Countries as ranked by GDP

Russia and the Eurasian Republics.

The Largest region we will study, spanning two continents

and including eleven time zones.

Can you say BIG?!?!?!

Countries as ranked by GDP

•Kazakhstan•Turkmenistan

Countries as ranked by land size

•Kazakhstan•Turkmenistan

Countries ranked by population

•Russia•Kazakhstan•Uzbekistan

Physical Region

Vast areas of:• Permafrost: permanently frozen

subsoil.

Taiga: sub arctic coniferous forests.

Steppe: semi-arid grasslands.

Black Earth Belt: rich-fertile soil.

• Chernozem

• The Ob river flows northward into the Arctic Ocean

Water Features

• Volga River• Ob river• Amur River• Lake Baikal• Caspian Sea• Aral Sea• Bering Strait• Pacific Ocean• Atlantic Ocean

Mountains: Caucasus located between the Black and Caspian Seas.

Mountains: Urals ( divides Europe from Asia)

Russian Natural resources• Not well-developed due to harsh climate• Limited transportation links and vastness

of the country• Foreign competition for investment in the

region (oil pipelines)• Widespread pollution• Shrinking of the Aral Sea• Political and Economic difficulties after the

breakup of the Soviet Union• Cotton production in Central Asia

Siberia• The Sleeping Land: located east of the Urals• Major oil, natural gas, and mineral resources

Human Impact on the Environment

• Water diversion from the Aral Sea: for irrigation

Before 1996 After 2003

Environmental Changes• Pollution: (Chernobyl)• Nuclear power plant explodes after

meltdown and radioactive fallout spreads across Europe

After the Chernobyl explosion entire towns had to be evacuated.

A Nuclear Reactor

A concrete tomb was built to try to contain the radioactive ruins.

The Trans-Siberian RailroadConnecting European Russia with

Siberia and the Pacific Coast. From Moscow to Vladivostok.

Trains at one of the many stations.

Miles of track cross sparsely populated countryside.

Climatic conditions are often cold in these sub arctic areas.

Typical sights are Siberian villages like this one.

Or perhaps old Soviet style block Apartments.

The route ends at the harbor of Vladivostok.

Lake Baikal, the world’s deepest Lake is located in western Russia near the Trans-

Siberian R.R.

NovosibirskA city that grew up along the Trans-Siberian

Railroad

Cultural Characteristics

• Diverse ethnic groups, customs and traditions

• Many of Turkic and Mongol Heritage

Faberge Eggs

Created to celebrate…

Coronations, Royal births, Easter, etc.

The Bolshoi Ballet.

It is the most famous in the world.

Trained in the classical style.

They travel the world to perform.

Catch a performance if you go to Moscow.

Icons

• Religious Paintings and mosaics of the Jesus, the Saints and other religious figures.

Symbols that decorate Eastern Orthodox churches with Saints and other religious

figures from Christian tradition.

Matrioshka Dolls: handmade nesting dolls resembling a Russian peasant

woman have been a favorite for centuries.

Samovars

Samovars are traditionally used to brew tea to ward off the Russian chill.

St. Basil’s Cathedral.

St. Basil’s was commissioned by Ivan

the Terrible to celebrate the Russian conquest of

the Mongols.

The Church of the Annunciation.

Evidence of Eastern Orthodox Religion

These cathedrals are part of the complex that became known as the Kremlin. It is the heart of Moscow and contains Red Square. Red Square(next slide) was the site of the famous May Day Parades held

during the Communist era and where Lenin, the Father of the Bolshevik

revolution, is entombed.

The Kremlin at night.

Economic Characteristics

•Transition from Command Economy to Free Market economy centered around Capitalism.

The Russian government is struggling with the transition from Communism..

to Democracy.