UNIT

Russia

Church of the Resurrection,

St. Petersburg, Russia

342 Unit 5
Richard Klune/CORBIS
 To learn more about Russia
visit www.nationalgeographic.com/education.

What Makes This a Region? 344–347

Regional Atlas 348–353
Chapter 14: Physical Geography 354–367
Chapter 15: Cultural Geography 368–387
Chapter 16: The Region Today 388–405

RUSSIA
Why It Matters
For most of the last century, Russia was part of the vast
Soviet Union. Ruled by a Communist government, the Soviet
Union challenged the United States and other democracies
for global influence. Then the Soviet Union collapsed, and
Russia emerged as an independent republic. Now Russia is
struggling to build a stable democracy and free-enterprise
economy. Because Russia is a key player in world affairs, its
success — or failure — will affect your world in the years to
come.

343
 UNIT 5 WHAT MAKES THIS A REGION?
Russia
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Russia is the largest coun-
try in the world, nearly twice as large as the United
States. It is so large, it is a region unto itself. Two
landforms dominate the landscape of this massive
nation—lowland plains cover nearly half the country
in the west, and plateaus rise over the rest.
Climate shapes settlement patterns. While winters
in some parts of Russia are milder than others, winter
in most of Russia is a challenge. The harsh Siberian
winter has led most people to live in the western part
of the region.

1 MOUNTAINS The Ural Mountains

are often considered the line that
divides Europe from Asia, and European
Russia from Asian Russia. Rich in 2
resources, they have been useful in
developing Russian industry.
2 PLAINS AND PLATEAUS From
the Ural Mountains to the Pacific, Russia
is covered by the vast stretch of plains
and plateaus called Siberia, a region of
more than 2.5 million square miles
(6.5 million sq. km).
3 LAKES AND RIVERS Lake Baikal,
in southeastern Russia, is the world’s
oldest and deepest lake. With more
water by volume than any other lake
in the world, it holds about one-fifth
of Earth’s freshwater.

344 Unit 5
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 3

RUSSIA
4

4 NATURAL RESOURCES Russia is one of the

leading producers of oil and gas in the world. Much
of this energy is found near the Ural Mountains and
in Siberia.

Unit 5 345

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 UNIT 5 WHAT MAKES THIS A REGION?
Russia
CULTURAL GEOGRAPHY Russia is
unified by its people. Though the region
is home to dozens of ethnic groups,
more than two-thirds of the people are
ethnic Russians. They share a common
language and a common history, includ-
ing a long tradition of strong central
government. For most of the 1900s,
Russia was part of the Soviet Union,
led by Communist dictators and having
a government-controlled economy. In
the early 1990s, the Soviet Union
dissolved, and the Russians adopted
democracy and a market economy.
The transition to this new way of
life has not been smooth, however.

REGIONAL TIME LINE

1240 Mongol (“Golden Horde”) 1555–1561 St. Basil’s 1762–1796 Catherine the
invasion Cathedral built Great rules

1100 1300 1500 1700

1169 Kievan Rus formed 1530–1584 Ivan IV (“the 1689–1725 Westernization

Terrible”): first czar of under Peter the Great
Russia

Ivan the Terrible

346 Unit 5
(bkgd)Jonathan Smith/Lonely Planet Images, (b)Bettmann/CORBIS
 1 ECONOMY Western busi-
ness practices like advertising
became much more common
after the shift to a market econ-
omy. Some Russians have gained
great success in the new eco-
2 nomic order, but others have
suffered.
2 CULTURE A priest in the
Russian Orthodox Church prays.
The church has long been an
important part of Russian identity,
though membership was dis-
couraged during Communist rule.
3 PEOPLE As in Europe,
Russia faces a population chal-
lenge. Low birthrates are produc-
ing an aging population, and the
growing number of older people
will strain national resources.

RUSSIA
3

1
1991
1922 Soviet Union formed; June 12—Boris Yeltsin
Joseph Stalin becomes general elected president,
secretary of the Communist 1986 Nuclear accident Dec. 24–25—USSR
1869 Lev Tolstoy writes War
Party at Chernobyl power plant ceases to exist
and Peace
Boris Yeltsin

1900 1930 1960 1990

1917 Nicholas II abdicates 1947–1991 Cold War

the throne; Bolshevik
Revolution puts Communists
in control of government Joseph Stalin

Unit 5 347

(tl)Liba Taylor/CORBIS, (cl)Chernysheva Marina/ITAR-TASS/CORBIS, (r)Peter Turnley/CORBIS, (bl)Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS

 UNIT 5 REGIONAL ATLAS
PHYSICAL Russia

Fishermen on Lake Baikal

348 Unit 5
Brand X/SuperStock
A Vast, Cold Land
For a country as large as Russia is, it has
little variety in landforms or climate. Living in
a cold climate challenges Russians’ creativity.
Russians must adjust to the climate in all
aspects of their lives — jobs, transportation, The World’s Deepest Freshwater Lake
food and water supplies, heating, clothing,
and plumbing. Businesses and industries also
must adjust to the extreme cold by construct-
ing buildings and machinery capable of with-
standing these extreme temperatures. As you Crater Lake
1,932 ft
(589 m) Lake Baikal
study the maps and graphics on these pages, (U.S.)
look for the geographical features that make
the region unique. Then answer the questions
below on a separate sheet of paper. 5,715 ft
(1,742 m)
1. Where is Russia located? How do you expect
that to influence Russia’s climate?
2. How does Yakutsk, Siberia, compare to
Anchorage, Alaska, in latitude? How does it
compare in climate? Which location do you
think is nearer the ocean?
3. What challenges would Russians face in trying

RUSSIA
to gain economic benefits from their rivers?

Comparing Climates

Unit 5 349
 UNIT 5 REGIONAL ATLAS
POLITICAL Russia

Population Life GDP % Urban Literacy Years of Phone Lines/ Internet Flag &
Country, & Density Expectancy Per Capita* Rate Compulsory Cell Phones Users Language
Capital, & Area at Birth (%) Education (per 1,000 people) (per 1,000 people)
RUSSIA
6,592,819 sq. mi.
17,075,322 sq. km 143,000,000
22 per sq. mi. 66 yrs. $9,800 73 99.6 10 242/120 40.9
8 per sq. km
Russian

Comparing Lands: Russia is about three times the size of the continental United States.

296,500,000
80 per sq. mi. 78 yrs. $40,100 79 97.0 12 646/488 551.4
31 per sq. km English

*The CIA calculates per capita GDP in terms of purchasing power parity. This formula allows us to compare the figures among different countries.
Note: Countries and flags are not drawn to scale.
Sources: Central Intelligence Agency, World Factbook, 2005; Population Reference Bureau, World Population Data Sheet, 2005; UNESCO Institute for Statistics;
United Nations, Human Development Report, 2005.

350 Unit 5
Changing Size
Russia’s size and shape have changed over time. From 1921 to 1991, it
was the main republic in the Soviet Union. As you study the maps on these
pages, look for differences in the size of Russia over time. Then answer the
questions below on a separate sheet of paper.
1. Where was Russia located before 1581, and in what directions did it expand
in the following 100 years or so?
2. How much influence do you expect European culture to have on Russia? Why?
3. How does Russia today compare in size to the Soviet Union in 1945? What
impact do you think that difference will have on the Russian people?

RUSSIA’S CHANGING BORDERS

RUSSIA
THE SOVIET ERA

Unit 5 351
 UNIT 5 REGIONAL ATLAS

Resource-Rich but Environmentally Poor

Russia has a wealth of mineral resources, but exploiting them has often
produced serious problems. As you study the maps on these pages, look for
information about Russia’s resources and its environmental problems.
Then answer the questions below on a separate sheet of paper.
1. How would the location of Russia’s resources pose challenges to making use
of them?
2. Why are there manufacturing centers in the southern Urals and south central
Siberia?
3. What environmental problems does Russia have? What areas are spared
these problems?

RUSSIA: ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

352 Unit 5
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES Russia

RUSSIA

A polluted puddle located near Chelyabinsk

Unit 5 353
Alexander Nemenov/AFP/Getty Images
 CHAPTER
PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF

Why It Matters
In 1991 the powerful Soviet
Union broke up into 15 indepen-
Russia
dent republics. Of these, Russia
is by far the largest. A study of
the physical geography of Russia
will explain the factors that make
the landscape of this immense
country so unique and its natural
resources so valuable.

Section 1: The Land

The physical environment affects
people and their activities. Russia’s
far northern location, interconnected
plains and mountain ranges, and
large river systems influence human
settlement and activities in the
region.

Section 2: Climate
and Vegetation
Physical processes shape Earth’s
surface. Russia’s climate regions
and natural vegetation are affected
by the country’s location in the far
northern latitudes, deep within the
interior of the Eurasian landmass.

Geography ONLINE
Chapter Overview Visit the World
Geography and Cultures Web site at
glencoe.com and click on Chapter
Overviews—Chapter 14 to preview infor-
mation about the physical geography of
the region.

Fed by over 300 rivers and streams, Lake

Baikal is home to about 50 species of fish.

354 Unit 5
Bruno Morandi/Getty Images
 Identifying Information Make a
Layered-Look Book to identify the key
physical features found in Russia.

Reading and Writing As you read the chapter, identify

specific features of Russia’s physical geography and write
them in the correct location in your Foldable.

RUSSIA

Chapter 14 355
 SECTION 1 The Land
Guide to Reading Russia is a vast and varied land of plains divided and
Section Preview
bordered by mountain ranges, tundra, subarctic forests,
This section discusses the land- and wide rivers and seas. Within the borders of Russia’s
forms, water systems, and natural immense land area, there are places of such beauty and
resources of Russia, and how these
features influence human settle- bounty that the wilderness seems boundless.
ment and activities in the region.

Content Vocabulary Voices Around the World

• chernozem (p. 357)
“I came to know the world’s largest boreal forest through years of work in
• permafrost (p. 359)
Russia, journeying from the taiga’s heavily logged southern fringe on the Chinese
Academic Vocabulary border to beyond the Arctic Circle. . . . I had also been to the tropical forests of
• series (p. 357) South America, where there is more of
• estimate (p. 358)
everything—more trees, more animals,
• link (p. 358)
more insects, more tumult. But I pre-
Places to Locate fer the understated charms of the
• Ural Mountains (p. 357) boreal, with its limitless expanse of
• Caucasus Mountains (p. 357)
lakes and ponds and its gentle gra-
• Central Siberian Plateau (p. 357)
dations of green: the pale hues of the
• Siberia (p. 357)
• Northern European Plain (p. 357) reindeer lichen, the black-green of
• West Siberian Plain (p. 357) the spruce, the lighter, almost char-
• Volga River (p. 358) treuse tints of aspen and birch. More
than anything, perhaps, I am partial
Reading Strategy
Taking Notes As you read about to the light of the north woods—
Russia’s physical landscape, use the slanting rays that in the warmer
major headings of the section to months cast long evening shadows
create an outline similar to the one and suffuse the landscape with a
below. crystalline glow.”
I. Landforms —Fen Montaigne,
A. “The Great Northern Forest,”
B. National Geographic,
C. June 2002
II. Water Systems
A.
B.

An indigenous Nenets
woman in western Siberia

356 Unit 5
Bryan & Cherry Alexander Photography
Landforms
MAIN Idea Russia’s interconnected mountain
ranges and plains shape human activities.
GEOGRAPHY AND YOU Why might mountains
affect where people live? Read to learn how Russia’s
mountains have influenced life in this country.

In both total land area and geographic extent,

Russia is the world’s largest country. Covering
about 6.6 million square miles (17.1 million
sq. km), Russia stretches across parts of two
continents — Europe and Asia.

Mountains and Plateaus

Mountains and plateaus punctuate the generally
flat landscape of Russia. The Ural Mountains mark
the traditional boundary between European Russia
and Asian Russia. The Urals are an old, worn-
down series of mountain ranges with an average
height of about 2,000 feet (about 610 m). Though
modest in height, the Urals are rich in iron ore and The fertile soils of the Northern
mineral fuels, such as oil and natural gas. European Plain (top) provide
In southwestern Russia, the rugged Caucasus quality farmland. Poor drainage makes many areas of
(KAW•kuh•suhs) Mountains lie between the the West Siberian Plain (bottom) swampy.

RUSSIA
Black and Caspian Seas. This area of moderate Regions What causes the variation in vegetation in Russia’s
climate near the Black Sea has long attracted plains areas?
human settlement. The Caucasus Mountains
reach their highest elevation at Mount Elbrus,
an extinct volcano that reaches 18,510 feet ern part has navigable waterways and a rich black
(5,642 m), Russia’s highest point. soil, known as chernozem (cher•nuh•ZYAWM),
Mountain ranges also form a rugged natural that supports the production of wheat, barley,
boundary between Russia and China. These rye, oats, and other crops. About 75 percent of
mountains mark the southeastern edge of the the Russian population lives on the Northern
Central Siberian Plateau. This rolling plateau has European Plain. This region holds Russia’s
elevations ranging from 1,600 to 2,300 feet (490 most populous cities, including Moscow and
to 700 m). Throughout the plateau’s expanse, St. Petersburg.
swiftly flowing rivers have carved out canyons. Farther to the east, the Ural Mountains divide
Still farther east, mountains and basins extend the Northern European Plain from another vast
through Siberia to the Pacific Ocean. In eastern plains area — the West Siberian Plain. With
Russia, the Kamchatka Peninsula has more than almost 1 million square miles (2.6 million sq.
100 volcanoes, including 29 that are active. km), the West Siberian Plain is one of the world’s
largest areas of flatland. At its widest, this plain
Plains Areas stretches from the Arctic Ocean to the grass-
Most of European Russia is part of the Northern lands of Central Asia. Its lowland areas are poorly
European Plain, also known as the Russian Plain, drained, with many swamps and marshes.
that sweeps across western and central Europe
into Russia. In Russia, the northern part of this Place Which mountains form a
plain is very flat and poorly drained, resulting in natural boundary between European Russia and
many swamps and lakes. By contrast, the south- Asian Russia?

Chapter 14 357

(tr)Belinsky Yuri/ITAR-TASS/CORBIS, (cr)Bryan & Cherry Alexander Photography

 Water Systems
MAIN Idea Russia’s large river systems are vital
for irrigation, transportation routes, electric power,
and industries, such as fishing.
GEOGRAPHY AND YOU Can you name some
major U.S. rivers? How are they important to the
economy? Read to learn how Russia’s waterways
influence human activities throughout the country.
Russia’s far northern
Russia’s water systems include long coastlines, location causes most of
seas, and lakes that provide access to other parts its ports to be frozen for up to four months
of the world. Russian rivers are also important each year.
for economic activities in the country. Place Which sea provides Russia with a warm-water outlet
to the Mediterranean?
Coasts, Seas, and Lakes
Russia has the longest continuous coastline of
The Volga River Western Russia’s Volga River is
any country in the world. Stretching 23,400 miles
the fourth-longest river in the country. Called
(37,650 km), Russia’s coastline touches both the
Matushka Volga, or “Mother Volga,” the river is
Arctic and Pacific Oceans. Other coasts lie along
vital to Russia. The Volga and its tributaries drain
the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and Caspian Sea.
much of the eastern part of Russia’s Northern
The Black Sea provides Russia with a warm-
European Plain. They connect Moscow to the
water outlet to the Aegean and Mediterranean
Caspian Sea and, by way of the Volga-Don Canal,
Seas through three Turkish-controlled water-
to the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. Canals link
ways — the Bosporus, the Sea of Marmara, and
the Volga to the Baltic Sea, providing a water route
the Dardanelles (dahrd•uhn•EHLZ). A salt-
to northern Europe. The river provides hydroelec-
water lake located in a deep depression, the
tric power and water for drinking and irrigation.
Caspian Sea is the largest inland body of water
Two-thirds of Russia’s water traffic travels
in the world. Rivers flow into the Caspian, but
along the Volga. Heavy use of the river, however,
there is no outlet to the ocean. Over time, water
has created challenges. Fed by melting snow, the
levels in the Caspian Sea vary due to evaporation
Volga supplies 33 percent of Russia’s usable water,
and inflow of freshwater.
but half of it returns to the river carrying waste.
Lake Baikal (by•KAHL) lies in southern Siberia.
Dams interrupt the river’s flow, threatening wild-
At nearly 400 miles (644 km) long, 40 miles
life and drinking-water supplies.
(64 km) wide, and over 1 mile (1.6 km) deep, Lake
Baikal is the third-largest lake in Asia and the Siberian Rivers The Ob’, Irtysh, Yenisey, and
deepest freshwater lake in the world. It is estimated Lena are among the world’s largest river sys-
to contain about 20 percent of the Earth’s total tems. They flow north to the Arctic Ocean.
supply of freshwater. Temperatures are warmer at the rivers’ sources
in the south than at their mouths in the north.
Rivers Blocked by ice in the north, the meltwaters flood
Some of the world’s longest rivers flow through the land, creating swamps and marshes.
Russia, draining a large portion of the land and The Amur River, which drains eastward, forms
providing water for irrigation. They also serve the border between Russia and China for about
as transportation routes or sources of electric 1,000 miles (1,610 km). Influenced by summer
power for many parts of the country. Most of monsoon winds from the southeast, the Amur
Russia’s longest rivers — which carry 84 percent River valley is warmer than the rest of Siberia
of the country’s water — are located in Siberia, and is Siberia’s main food-producing area.
where only 25 percent of the Russian popula- Regions Which river provides
tion lives. western Russia with hydroelectric power?

358 Unit 5
Steve Raymer/National Geographic Image Collection
Natural Resources located in northern Siberia. It also leads the
world in nickel production and ranks among the
top three producers of aluminum, gemstones,
MAIN Idea Russia has an abundance of natural and platinum-group metals. Russia’s rivers make
resources, but many are located in remote, inacces- it a leading producer of hydroelectric power.
sible areas of the country.
GEOGRAPHY AND YOU What are some of the nat- Soil and Forest Land
ural resources in the United States? Where are they Because of Russia’s generally cold climate, only
located? Read to learn about natural resources in about 10 percent of its land can support agricul-
Russia.
ture. This is enough farmland to support the popu-
lation with grains and vegetables. In the north and
Russia’s physical geography is both a blessing east, permafrost, a permanently frozen layer of
and a challenge. The country holds an abun- soil, lies beneath the surface of the ground. A wide,
dance of natural resources. Much of this wealth, fertile band called the Black Earth Belt covers
however, lies in remote and climatically unfavor- about 250 million acres (100 million ha) and
able areas and is difficult to tap or utilize. stretches from Ukraine to southwestern Siberia.
Transporting crops from where they are grown in
Minerals and Energy the chernozem soils of the south to cities north is
Russia has huge reserves of mineral resources. a challenge since the distances are great.
It is especially rich in fossil fuels. The country
holds large petroleum deposits and 16 percent
of the world’s coal reserves. However, the coun-
try’s biggest coal fields lie in remote areas of
eastern Siberia. Russia is also a leading producer 1. Location Where is most of the threatened forested
land in Russia located?
of natural gas, but much of this resource is
2. Place Compare the map below to the vegetation map
on page 363. What type of vegetation is most common

RUSSIA
in Russia’s boreal, or northern, forests?

Deforestation in Russia Use StudentWorks™ Plus or glencoe.com.

Chapter 14 359
 ‘‘ If the tropical forests, which contain half the plan-
et’s woodlands, are one lung of the Earth, then
the boreal forests are the other. Both play a vital
role in regulating climate as they — along with the
ocean, Earth’s largest carbon repository — filter
out billions of tons of carbon dioxide and other
greenhouse gases during photosynthesis, storing

’’
the carbon in trees, roots, and soils.

Fishing is an important economic — Fen Montaigne, “The Great Northern Forest,”

activity among the indigenous National Geographic, June 2002
people of the Sakha Republic.
Human-Environment Interaction Why has the supply
of Russian caviar declined?
The Fishing Industry
Fish are important to the Russian diet and
economy. Salmon from the Pacific Ocean and
About one-fifth of the world’s forest lands lie in herring, cod, and halibut from the Arctic Ocean
Russia—75 percent of them in Siberia. Second support a flourishing fishing industry. However,
only to the Amazon rain forest in the amount of the supply of world-famous Russian caviar, or
oxygen returned to the atmosphere, Russian salted fish eggs, has declined. Dams built on the
boreal, or northern, forests also supply much of Volga River have interrupted the migration of
the world’s timber, mainly pine, fir, spruce, and sturgeon, the fish that provide the eggs for cav-
cedar. As a result of commercial logging, and wild- iar. Sturgeon is often fished illegally to meet the
fires, however, Russian forests shrink by almost global demand for this delicacy.
40 million acres (16 million ha) each year—a rate Regions Why does some of
of loss higher than that of the Amazon Basin. Russia’s wealth in coal remain untapped?

SECTION 1 REVIEW
Vocabulary Critical Thinking
1. Explain the significance of: chernozem, permafrost. 5. How does the physical geography of Russia affect
where people live?
Main Ideas
6. Identifying Cause and Effect What problems arise as a
2. Describe the pattern of Russia’s mountain ranges and plains result of the heavy use of the Volga River?
areas. How do mountains and plains shape human activities
7. Summarizing Information Explain how Russia’s physical
in the country?
geography affects access to natural resources.
3. What types of natural resources are abundant in Russia?
8. Analyzing Visuals Study the physical map of Russia on
Describe how the distribution of such resources makes them
page 348 of the Regional Atlas. What types of physical fea-
difficult to utilize.
tures form Russia’s boundaries?
4. Use a chart like the one below to explain how Russia’s large
river systems are vital to human activities in the region. Writing About Geography
9. Descriptive Writing Think about the locations of Russia’s
River How It Is Important
seas. Then write a paragraph describing how the locations of
these seas affect Russia’s economy.

Geography ONLINE
Study Central™ To review this section, go to
glencoe.com and click on Study Central.

360 Unit 5
Bryan & Cherry Alexander Photography
 SECTION 2 Climate and
Guide to Reading
Section Preview
Vegetation
Russia’s location in the far northern
latitudes affects its climate regions Much of Russia experiences extreme cold and long
and natural vegetation. winters because of its location in the high latitudes. In
Content Vocabulary the country’s remotest northern plateaus, the harsh ter-
• continentality (p. 362) rain softens only during the very brief summer.
• tundra (p. 362)
• taiga (p. 363)
• steppe (p. 364) Voices Around the World
Academic Vocabulary “The view was magnificent — mile after mile of flat-topped mountains reced-
• portion (p. 362) ing to the Arctic horizon — though it was difficult to appreciate if you were on
• role (p. 364) your hands and knees on the side of one of those plateaus, clinging to shards
• enable (p. 364)
of scree. Vasily Sarana, chief of the Russian Geographic Society’s Putorana
Places to Locate expedition and a mountaineer who seemed capable of bounding up vertical
• Arctic Circle (p. 362) walls, was not in such an undignified position, however. Standing tall, he
Reading Strategy turned around on the [dizzying] slope and scanned the horizon of his favorite
Categorizing As you read about corner of Russia.”
Russia’s physical geography, com-
plete a graphic organizer similar to — Fen Montaigne,
the one below by describing the “Remote Russia,”
National Geographic,
climate and vegetation regions of

RUSSIA
November 2000
Russia.

Region Description
Tundra
Humid continental
Steppe

Hiker on the
Kamchatka Peninsula

Chapter 14 361

Getty Images
 High-Latitude Regions influences. As a result, much of the country’s
interior has more extreme variations in tempera-
ture and little precipitation. This effect within
MAIN Idea Russia’s location in the high latitudes the interior portions of a landmass is called
of the Eurasian landmass causes extreme differ- continentality.
ences in climate.
GEOGRAPHY AND YOU What is the major climate Tundra
of the region where you live? Read to find out about In the far north, the tundra — a vast, treeless
Russia’s high-latitude climates. plain — dominates the landscape. Hugging the
edges of the Arctic seas, almost the entire tundra
Most of Russia is located in the high latitudes region lies north of the Arctic Circle (66½° N).
and has a harsh climate characterized by long, A patch of tundra in northeastern Siberia lies
cold winters and short, relatively cool summers. near the Sea of Okhotsk. Tundra comes from the
Seasonal temperatures across this broad landmass Finnish word tunturia, which means “treeless
can vary greatly. In eastern Russia’s Yakutsk, for plain,” an apt term for a place where the average
example, January temperatures often fall below annual temperature is below freezing. In this
–33°F (–36°C), and July temperatures average region, the sky stays dark for many weeks before
64°F (18°C). The coldest winter temperatures and after December 22. Then, for several weeks
occur in eastern Siberia. Verkhoyansk, located at during summer, there is continuous sunlight.
about 68° N latitude, has been called the “cold The tundra covers about 10 percent of Russia.
pole of the world.” January temperatures there Its short growing season and the thin, acidic soil
have fallen to a low of –90°F (–68°C).
Warmer air from the Atlantic Ocean moder-
ates temperature in western Russia. Most of
Russia, however, lies well within the Eurasian
1. Place How does Russia’s latitude affect its climate?
landmass, far away from any moderating ocean
2. Location What kind of natural vegetation is found in
southwestern Russia?

Russia: Climate Regions Use StudentWorks™ Plus or glencoe.com.

362 Unit 5
lying just above the permafrost limit the kinds of
plants that can grow there. Only mosses, lichens, Midlatitude Regions
algae, and dwarf shrubs thrive in the tundra.
MAIN Idea Russia’s midlatitude regions have
more moderate climates and support most of the
Subarctic country’s agricultural production.
Russia’s largest climate region is the subarctic.
GEOGRAPHY AND YOU Which regions of the
Although the subarctic lies south of the tundra, United States have moderate climates? Read to find
some of the world’s coldest temperatures occur out where Russia’s moderate climate regions are
there. For 120 to 250 days each year, snow cov- and how they affect the country’s vegetation.
ers the ground. The subarctic climate supports
the taiga (TY•guh), a boreal forest belt that cov-
Russia’s midlatitude climates are much milder
ers two-fifths of western Russia and extends into
than the high-latitude climates, with milder win-
much of Siberia. Roughly the size of the United
ters and warmer summers. Although still rela-
States, the Russian taiga is the world’s largest
tively cold, these climates are where most
coniferous forest, containing about one-half of
Russians live and where much of Russia’s agri-
the world’s softwood timber.
cultural production takes place.
Location How does Russia’s loca-
tion in the high latitudes affect its climate? Humid Continental
Most of Russia’s Northern European Plain
and a small part of southern Siberia have a
Geography ONLINE humid continental climate. Moscow lies in a
Student Web Activity Visit the World Geography and humid continental region. Temperatures in
Cultures Web site at glencoe.com and click on Student Moscow range from 9° to 14°F (–13° to –10°C)
Web Activities—Chapter 14 for an activity about Siberia. in January and from 66° to 99°F (19° to 37°C)
in July.

RUSSIA
Russia: Natural Vegetation

Chapter 14 363
 In humid continental areas, the coniferous taiga blanketing the front lines with temperatures as
of the north gives way to mixed coniferous- low as –40°F (–40°C). The frigid cold paralyzed
deciduous forests. Soils are more fertile than the German tanks, mechanized vehicles, artillery,
those of the taiga, and farming methods and fer- and aircraft. A combination of Russia’s harsh
tilizers have made them more productive. winter and its military strength forced the
Farther south, the mixed forests gradually Germans to retreat.
merge into temperate grasslands. The rich cher-
nozem soil makes these grasslands ideal for crop Steppe
production, especially for growing sunflowers, An area between the Black and Caspian Seas
sugar beets, and wheat. north of the Caucasus Mountains and a band
along Russia’s border with Kazakhstan make up
War and Winter Russia’s steppe climate region. This temperate
Russia’s cold climate played an important role in grassland area has dry summers and long, cold,
the defeat of Napoleon I in 1812 and of German dry winters with swirling winds and blowing
forces during World War II. In June 1812, a French snow. The steppe’s chernozem soil is rich in
Grand Army of over 600,000 men entered Russia. organic matter that enables many plants to flour-
The Russian forces retreated for hundreds of miles, ish. Seas of grass stretch to the horizon in every
burning their own villages and countryside to keep direction. Sunflowers, mint, and beans also flour-
Napoleon’s army from finding food. Lacking food ish here. In recent years, however, the introduc-
and supplies, Napoleon began to retreat in terrible tion of foreign plants and overgrazing by animals
winter conditions. Fewer than 40,000 of the origi- have damaged the steppe ecosystem. As the newly
nal soldiers managed to arrive back in Poland. introduced plant species crowd out native grasses,
During World War II, Hitler’s German army soil fertility declines.
advanced near Moscow in December 1941. They Human-Environment Interaction
unexpectedly encountered Russia’s most effective Why do you think most Russians live in the midlati-
weapon — its brutal cold. Winter arrived early, tude climates?

SECTION 2 REVIEW
Vocabulary Critical Thinking
1. Explain the significance of: continentality, tundra, taiga, steppe. 5. How do Russia’s climates and short growing season
affect food production?
Main Ideas
6. Comparing and Contrasting What are the differences
2. How does Russia’s location in the high latitudes influence between the tundra and subarctic climate regions? Between
climate? How does Russia’s location in the interior of the the humid continental and steppe climate regions?
Eurasian landmass affect climate?
7. Analyzing Visuals Study the climate map on page 362 and
3. Describe Russia’s midlatitude climate regions. Why do such physical map on page 348. Which type of climate characterizes
climates support most of the country’s agricultural the Northern European Plain? The Kamchatka Peninsula?
production?
4. Use a table like the one below to describe Russia’s climate Writing About Geography
regions and the natural vegetation that grows in each. 8. Expository Writing Think about the physical processes of
freezing and thawing. Write a paragraph explaining the effect
Climate Region Characteristics these physical processes have on the land and the people of
High Latitude Siberia and other northern parts of Russia.
• Tundra
• Subarctic
Midlatitude
• Humid continental Geography ONLINE
• Steppe Study Central™ To review this section, go to
glencoe.com and click on Study Central.

364 Unit 5
 Study anywhere, anytime
by downloading quizzes

CHAPTER 14 VISUAL SUMMARY and flashcards to your

PDA from glencoe.com.

A NORTHERN EUROPEAN PLAIN

• Majority of Russia’s population lives here
• Northern part is poorly drained, creating
swamps and marshes
• Southern part has rich chernozem soil and sup-
ports most of Russia’s agricultural production

A E
D G
B

C F

C VOLGA RIVER
• Vital to Russia, draining much of the eastern B URAL MOUNTAINS
part of Russia’s Northern European Plain • Form a natural boundary between
• Provides important transportation links and European Russia and Asian Russia
is used to create hydroelectric power • Are rich in iron ore and mineral fuels,
• Flows through areas of temperate grasslands such as oil and natural gas
and mixed forests

RUSSIA
D WEST SIBERIAN PLAIN
• One of the world’s largest areas of flatland — reaching
from the Arctic Ocean to Central Asia
• Lowland areas poorly drained, creating swamps and
marshes
• Location in the far northern latitudes results in a harsh
climate with wide extremes of temperatures

E SIBERIAN RIVERS
• Include the Ob’, Irtysh, Yenisey, and Lena
• Rank among the world’s largest river
systems
• Amur River forms border between Russia
and China

G FORESTS
• About one-fifth of world’s remaining forest
lands lie in Russia, most in eastern Siberia F LAKE BAIKAL
• Located in Russia’s largest climate region, • Deepest freshwater lake in the world
the subarctic • Contains 20 percent of Earth’s supply of freshwater

Chapter 14 365

(tr)Topham/The Image Works, (cl)Michel Setboun/CORBIS, (br)Brand X/SuperStock

CHAPTER 14
STANDARDIZED TEST PRACTICE
TEST-TAKING TIP
When you have finished, check your work to be sure you
have answered all the questions.

Reviewing Vocabulary Reviewing Main Ideas

Directions: Choose the word or words that best complete the Directions: Choose the best answers to the following questions.
sentence.
Section 1 (pp. 356–360)
1. The rich brown soil of the southern part of the Northern 5. What natural feature’s southeastern boundary is marked by
European Plain is called . the mountains between Russia and China?
A permafrost A Caucasus Mountains
B deciduous B Kamchatka Peninsula
C chernozem C West Siberian Plain
D sedimentary D Central Siberian Plateau

2. is a permanently frozen layer of soil below the 6. What problem limits Russia’s uses of its waterways?
surface. A It has no coasts along oceans.
A Permafrost B Its rivers are too shallow to be useful.
B Marshland C Much of the country is so dry that it has no waterways.
C Chernozem D Russia’s far northern location means that its waterways
D Tundra are frozen part of the year.

3. gives the interior of a landmass more extreme Section 2 (pp. 361–364)

temperatures than are found closer to water bodies.
7. Where do Russia’s coldest winter temperatures occur?
A Permafrost
A European Russia
B Continentality
B eastern Siberia
C Tundra
C western Siberia
D Taiga
D the Caucasus

4. The is the world’s largest boreal coniferous forest. 8. In what kind of climate do most Russians live?
A tundra A high-latitude climates
B steppe B midlatitude climates
C taiga C dry climates
D prairie D tropical climates

GO ON

366 Unit 5
 ASSESSMENT

Critical Thinking Document-Based Questions

Directions: Choose the best answers to the following questions. Directions: Analyze the document and answer the short-answer ques-
tions that follow the document.
9. What kinds of adaptations would be necessary for people to
live in high-latitude climates? Willy Peter Reese was a German soldier who fought on the
A People would have long summer vacations. Russian Front during World War II. He kept a diary of his experi-
ences. Here is part of his description of the physical geography of
B People would build houses with decks and patios. western Russia, near Ukraine.
C People would need a great deal of fuel.
Arinok on the river Tim. At the beginning of the year we
D People would use boats to get around.
experienced the lowest temperatures of the entire winter cam-
paign. We had to post sentries and spell each other every half
Base your answer to question 10 on the map and on your knowledge
hour. Our house was a long way from the last street; it was
of Chapter 14.
almost by the river. In front of us, the plain stretched away
with occasional sparse cover. . . .
Russia: Climate
There was little food, and the bad quarters couldn’t get warm. . . .
Frostbite festered and stank in the heat of the stove. . . . The
same bandage, pus-encrusted and stiff with scabs and rotted
flesh, was used again and again. . . . Some had long rags of
blackened flesh hanging off their feet. . . . with their feet
wrapped in cloths and sacking, the men had to go on stand-
ing sentry and fighting.
We had no winter clothing and never really got warm. Our
perpetually cold feet hurt.
Every footfall hurt, but we had to walk and move around.
Frostbite could be interpreted as attempted self-mutilation. . . .
One [soldier] was so enfeebled that he broke down on his
way to the doctor and froze to death.
—Willy Peter Reese, A Stranger to Myself

11. What types of conditions did the soldiers face?

12. How were the German soldiers unprepared for Russia’s

winters?

10. What kind of climate covers the largest area of Russia? Extended Response
A tundra 13. Describe how the distribution of Russia’s natural resources
B subarctic makes utilizing them difficult.

C humid continental
STOP
D steppe

Geography ONLINE
For additional test practice, use Self-Check Quizzes—
Chapter 14 on glencoe.com.
Need Extra Help?
If you missed questions. . . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Go to page. . . 357 359 362 363 357 358 362 363 362 362 367 367 359

Chapter 14 367