Russia & the Eurasian Republics Study Guide
Test- November 21st
Terms:
Any of the following terms may be on your test.
Authoritarian
Command Economy
Socialism
Chernobyl
Gorbachev
Glasnost
Steppe
Permafrost
Methane
Tundra
Communism
Soviet Union
Perestroika
Taiga
Half-life
Political & Physical Geography:
Study the political and physical map you completed. The features listed below
will be on your test.
Russia
Kazakhstan
Volga River
Uzbekistan
Ural Mountains
Kyrgyzstan
Caspian Sea
Tajikistan
Aral Sea
Turkmenistan
Caucasus Mountains
Siberia
Physical Geography p. 142
1. What is the largest country in the world?
Russia
2. Where do most people in Russia live?
western Russia or the European side
3. What natural barriers separate Russia and the republics from their
neighbors?
Mountains and bodies of water
Land use & Climate p. 144
1. What type of economic activity would mostly occur in steppe regions?
Agriculture and grazing
2. What are the two biggest factors impacting northern Russia’s climate?
latitude and arctic winds
3. What type of economic activity would most likely occur in the arid
regions of Central Asia?
grazing and herding
4. How does Russia’s climate affect its ports?
only some ports remain ice free year round due to ice-blocked coastlines
5. What type of climate does central Asia have?
semi-arid to arid; dry
6. Why don’t trees grow in northern Russia?
permafrost prevents their roots from pushing deep
7. Why is there no daylight in northern Russia for nearly 1 month each year?
latitudes near the Arctic Circle
Natural Resources p. 146 & p. 176
1. How does Russia’s extreme climate impact their access to natural
resources?
The permafrost, along with the remote location, makes it difficult to drill
or mine for the natural resources and transport them to market.
2. Why is the Caspian Sea so significant?
oil and natural gas reserves
3. How is energy from the Caspian Sea transported?
pipeline
4. Where does much of Russia’s oil come from?
western Siberia
5. What are the two main types of natural resources in this region?
oil and natural gas
Siberian Lakes p. 148
1. How does the release of methane gas in Siberia potentially have
worldwide effects?
climate change (global warming).
Central Asian Landscapes p. 150
1. What caused the Aral Sea to shrink?
over irrigation
2. What type of agriculture is suited to the dry climate of Central Asia?
cotton and livestock raising
The Soviet Union, The Soviet Collapse, and Russia’s government today p. 160,
172-177
1. How did Mikhail Gorbachev want to reform Russia?
improve the economy.
2. What did glasnost lead to?
protests for more political freedom; citizens criticized the government
3. In what ways did Gorbachev’s changes to the government contribute to
the fall of the Soviet Union?
The more freedom people were given, the more freedom they demanded.
4. What occurred when the Soviet Union collapsed?
Gorbachev resigned; Soviet republics gained independence
5. What Russian republic wants to gain independence from Russia today?
Chechnya
What type of government does Russia have today?
federal system
6. Who has the right to vote in Russia?
everyone 18+
7. Which branch of Russia’s central government had the most power?
executive branch (president)
Climate & Culture p. 166
1. How are culture and climate related?
Food, clothing, and shelter are influenced by climate and are a part of
culture.
Trans-Siberian Railroad p. 168
1. How long is the Trans-Siberian railroad?
6,000 miles
2. How many time zones does it cross?
8
3. What change did the Trans-Siberian railroad bring to Siberia?
5 million people moved to Siberia
4. How did Russia benefit from the Trans-Siberian railroad?
more people, new towns, plentiful raw materials, better transportation
and trade
St. Petersburg Today p. 170
1. Why is St. Petersburg significant?
cultural center of museums, music, theaters, universities
2. Why is St. Petersburg called Russia’s “window to the West”?
It resembles cities in Western Europe.
Chernobyl p. 178
1. What occurred at Chernobyl?
A nuclear reactor at a power plant exploded and caught fire, resulting in
the worst nuclear disaster in history.
2. What lessons were learned from the accident at Chernobyl?
Use more advanced nuclear technology.
3. Why does radioactive fallout from Chernobyl still affect the area?
Radioactive material takes so long to disappear.
4. What was the impact of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster on Ukraine,
Belarus, and Russia?
Land and water were contaminated.