Physical Geographyof Russia

Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree, Lewis, Price, Wyckoff

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Russia Where is it?

Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree, Lewis, Price, Wyckoff

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RUSSIA-US SIZE COMPARISON

PhysicalFeatures of Russia

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Main Idea Russia is a huge countrywith a location and landforms thatgreatly affect how people live.

Geography and You If you have ever traveled acrossthe United States, you know that it takes a long time. Itwould take twice as long to travel across Russia.

Russian Seaports

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A Vast Northern LandBecause of its enormous size, Russia hasa long coastline. Russia does not benefitfrom its closeness to the sea, though,because of its northern location. Why?

>>>the Black Sea in the southwest,though, Russian ships have a warm-waterroute to the Mediterranean Sea.

European Russia

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Most of European Russia lies on theNorthern European Plain. This fertile areahas Russia’s mildest climate, and about 75percent of Russians live here. Moscow, thecapital, and St. Petersburg, a large port citynear the Baltic Sea, are located in this region.

Asian Russia

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East of the Urals is Asian Russia, whichincludes Siberia. Northern Siberia has oneof the coldest climates in the world. It isa vast treeless plain that remains frozenmuch of the year. The few people who livehere make their living fishing, huntingseals and walruses, or herding reindeer.

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Inland Waters

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Russia has many rivers. The Volga is European Russia’s major river. Russians have long relied on the Volga for transportation.

Caspian Sea

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Russia includes or borders many inland bodies of water. Almost the size of California, the Caspian Sea in southwestern Russia is the largest inland body of water in the world.

Natural Resources

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Russia is rich in natural resources. As the graphs on the previous page show, Russia is a leader in reserves of the fossil fuels— oil, natural gas, and coal.Russia’s other great resource is timber. Trees cover much of Siberia, and Russia produces about a fifth of the world’s softwood. This wood from evergreen trees is used in buildings and for making furniture. Russia’s large size and cold climate inhibit, or limit, humans’ ability to use its many resources. Siberia is vast and remote, and its resources are difficult to use because of the area’s lack of infrastructure. Infrastructure is the system of roads and railroads for transporting materials.

Russia: Climate and the Environment

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Some info

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Most of Russia lies in the high latitudes. As a result, Russia receives very little of the sun’s heat even during summer. In addition, much of Russia lies inland, far from the moist, warm currents of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans that help moderate temperature in other parts of the world. In Russia’s far north, elevations are generally too low to prevent the southerly flow of icy Arctic air. In the country’s south and east, tall mountains stop the warm air coming from the lower latitudes. Consequently, Russia has a generally cool to cold climate. Large areas of the country experience only winter- and summerlike conditions. Spring and autumn are simply brief periods of changing weather.

Why is Russia Cold?

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General Winter

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Most of western Russia has a humid continental climate. Summers are warm and rainy, and winters are cold and snowy. Moscow’s average July temperature is just 66°F (19°C), while its average January temperature can plunge as low as 16°F (–9°C). The cold winters have played an important role in Russia’s history. During World War II, bitter cold halted the German army’s advance into Russia. Better prepared Russian troops soon forced the Germans to retreat.

Russia: Different Areas Different Weather

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Cold temperatures and lack of precipitation resultin permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface. Only mosses, lichens, and small shrubs can survive in the tundra.South of the tundra lies the subarctic zone, Russia’s largest climate area. Warmer temperatures support a greater variety of vegetation than the tundra does. The taiga, the world’s largest coniferous forest, stretches about 4,000 miles (6,436 km) across the subarctic zone. This forest is roughly the size of the United States. Today, smog—a thick haze of fog and chemicals—blankets many of Russia’scities. Factories pour pollutants, which are chemicals and smoke particles that cause pollution, into the air.

Water Pollution

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Water pollution is also a problem. Chemicals used in agriculture and industry often end up in rivers and lakes. Pollution entering Lake Baikal may be causing a decline in the populations of some animal species in the area. Another source of water pollution is poor sewer systems. Because of these problems, more than half of Russia’s people do not have safe drinking water.

Cleaning Up

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Steps have been taken to solve Russia’s pollution problems. Other countries are providing Russia with aid to improve sewage systems and clean up heavily polluted sites.

Summary A Vast Northern Land

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● Straddling Europe and Asia, Russia is the world’s largest country.● Most of Russia’s long coast lies along waters that are frozen for many months of the year

Summary Natural Resources

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● Russia is rich in natural resources, including fossil fuels, metals, and timber.● Russia’s large size and generally cold climate make it difficult for Russians to use their resources.

Summary Russia’s Landforms

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● Northern and western parts of Russia are mostly plains. Eastern and southern areas of the country are covered with mountains and plateaus.● Inland waterways are important for moving goods through Russia. Many long rivers flow north, however, into the cold Arctic Ocean and freeze in winter.● Russia has many inland bodies of water, including the Caspian Sea and Lake Baikal.

Summary Climate

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● Most of western Russia has a humid continental climate of warm, rainy summers and cold, snowy winters. ● Northern and eastern parts of Russia have cold high latitude climates. The far north of Russia is so cold that moisture in the soil cannot evaporate. ● The country’s cold winters helped the Russians defeat German forces during World War II.

Summary Environment

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● Communist leaders paid little attention to the damage that economic growth was causing to Russia’s environment. ● Other countries are providing Russia with aid to clean up heavily polluted areas.