consider Europe and Asia to be the same continent; West Siberian Plain-between Urals and Yenisey; rivers flow to Arctic Ocean;

Central Siberian Plateau and Russian Far East-undesirable due to rugged mountains and cold environment; Caucasus Mountains separate Russia and Transcaucasia-the region that consists of the republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia; Central Asia-the republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Turan Plain-between Caspian Sea and Central Asia; location of two deserts-Kara Kum and KysylKum; Rivers mostly flow North to Arctic Basin; Some of largest lakes on earth-Caspian Sea (Saltwater) and Aral Sea (lost 80% of water) Lake Baikal-deepest lake in world, 20% of earth’s fresh water; location to only freshwater seal;

Resources Abundant in coal, iron, metals, oil and natural gas; 1/5 of world’s timber; Difficult to extract because resources are found in harsh environment of Siberia-frigid arctic and subarctic region a part of Russia;

Climate and Vegetation Climate of extremes-Humid Continental and subarctic climates dominate; Continentality-the effect of distance on climate; little precipitation and little warm air from ocean; mountains block currents from Indian and Pacific oceans; South of the tundra of Russia lies the largest forest on earth-the taiga

Human-Environment Interaction The Aral Sea is shrinking-due to irrigation using Amu Darya and Syr Darya Rivers; the runoff (rainfall not absorbed by the soil that runs into streams and rivers) has also picked up chemicals used in farming and killed off all 24 native fish; sharp increase in diseases; Not sure if could be saved;

Russian Winter-most variable temperatures on earth in Siberia; -90 degrees F in Winter to 94 degrees in summer; • Melting brings mosquitoes and black flies • When ground thaws buildings sink • Brought aid in historical invasions; Napoleon.

Trans-Siberian Railroad-would link Moscow to the Pacific port of Vladivostok to dope with danger; 5,700 miles of track;

Subregions of Russia and Republics Russian and Western Republics Transcaucasia Central Asia

Russia and the Western Republics Western Republics-Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine and Baltic Republics (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania); Began in Region between Baltic and Black Seas when Vikings came from Scandinavia; Tatars-Mongolian invaders who halted Russian expansion; Mongols controlled region until Ivan the Great ended their rule in the 1600s; Extended rule to Pacific by 17th Century;

Peter the Great as czar (Emperor)tried to change very little progress of Russia; moved capital to St. Petersburg to be a “Window to the west.” Peter the Great modernizing Russiastill trailed behind West; industry brought harsh working conditions, low wages, and other hardships;

Russian Revolution ended czars rule; V.I. Lenin takes over under communist party; government has control; 1922, and the USSR Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; expansion of Russia; Joseph Stalin Led Soviet Union into fight with Nazi Germany; tried to install new communist governments in countries freed from Germany;

Cold War between the US and USSR tensions developed because of growing Communist activities; never grew into open warfare between U.S. and USSR; Mikhail Gorbachev 1980s, begins to give more power to the people; started end of Cold War in 1991; Soviet Union is divided into 15 Republics;

Creation of a Command Economy Based on Karl Marx Capitalist system gives wealth to few and puts all else in poverty; Argument for citizens to own land together and all share wealth; Command Economy one in which the central government makes ALL important economic decisions; Collective Farming government moved large teams of laborers to work together;

Culture Large number of ethnic group because of size; Most art and architecture reflects Orthodox Christian images; Peter the Great began to incorporate Western ideals into art; Socialist Realism- Communist party official style of art;

Tradition of Russia Dachas homes in the country used by about 30% of Russian’s as vacation homes; Banyas a bathhouse in which Russians perform a cleaning ritual that combines a dry sauna, steam bath, and often a plunge in ice-cold water;

Transcaucasia Area of a many trade routes and thus many cultures; Many languages (Jabal Al-Alsum “ mountain of language”) and religions (mostly Christian and Islam) Since Soviet rule ended, tensions have developed between three countries.

Many empires have taken region to expand empires; Ex. Red Army- soviet military that took control during the Russian Revolution; Since independence in 1991, all nations have struggle to rebuild economies;

“land of Flames”-Azerbaijan’s oil supply Caspian Sea remains dived of resources ever since break up of Soviet Union. 99% literacy rate Supra dinner party, example of the traditions of the gathering of the people;

Central Asia Silk Road-the trade route which extended from far east china to the West; named after the costly silk bought in China, many other goods make their way to the West as well; Great Game- the struggle between the Russian Empire, trying to gain more power, and Britain, wanting to secure place in India, over the territory of Central Asia;

Uncertain Economy Kazakstan was a nuclear testing site in 1980s, 470 nuclear weapons tested here exposing many citizens to radiation (caused leukemia, thyroid cancer, birth defects, and mental illness); Have high hopes for oil extracts to bring wealth to economy;

Traditions Nomads are people who have no permanent home; as the seasons change they move from one place to the other; Yurts the tent’s of nomads, one of their most valuable possessions;

Russia and the Republics