Physical Geography of Russia
and the Republics
Northern Landforms
• Russia and the Republics in size: About 3(x) of the U.S. / 11 times zones/ nearly
1/6th of Earth’s land surface. It is the only country to reach two continents
(Europe and Asia).
• Northern European Plain is a lowland area in the west that has black earth, or
chernozem, the world’s most fertile soil. The soil meant many agricultural areas
are located here along with more than 75% of the region’s population.
• Three of the region’s largest cities are located here: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and
Kiev.
Northern Landforms
• West Siberian Plain: The Ural Mountains separate the Northern European and
West Siberian Plains or dividing line between Europe and Asia.
• Central Siberian Plateau: Mostly has uplands and mountains for landforms. High
plateaus averaging heights of 1,000-2,000 feet that make Central Siberian
Plateau between Lena and Yenisey rivers.
• Russian Far East: A region of complex volcano
systems. The Kamchatka Peninsula has
120 alone with 20 still active. The islands
of Sakhalin and Kuril islands are south of
the peninsula.
Southern Landforms
• The Turan Plain has two major rivers, the Syr Darya and Amu Darya, and two
large deserts, the Kara Kum and Kyzyl Kum.
• The Caucasus Mountains separates the Black and Caspian seas while forming a
boarder between Russia and Transcaucasia.
• The Tian Shan Mountains are located along southeastern border of Central Asia.
This is a region of republics of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan,
and Uzbekistan.
Rivers and Lakes
• Some of the world’s longest rivers and largest and deepest lakes. The Volga River
longest in Europe and carries about 60% of Russia’s river traffic. Six main drainage
basins include Arctic (largest) and Pacific Oceans, Caspian, Baltic, Black, and Aral
Sea basins.
• Two of Earth’s largest lakes are the Caspian (largest inland sea) and Aral Seas. The
Aral has lost about 87% of water volume from irrigation projects.
• Lake Baikal is the deepest in the world (a mile to the bottom) and holds 20% of
world’s freshwater. The Volga River longest in Europe and carries about 60% of
Russia’s river traffic.
Regional Resources
• Huge reserves of coal, iron ore, nickel, oil, natural gas, petroleum (world’s
largest), and timber were a great wealth and powerful rivers allowed Russia to
become world’s largest producers of hydroelectric power.
• Challenges arose in removal and transporting from harsh, remote regions with
many located in frigid arctic and subarctic Siberia and using without harming
environment. Until 1990’s the government provided money for willing people.
• Mining, oil, gas, and hydroelectric operations caused thermal pollution and
damaged plant and animal habitats.
Human-Environment Interaction
• Beginning in the1950’s, the Kara Kum canal
irrigation project took so much water from rivers
for cotton fields that the Aral Sea began
evaporating. Agricultural problems occurred from
use of pesticides and fertilizers with runoff.
• Runoff- unabsorbed rainfall that runs into
streams and rivers. Runoff carried chemicals to
the Aral Sea and eventually killed 24 native fish
species.
• As Aral Sea evaporated, exposed salt and
chemicals picked up in windstorms created
pollution and respiratory diseases. Removal of 9
of 18 million acres of farming to keep current sea
levels.
Coping in Russian Winter
• Over 32 million people reside in Siberia.
Siberian workers have to cover everything and
leave on their eye, or eyes, exposed. Even
during spring, black clouds of either
misquotes or black flies attack Siberian
residents.
• In construction, thawing grounds would sink,
tilt, or collapse unless built on concrete
supports.
• Harsh, frigid climate and landscape became a
defense mechanism against French leader
Napoleon Bonaparte and forced him to
retreat as troops were unprepared
Trans-Siberian Railroad
• Travel through region was dangerous and slow but railroad linked Moscow to the
Pacific through 7 time zones and over several rivers. The project took about 12
years with about 70,000 workers while moving 77 million cubic feet of earth and
clearing of 100,000 acres of forest
• Railroad not built just for speed, but to profit from resources. Ten years after its
completion, about five million settlers moved to Siberia, really boosting the
economy.
A Troubled Caucasus
• Powerful central government of the Soviet Union in Russia collapsed in 1991.
After the collapse of the Soviets, conflict arose in seek of control over other
areas. The Caucasus region dealt with some of the most violent conflicts.
• Republics south of Caucasus Mountains (republics of Transcaucasia) were once
apart of the Soviet Union but now independent countries. Republics north of the
mountains remained under the control of Russia. The whole region had about 50
different ethnic groups.
Chechnya
• Chechnya, among the other republics north of the Caucasus Mountains remained
under Russian control. As the Soviet Union began to break up, ethnic groups
began to fight for their independence but in a decade later, hundreds of
thousands died in conflicts.
• Chechnya experienced the worst violence. When Chechnya demanded for
independence, Russia invaded the republic twice and caused over 100,000
casualties. Bombings occurred in 2010 in Russia which continues the conflict.
Obstacles to Economic Reform
• In 1992, Russia removed price controls on sales that had been previously set by
Soviet Union. Russia quickly tried to changed to a capitalists society.
• This meant that the government had to release control over their country, and
the price of many goods went up 250% and led to Russia selling governmentowned businesses – the process of privatizing.
• Economy really struggling so in Spring 2000,
Russian President Vladimir Putin divided
country into different federal districts.
Organized Crime
• The “Russian Mafia” provided a challenge for the government. Russia has been
going through economic hardships since the Soviet Union fell, making crime seem
very appealing. The Russian Mafia controls 40% of private business and 60% of
state business by purchasing these companies.
• Mafia attempted to expand outside Russia by trying to sell a submarine to the
Columbian mafia.