Russia and the Newly Independent States: An Introduction to Geo-Political History

Western Kazakhstan

Eastern Georgia

Saint Petersburg, Russia

Photo: UVM Student Julia Katsnelson

Transcaucasus Mountains

Georgia

Baku, Azerbaijian

photo: Alexander Pasternak

Transcaucasus

Chechen Refugee Camp

Chechnya, Russia

Winter Palace, St Petersburg, Russia

Moscow, Russia

The Kremlin, Moscow, Russia

Altay Region

Altay Region, Russia

Lake Baykal, Russia

Novosibirsk, Western Siberia, Russia

Uzbekistan

Samarkand, Ukbekistan

Turkmenistan

Turkmenistan

Almaty,

Kazahkstan

Almaty Region, Kazahkstan

Tajikistan

Tajikistan

Western Tajikistan

Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan

Some facts about Russian Federation:

•Arable land: 7.17%

•Population growth rate: -0.47% (2010 est.)

•Life expectancy at birth: 2004 2010total population: 66.39 years 66.16male: 59.91 years 59.5female: 73.27 years 73.1

•Independence: 24 August 1991 (from Soviet Union) •Constitution: adopted 12 December 1993

•Literacy: 99.4% (2002)•GDP growth rate: 7.3% (2003 est.) 8.1% (2007 est) 3.8% (2010 est)•GDP per capita (PPP): $16, 100 (2008) 15,300 (2009)•Economy has been growing by around 7% each year since 1998.•Poverty: 25% (January 2003 est.) (13.1% 2009 est)

RUSSIAN GEO-POLITICAL HISTORY Russian ImperialismRussian Empire began in Muscovy region, around present-day Moscow

In exchange for people’s compliance with the system, citizens would receive housing, education and health care at no or minimal cost.

However, the system had its roots in Russian legacy of collectivisim and authoritarianism, in which citizens were not guaranteed representation or rights.

The Soviet Empire

•Gosplan- the central economic planning commission

•Bourgeois specialists

•Lenin’s ideal of the one Soviet People

•Stalin years (1928-1953)

Josef Stalin

Soviet State Expansion

1940s and 1950s

World War II

The Iron Curtain

Continued Industrialization

Achievements in engineering, space race, and military

Sputnik stamp

Rapid Breakup of the Soviet Empire

Occurred between 1989 and 1992

Due to (?? These are theories….):

•regional inequalities•consumer demands•manipulation of power by ruling elites

Empire broke into 15 separate countries. Economies and systems left in disarray, regions had to readjust quickly.

The Former Soviet Union and Today’s Independent States

Russian Federation, Post 1992

•The Russian Federation was weakened politically and economically by the break-up.

•By the end of the 1990s Russian Federation was in crisis: huge debt, 100% inflation, half of the economic output of 1989.

Russian Diaspora 1:Because workers were needed throughout the USSR to keep to economic and industrial goals, Russians relocated throughout the territories of the USSR, forming a diaspora of the Russian people in non-Russian territories.

Diaspora: the spatial dispersion of a previously homogenous group.

•In 1989, 25 million Russians found themselves to be ethnic minorities in new countries.

•Russian Diaspora #2: An even greater number moved to other parts of the world, and while the number is not very high, these tend to be the most educated and talented individuals, resulting in a ‘brain drain’.

•Still, there are 92 ethnic groups remaining in Russian Federation and there are numerous irredentist and secessionist movements.

Russian Federation Today

•Strong economy, mainly due to oil and gas and domestic production of goods, wobbled during the 2008-2010 downturn

•Growing middle class

•President: Premier Vladimir Vladimirovich PUTIN (since May 2012, and another term before)

•head of government: Dmitriy Anatolyevich MEDVEDEV (since 8 May 2012

•“semi-authoritarian state” with carefully managed elections

Getting to Know the “Newly Independent States”

Armenian bread,Armenia

Photo: Monica Wiegart, TrekEarth

Some facts about

Kazakhstan:

Climate and geography: continental climate, grasslands, steppe, mountainous region, 9th largest (area) country in the world

Economy: Oil, natural gas, grain and machinery. Oil pipeline to China. (Economy is larger than all other Central Asian countries combined.) 53rd highest GDP in world

Political Structure: Parlimentary republic but power concentrated in executive branch. Nazarbayev has been president since 1991.

Demographics: pop growth rate .4%, 57% urban, life expectancy: 68 years (male 69, female 74)literacy rate: 99.5%

Ethnic groups: Kazakh (Qazaq) 63.3% (2009) was 53.4% (1999), Russian 23.7% (2009) 30% (1999), Ukrainian 3.7%, Uzbek 2.5%, German 2.4%, Tatar 1.7%, Uygur 1.4%, other 4.9% (1999 census)

Religion: (Sunni) Muslim 47%, Russian Orthodox 44%, Protestant 2%, other 7%

Language: Kazakh (Qazaq, state language) 64.4%, Russian (official, used in everyday business, designated the "language of interethnic communication") 95% (2001 est.)

Climate and Geography: subtropical desert, rolling dune desert, mtns in south

Political Structures: parliamentary government, but executive branch holds power. Niyazov who was President for Life (1991-2006) passed away in 2006. His Vice Premier, Berdimuhamedow, was elected president in 2007.

Economy: agriculture and energy exports: cotton, grain; livestocknatural gas, oil, petroleum products, textiles, food processing

Some facts about Turkmenistan:

Demographicspop growth rate 1.4%, 49% urban, life expectancy: 68 years (male 65, female 71)literacy rate: 98.8%

Ethnic groups: Turkmen 85%, Uzbek 5%, Russian 4%, other 6% (2003)

Religions: Muslim 89%, Eastern Orthodox 9%, unknown 2%

Languages: Turkmen 72%, Russian 12%, Uzbek 9%, other 7%

Some facts about Armenia:

Climate and Geography: highland continental, hot summers, cold winters

Economy: Since the implosion of the USSR in December 1991, Armenia has switched to small-scale agriculture away from the large agroindustrial complexes of the Soviet era

Conflict with Azerbaijan:

Demographicspop growth rate .107%, 64% urban, Net migration: -3.35/1000 (2012)life expectancy: 72 years (male 69, female 77)literacy rate: 99.4%

Ethnic groups: Armenian 97.9%, Yezidi (Kurd) 1.3%, Russian 0.5%, other 0.3% (2001 census)

Languages: Armenian 97.7%, Yezidi 1%, Russian 0.9%, other 0.4% (2001 census)

Religion: Armenian Apostolic 94.7%, other Christian 4%, Yezidi (monotheist with elements of nature worship) 1.3%

Etchmiadizn, may be oldest church in the world