GEOGRAPHY OF RUSSIA & EASTERN EUROPE
Geography 308 Country Analysis (225 points)
Professor Zoltan Grossman
Your Name:
Country:
COUNTRY ANALYSIS
PART 2: PEOPLE / CULTURE
In this exercise you will be examining the Current Ethnic groups, Religious groups, Demographics, and
Pre-1914 History of the country you have selected for an in-depth case study. This research will introduce you
to the country, which will help to track it as a case study throughout the course, and to investigate possible topics
for your Final Project. The research “detective work” should also help you develop research skills, and critical
thinking skills that will help decipher complex and conflicting information. Show evidence that you are thinking
about your country. Answer questions completely, as best you can. Put “N.A.” only if “Not Applicable.”
If you have European Russia (west of Urals), Siberia (east of Urals), or Southern Russia/Chechnya (area just north of Caucasus),
you can focus on all of Russia in the absence of more specific regional data, but incorporate as much as you can about your
specific region of Russia. This stands for all three parts of your Country Analysis.
PLEASE TYPE ALL INFORMATION, PRINT THE EXERCISE OUT, AND STAPLE THE PAGES
COUNTRY MAP LINKS at www.uwec.edu/grossmzc/GEOG308chart.html
WEB SOURCES
1. World Factbook : www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook (Central Intelligence Agency).
2. Country Studies: http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs (Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress
under the Country Studies/Area Handbook Program sponsored by the U.S. Army).
3. Portals to the World: http://www.loc.gov/rr/international/portals.html (additional thematic links).
4. REENIC http://reenic.utexas.edu/reenic/index.html (University of Texas).
5. CREECA www.wisc.edu/creeca/features/links/weblinks.html (University of Wisconsin).
6. Perry-Castañeda Map Library: http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps (University of Texas).
7. Other on-line encyclopedias and databases, such as http://search.eb.com (on campus only),
http://wikipedia.org and http://dmoz.org/Regional and maps found at http://images.google.com
8. Country Background Notes (US Department of State): http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/
A. CURRENT ETHNIC GROUPS
1. Official language(s) of the country:
2. Language currently written in which script? Roman, Cyrillic, Arabic, or unique script?
3. Complete the chart below with the population size ranking of the top ethnic groups, their percentage of the
country’s population, and the language family of each ethno-linguistic group (if the ethnic group speaks a
language in the Indo-European Family, identify the language branch: Slavic, Romantic, etc.), and the main
regions of the country where each ethnic group lives today (see the Ethnicity map in your country map links).
Size
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ethnic group
%
Language family or branch
Main area(s) of the country
4. Create and insert a pie chart of the ethnic groups in the country. You need to label the top four groups, and
can group the remaining ethnic groups as “Other.” (In Excel, “Insert” a Chart, and select the first standard type
of pie chart.)
5. Does the largest ethnic group straddle the boundary with any neighboring countries? Which countries? Does
this group currently or historically have grievances as a minority in these countries? Separately describe the
situation of the ethnic group in each country. (Note: Ethnic groups may have different names in neighboring
countries, such as Ukrainians/Ruthenians, Romanians/Moldovans, Mongols/Buryats, Finns/Karelians, etc.).
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6. Do any of the minority ethnic groups straddle the boundary with neighboring countries (where they may or
may not be the majority)? Have those neighboring countries historically or currently objected to the treatment of
this minority in your country, or claimed the minority territory in your country? Separately describe each group.
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7. What would you describe as the main historical and current ethnic conflicts within your country? Have these
conflicts recently become violent or resulted in war, and when?
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8. Compare the map of Ethnicity with the maps of Physical features and Land Use (or Agriculture). What
correlations do you see between the ethnic geography and physical geography or land use in your country?
Speculate as to why these correlations may exist; why might ethnic groups be clustered where they are?
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9. Compare the map of Ethnicity with the map of Population Density in your country. What correlations do you
see between the maps?
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B. RELIGIOUS GROUPS
1. Complete the chart below with the population size ranking of the top three religious groups, and their
percentage of the country’s population. Be specific as to the religious sects of Christianity (Catholic,
Protestant, Orthodox, and others) and of Islam (Sunni, Shi’ite). Also list any ethnic group(s) that this
religion may be associated with in your country (for example, most Armenians are Orthodox and most
Azeris are Shi’ite Muslim). Some ethnic groups (such as Hungarians or Czechs) may be identified with
more than one religious group. Different ethnic groups in a country may also share the same religion.
Size
1.
2.
3.
Religious group
%
Associated ethnic group(s)
2. List any religious minorities in your country not represented in the top three ranking, and any ethnic group(s)
they may be associated with.
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3. . Create and insert a pie chart of the religious groups in the country. You need to label the top 3 groups, and
can group the remaining religious groups as “Other.” (In Excel, “Insert” a Chart, and select the first standard
type of pie chart.)
4. What religious conflicts or grievances of religious minorities can you identify in your country? How do these
conflicts correlate with ethnic conflicts, if at all? How closely are religious and ethnic identities intertwined in
your country?
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C. PRE-1914 HISTORY
1. From the sources on page 1 of this Exercise, and any other textual sources, compile a timeline of exactly 20
key dates in your country’s history. You will have to prioritize which are the most important events that shaped
the history of your country (or the historic region that became your present-day country). The first date should be
of the earliest origin of the majority ethnic group or its arrival in its present region. The last date is of the start of
World War I in 1914. Pay special attention to victories and losses in wars, conquests by neighboring countries,
conquests of neighboring territory, and major changes in territorial boundaries, state independence, or other
geographical aspects of history. .You can use the circa notation (such as c. 750) if an exact date is not known,
and use a range of dates (such as 1787-98 or 1898-1905) for a particular period. Be detailed! (not just the names
of wars, but against which countries). Use multiple sources (list in # 2); the timeline must be in your own words.
Date or
date range
1914
Key historical event
Start of World War I.
2. List sources used in compiling the timeline.
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3. Examine maps of historic boundaries of your country and earlier empires in your region. Which empire(s)
was your present-day country once a part of?
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4. Compare the country map of Ethnicity with any maps of Historical Boundaries or historic empires in the
region, and textual histories of your country. To what extent is the current location of the ethnic or religious
groups in your country related to the boundaries of earlier countries or empires? Can you see any legacies or
imprints of the past in the present? Are any historic ethnic groups no longer in your country? Be detailed.
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5. Describe the major or recurring claims that your country (or the majority ethnic group in your country) has
made on neighboring territories through history. Describe what historic claims that neighboring countries or
ethnic groups have made on your country. You can connect these claims to current ethnic or religious conflicts.
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6. Compare the major areas of historic conflict to current maps of Physical features or Land Use (or
Agriculture). How did the physical terrain of your country affect or shape these historic conflicts? Did the
conflicts mainly center on the richest agricultural or natural resource areas, or were the conflicts over relatively
worthless territory? Give examples.
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D. CURRENT DEMOGRAPHICS
1. Fill out the table with information from the World Factbook and other sources. For the “Rank Order in the
World,” click on the tiny bar graph next to the category in the World Factbook.
Category
Population
Total fertility rate
Infant mortality rate (total)
Life expectancy at birth (total)
Data
Rank Order in World
Rank Order of U.S.
2. Click on the U.S. Census Bureau International Data Base at http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idbpyr.html
Select your country, the Small Graph Size, and the year 2000 (either as “Select Year” or as part of the
“Summary.” Drag the 2000 small graph to insert here below.
3. Examine the Population Pyramid by age. What evidence can you detect of 20th-century events, such as wars
or economic cycles? (Count backward from 2000: the 75-79 age group was born in 1921-25).
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2. Briefly compare your country’s demographics to those of the United States, using both the table above and
this 2000 Population Pyramid of the United States:
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3. Compare the life expectancy of females and males in your country Which gender has higher life expectancy,
by how much (see World Factbook).? Examine the differences in the genders at different ages in the Population
Pyramid of your country. How would you explain them?
Answer
4. What is the population growth rate (World Factbook)?
Answer
5. What percentage of the population are dependents? Add categories for “0-14 years” and “65 years and over.”
Answer