Countries as ranked by GDP

1. Russia and the Eurasian Republics.The Largest region we will study, spanning two continents and including eleven time zones.Can you say BIG?!?!?!

3. Countries as ranked by GDP • Kazakhstan • Turkmenistan

4. Countries as ranked by land size • Kazakhstan • Turkmenistan

5. Countries ranked by population • Russia • Kazakhstan • Uzbekistan

6. Physical Region Vast areas of: • Permafrost: permanently frozen subsoil.

7. Taiga: sub arctic coniferous forests.

8. Steppe: semi-arid grasslands.

9. Black Earth Belt: rich-fertile soil. • Chernozem

10. The Ob river flows northward into the Arctic Ocean

11. Water Features • Volga River • Ob river • Amur River • Lake Baikal • Caspian Sea • Aral Sea • Bering Strait • Pacific Ocean • Atlantic Ocean

14. Mountains: Caucasus located between the Black and Caspian Seas.

15. Mountains: Urals ( divides Europe from Asia)

16. Russian Natural resources • Not well-developed due to harsh climate • Limited transportation links and vastness of the country • Foreign competition for investment in the region (oil pipelines) • Widespread pollution • Shrinking of the Aral Sea • Political and Economic difficulties after the breakup of the Soviet Union • Cotton production in Central Asia

17. Siberia • The Sleeping Land: located east of the Urals • Major oil, natural gas, and mineral resources

19. Human Impact on the Environment • Water diversion from the Aral Sea: for irrigation

20. After 2003 Before 1996

21. Environmental Changes • Pollution: (Chernobyl) • Nuclear power plant explodes after meltdown and radioactive fallout spreads across Europe

22. After the Chernobyl explosion entire towns had to be evacuated.

23. A Nuclear Reactor

24. A concrete tomb was built to try to contain the radioactive ruins.

25. The Trans-Siberian RailroadConnecting European Russia with Siberia and the Pacific Coast. From Moscow to Vladivostok.

27. Trains at one of the many stations.

28. Miles of track cross sparsely populated countryside.

29. Climatic conditions are often cold in these sub arctic areas.

30. Typical sights are Siberian villages like this one.

31. Or perhaps old Soviet style block Apartments.

32. The route ends at the harbor of Vladivostok.

33. Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest Lake is located in western Russia near the Trans-Siberian R.R.

34. Novosibirsk A city that grew up along the Trans-Siberian Railroad

35. Cultural Characteristics • Diverse ethnic groups, customs and traditions • Many of Turkic and Mongol Heritage

36. Faberge Eggs

37. Created to celebrate…

38. Coronations, Royal births, Easter, etc.

39. The Bolshoi Ballet.

40. It is the most famous in the world.

41. Trained in the classical style.

42. They travel the world to perform.

43. Catch a performance if you go to Moscow.

44. Icons • Religious Paintings and mosaics of the Jesus, the Saints and other religious figures.

45. Symbols that decorate Eastern Orthodox churches with Saints and other religiousfigures from Christian tradition.

46. Matrioshka Dolls: handmade nesting dolls resembling a Russian peasant womanhave been a favorite for centuries.

48. Samovars

49. Samovars are traditionally used to brew tea to ward off the Russian chill.

50. St. Basil’s Cathedral.