Russia
A vast
cold
land-chapter
14
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rv7dGhj5UlA
Mrs. Hunt
Shiloh Christian School
I.The Land
A. Landforms
1. Mountains and Plateaus
a. The Ural Mountains mark the traditional
boundary between European Russia and Asian
Russia. They are rich in iron ore and mineral
fuels, such as oil and natural gas.
The Land
 b. The Caucasus Mountains lie between the Black
and Caspian Seas.
I. The Land
2. Plains Areas


A. Northern European Plain –most of European
Russia is part of this plain.
About 75 percent of the Russian population lives
on the NEP.
Russia stretches across parts of two continents—
Europe and Asia.
Water Systems
– Russia’s large river systems are vital for
irrigation, transportation routes, electric
power, and industries, such as fishing.
_Russian coastlines lie along the Pacific
Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Caspian, Baltic, and
Black Seas. It has the longest
continuous coastline of any country in
the world.
-Black Sea provides a warm water outlet
to the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas.
-Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of
water in the world and it is a salt water
lake.
Water Systems
Lake Baikal in Southern Siberia is the
deepest freshwater lake in the world.
Rivers:
Volga River- Connects Moscow to the
Caspian Sea and through the Volga-Don
canal system to Sea of Azov and the Black
Sea.
Canals link the Volga to the Baltic Sea,
providing a water route to northern
Europe.
Water Systems
The Volga provides hydroelectric power
and water for drinking and irrigation.
 Dams on Volga threaten sturgeon
population.


Siberian Rivers-tend to flow north
and are warmer at the source than at
the mouth.
Water Systems

The Black Sea-provides Russia with a
warm-water outlet to the Aegean and
Mediterranean Seas through three
Turkish-controlled waterways-the
Bosporos, and the Sea of Marmara, and
the Dardanelles.
III.Natural Resources

Russia has an abundance of resources but many
are in remote, inaccessible parts of the country.


Russia has huge reserves of mineral resources.
Large petroleum deposits, 16 % of world’s coal.
Leading producer of natural gas
In the top three producers of AL, Gemstones, PL

Rivers produce hydroelectric power
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III.Natural Resouces

A. Soil and Forest Land
Because of Russia’s cold climate only
about 10% of Russia supports
agriculture
1. Permafrost- a permanently frozen layer
of soil, lies beneath the surface of the
ground.
2. The Black Earth Belt – a wide fertile
band that stretches from the Ukraine to
Siberia.
III. Natural Resources
B. Forest lands
1. One-fifth of the world’s forest lands lie in Russia-75% in
Siberia.
2. The Russian boreal, taiga, or northern forests supply much
of the world’s timber.
3. It is second only to the Amazon rain forest in the amount
of oxygen returned to the atmosphere.
C. Fishing Industry
1. Salmon, herring, cod and halibut support a flourishing
fishing industry.
2. Sturgeon,caviar producing fish, are on the decline due to
dams on the Volga River.
IV. CLIMATE AND VEGETATION

A.
Russia’s location in the high latitudes causes a harsh climate
with long winters and short cool summers.
 Verkhoyansk-located at 68 degrees N latitude has
experienced temperatures as low as -90 degrees farenheit.
 a. The country’s interior has extreme variations in temp.
and little precipitation.
 b. This effect within the interior portions of a landmass is
called continentality.
1. Tundra-in the far north-a vast treeless plain.
a. the average annual temperature is below freezing.
High-Altitude Regions
2. Subarctic- Russia’s largest climate
region.

a. Snow covered for 120-250 days a year.

b.
Taiga-boreal forest belt that covers two-fifths
of western Russia to Siberia. World’s largest
coniferous forest.
3.Midlatitude Regions


milder winters and warmer summers.
Support most of the country’s agricultural
production.
Humid Continental climate-with mixed coniferousforests.
Midlatitude Regions
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War and Winter
Napoleon I in 1812-led 600,000 men into Russia,
then left them, and only 40,000 survived.
Hitler in winter 1941-sent troops with no winter gear
into Russia, men and machines broke down.
 Steppe


A temperate grassland has dry summers, long, cold,
dry winters with blowing snow.
Chernozem- soil rich in organic matter provides vast
grasslands.
WELCOME LIDIA