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Home , European Russia, Subarctic climate, Ural Mountains

Russia & the Republics Northern Landforms

► The Northern stretches over 1,000 miles across western .

► One of the most fertile soils, called , is found on this plain.

► Nearly 75% of Russia’s population live on this plain.

Mountains

► The separate the Northern European Plain and Western Siberian Plain.

► Some geographers recognize the as the dividing line between and .

► Others consider Europe and Asia to be a single called . Southern Landforms

► The Mountains stretch across the land that separates the Black and . ► These mountains also form a border between Russia and - a that includes the countries of Armenia, , and Georgia. ► The culture of Transcaucasia is considerably different from Russia and Europe.

Siberia

►The part of Russia located in Asia is called . ►It is a vast plain with few geographic barriers. ►This area is isolated, sparsely populated, and extremely cold in the time. Siberia •The main means of transportation across Siberia is the Trans- Siberian railroad. •The railroad is 5,700 miles long. •It was built between 1897 and 1903 •The railroad was built to attract settlers to work the and iron . http://www.irkutsk-baikal.com/images/tours_transsib_map.gif and

►Western Russia has a humid zone but most of Siberia has a climate zone because it is partially within the Circle. ►The northern part of Russia is . Russia’s Ethnic Diversity

►Russia has one of the widest varieties of ethnic groups in the world-more than 100. ►An ethnic group shares a common ancestry, language, religion, set of customs, or a combination of these things. ►Russia grew from a small territory to a gigantic empire. The

► Ethnic Russians are part of another larger ethnic group known as Slavs. ► Slavs have dominated the country’s politics and culture. Their language, Russian, is the country’s official language. ► Most Slavs are Eastern Orthodox, a form of . ► Slavs were often captured and forced into labor by other groups. The name for this practice –slavery- came from the ethnic group.

Turkic People

►Russia’s second largest family of ethnic groups. ►Mostly Muslim ►Ethnicity is based primarily on language ►Have limited sovereignty Caucasian Peoples

►Large group of diverse people. ►Live in the Caucasus region ►Mainly Muslim ►Chechens are demanding independence or at least local self-rule. Population Density and Distribution

►Russia is the 6th most populous country in the world. ►About 75% of all Russian’s live in the area between the Belarus and borders and the Ural Mountains. ► includes the industrialized cities, many of which are connected by waterways. ► Since the breakup of the , more ethnic Russians have been returning to their homeland. ► Immigrants into Russia is higher than emigrants leaving Russia. ► Population crisis due to increase in illness along with a decrease in quality medical care. ► Health issues possibly a result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. ► Number of deaths exceeds births and the life expectancy is becoming shorter. Chernobyl: The Worst Nuclear Disaster in History

► April 26, 1986: . Chernobyl nuclear power ► Operator errors cause a reactor explosion ► Explosion releases 190 tons of radioactive gasses into the atmosphere ► Fire starts that lasts 10 days ► People: . 7 million lived in contaminated areas; 3 million were children ► Wind: . Carries radiation far distances with long term environmental and health consequences. History and Government

► In the early 1200s the Mongols drove the Slavs to settle along the River where was established. ► Muscovites grew strong and pushed the Mongols out. ► Prince Ivan III (the Great) brought many Slav territories under his control establishing Russia. ► Ivan built the Kremlin, a fortress of churches and palaces, in the middle of Moscow. ►Ivan’s grandson Ivan IV became the first crowned czar, or supreme ruler. ►Known as , he crushed all opposition and expanded the empire. ►1613 Romanov dynasty came to power. ►They tightened control over the people creating serfs, a virtually enslaved workforce bound to the land and controlled by the nobility. Romanov Czars

►Czar Peter I (the Great) came to power determined to modernize Russia. ►Built St. Petersburg as a “window to the west”. ►Catherine the Great expanded Russia. ►Nobility had adopted western European ways and a cultural gap developed between the nobility and the serfs. ►In the 1800s, inspired by the French and American Revolutions, Russians grew more discontent and attracted to . ►German philosopher Karl Marx taught public ownership of all lands and a classless society with an equal sharing of wealth. ►March 1917 the overthrew Nicholas II, the last Russian Czar. The Soviet Era

►The Russian Revolution established a representative government but it was too weak. ►In November 1917 the Bolsheviks, a group led by Vladimir Lenin, seized control. ►Communism: based on Karl Marx but advocating the violent overthrow of government and the creation of a new society led by the workers. ► A civil war divided the country pitting the Bolshevik Red Army against the anti-Bolshevik White Army. ► In 1921 the Communists won the civil war and established the Soviet Union. ► By the end of WWII the Soviet Union controlled much of . ► Satellites- countries controlled by the Soviet Union. ► For 40yrs the US and Soviet Union engaged in the , the struggle between two competing systems- communist and capitalist- for world influence and power. Command Economy ► The government answers the basic economic questions ► Advantages: able to act quickly in emergencies, provide for all people equally ► Disadvantages: Inefficient, no incentive to work hard or be creative because the government decides what and how much to produce. ► Ex. Communist Countries (China, Vietnam, North , former Soviet Union, Cuba) The Soviet Breakup

►During the Cold War the Soviet economy weakened and by the 1980s communism was failing. ►1989 , , and Czechoslovakia became independent. ►The placement of borders was influenced by ethnic divisions and history rather than physical features. ►Dec. 25th, 1991 the Soviet Union ceased to exist.

A New Russia

►Russia began moving from a command economy to a market economy and by 2000 the Russian economy began to improve. ► and other territories are still demanding self rule, however, and have been conducting guerrilla warfare since the 1990s. 3. Free Market Economy

► Economic questions are answered by individual buyers and sellers. ► Supply and demand influence economy ► People act out of self interest; motive for profit (money) drives the economy ► Also known as FREE ENTERPRISE or CAPITALISM ► The Russian government is making strides toward free enterprise.

► Ex. The , , Japan

Cultures and Lifestyles

►Atheism – belief that there is no God or other supreme being- was actively promoted by the communists. ►The Russian Orthodox church is enjoying a resurgence. ►Islam, the 2nd largest religion, is practiced mostly in the southern regions ►Jewish people have been and continue to be discriminated against.