Russia – Chapter
13
Physical Geography
of Russia
Russia Where is it?
Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree,
Lewis, Price, Wyckoff
2
RUSSIA-US SIZE COMPARISON
Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree,
Lewis, Price, Wyckoff
3
Physical
Features of Russia
Main Idea Russia is a huge country
with a location and landforms that
greatly affect how people live.
Geography and You If you have ever traveled across
the United States, you know that it takes a long time. It
would take twice as long to travel across Russia. Read to
learn about the landforms of Russia’s vast terrain.
4
Russian Seaports
A Vast Northern Land
Because of its enormous size, Russia has
a long coastline. Russia does not benefit
from its closeness to the sea, though,
because of its northern location. Why?
>>>the Black Sea in the southwest,
though, Russian ships have a warm-water
route to the Mediterranean Sea.
5
European Russia
Most of European Russia lies on the
Northern European Plain. This fertile area
has Russia’s mildest climate, and about 75
percent of Russians live here. Moscow, the
capital, and St. Petersburg, a large port city
near the Baltic Sea, are located in this region.
6
Asian Russia
East of the Urals is Asian Russia, which
includes Siberia. Northern Siberia has one
of the coldest climates in the world. It is
a vast treeless plain that remains frozen
much of the year. The few people who live
here make their living fishing, hunting
seals and walruses, or herding reindeer.
7
8
Inland Waters
Russia has many rivers. The Volga is
European Russia’s major river.
Russians have long relied on the Volga
for transportation.
9
Caspian Sea
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.
10
Natural Resources
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.
11
Russia: Climate and the Environment
12
Some info
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.
13
Why is Russia Cold?
14
General Winter
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.
15
Russia: Different Areas
Different Weather
Cold temperatures and lack of precipitation result
in 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’s
cities. Factories pour pollutants, which are chemicals and
16
smoke particles that cause pollution, into the air.
Water Pollution
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
17
have safe drinking water.
Cleaning Up
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.
18
Summary A Vast Northern Land
● 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
19
Summary Natural Resources
● 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.
20
Summary Russia’s Landforms
● 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.
21
Summary Climate
● 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.
22
Summary Environment
● 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.
23