Chapter 14 The Physical Geography of Russia and the Eurasian Republics

1. Chapter 14 The Physical Geography of Russia and the Eurasian Republics

2. I. The Land Area covers 8 million sq. miles Larger than all of North America combined A. Plains Areas 1. North European Plain Economic center � of the people live there Great black topsoil: chernozem Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Kiev Volga, Dniester, and Dnieper Rivers

3. A. Plains Areas cont. 2. West Siberian Plain East of the Urals One million sq. miles Swamps and marshes Often frozen, few people 2/3 evergreen forests 3. Turan Lowland Between the Caspian Sea and Tian Shan Dune-covered kums (deserts) Kara Kum, black sand desert Kyzylkum, red sand

4. B. Mountains and Plateaus Carpathians in Ukraine Caucasus in the SW Mt. Elbrus, 18,510 ft. Pamirs in Tajikistan Communism Peak, 24,590 ft. (Ismail Samani Peak) Tian Shan: heavenly mountains Ural Mts.: rich in minerals 1500 miles, form the border of Asia and Europe East Siberian Uplands Forest, rivers, and canyons

5. C. Seas and Lakes White, Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi covered with ice most of the year Sea of Okhotsk and Bering Sea in the east Black Sea, warm water, flows to the Mediterranean Caspian Sea: largest inland body of water Shrinking: Aral Sea too Lake Baikal: oldest and deepest lake in the world 1/5 of the world�s freshwater

6. D. Rivers Long, navigable rivers abundant Volga: 2193 miles Dniester Dnieper All used for shipping, hydroelectricity, irrigation, and drinking water Four rivers in Siberia among the 12 biggest in the world All flow north, except the Amur

7. E. Natural Resources Very rich in resources Russia produces the most manganese, chromium, natural gas, and 2nd most gold Russia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine have 20% of coal and lignite reserves West Siberian Plain has more oil than anyone except Saudi Arabia and the U.S.

8. E. Natural Resources cont. 1. Minerals and Energy Have almost every mineral used Coal, copper, silver, gold, lead, tin, tungsten, zinc, iron ore, nickel, asbestos, chromium, bauxite, platinum�. All have some oil and natural gas

9. E. Natural Resources cont. 2. Soils, Forests, Wildlife, and Fish Black Earth Belt goes from Ukraine to Siberia Wheat, rye, oats, barley, and sugar beets 1/3 of the area covered in forests Rare animals: Siberian tiger, bear, fox, reindeer, elk, lynx�. Fish: salmon, halibut, herring, cod, carp, and sturgeon

10. II. The Climate and Vegetation A. Climate Regions 75% is located farther north than the continental U.S. Very far inland, extreme temperatures 1. Kinds of Climates Humid continental Subarctic Hot, humid summers and long, cold winters � the land covered with snow for 6 months � has permafrost

11. A. Climate Regions cont. 2. Ranges of Climates North: tundra As low as -90�F Subarctic covered by forests: taiga Snow for eight months Desert regions: cold winters and long, hot summers 120�F in the shade North European Plain: not as harsh, more rain for crops Steppes: treeless prairie Also some humid subtropical and mediterranean

12. B. Vegetation 1. Tundra Permafrost, only have low grasses and lichens 2. Taiga and Mixed Forests From Finland to the Pacific, evergreens Furbearing animals 3. Steppe Areas Mainly grasslands 4. Semidesert and desert Little vegetation, shrubs and cacti Supports animals and some crops (irrigated areas)