Transcript Unit 5 – Chapter 14

Unit 7
The Physical Geography of Russia
I. Section I
The Land
A. A Vast and Varied Land
 Russia is the world’s largest country
 Covers 6.6 million sq. miles
 Stretches over two continents--What major land
feature divides the continents?
 Spans 11 time zones
 Mountains and Plateaus
 Ural Mountains
 Caucasus Mountains
 Mount Elbrus – extinct volcano – highest point
 Central Siberian Plateau
Mt. Elbrus
Ural Mountains: “The Great
Divide”
Divides the European and Asian sections of Russia.
The Ural Mountains
A. (cont)
 Plains Areas
 North European Plain
 Chernozem – rich black soil
 About 75% of Russia’s population lives here
 West Siberian Plain
Coasts, Seas, and Lakes
Longest coastline in the
world
Caspian Sea – largest
inland sea in the world (salt
water)
Lake Baikal – deepest
freshwater lake in the
world
Contains about 20% of
the earth’s total supply
of freshwater
Lake Baikal
B. Rivers
 The Volga River
(“Mother Volga”)
 Vital to Russia
(transportation,
hydroelectric
power)
 Frozen ½ of the
year
 Provides 33% of
Russia’s usable
water
 Very polluted
The Volga River
The river is so
polluted that the
sturgeon catch has
been decreased by
60%.
Lena River
 Siberian Rivers
 Ob, Irtysh, Yenisey, & Lena
 Flow north to the Arctic Ocean
 Amur
 Flows eastward
C. Natural Resources

Minerals & Energy

Russia has a huge reserve of mineral resources
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Petroleum
Coal
Natural Gas
Nickel
Aluminum, gemstones
Hydroelectric Power – leader in the world
-Soil and Forest Land
10% land – agriculture – permafrost
Black Earth Belt
1/5 of remaining world forests in
Russia – Siberia
2nd to the Amazon for oxygen
returned to atmosphere
-Russia’s Fishing Industry
Fish important to Russian diet &
economy
II. Section II
Climate & Vegetation
Former Soviet Region Compared in
Latitude & Area with the United States
A. Russia’s Climates & Vegetation
 Most of Russia is characterized by a
harsh climate of long, cold winters
and short, relatively cool summers.
 Coldest winter temps. = E. Siberia
B. High Latitudes Climates
 Tundra – vast treeless plain
 Almost all of the places with this climate lie north of
the Arctic Circle
 About 10% of Russia
 Subarctic
 Dominate climate region
 Some of the world’s coldest temperatures occur
there
 For 120-150 days a year, snow covers the ground
 Taiga – forest belt
 Living in a Cold Climate
 What adjustments would you have to make?
Siberia --> Permafrost
Average temperatures of January
vary from 0 to -50°, and in
July from 1 to 25°C
A former “gulag”
Soviet prison camp.
150,000,000 population.
C. Mid-Latitude Climates
 Humid Continental
 Most of Russia’s N. European Plain
 War & Winter
 Cold winters have played a key role in
wars (pg. 354-5)
Napoleon's Retreat from Moscow
German POWs at Stalingrad
Steppe
Small area
Temperate grassland area
Steppes: “Soviet” Breadbasket
The Steppes
25% of the old
Soviet Union’s
food supply.