Central and eastern europe & Russia

1. Central and eastern europe & Russia

2. 18 Countries. Former Soviet Union, broke apart in 1991, each region became its own country. Central and eastern europe

3. Physical Characteristics: • Mostly covered by the European Plain. • Used to be covered by thick forests, now cut down for farmland. • Today, more than 2/3 is open fields. • Poor and sandy fertile soil, hard to farm. Poland

4. Industries: • In the South large deposits of coal, sulfur, and copper. • Poland depends on other countries for iron and petroleum. • Climate: • Severe winters • Mild summers which are often rainy Climate and industires of poland:

5. During WWII Nazi Germany took over Poland. Nazi’s built 6 concentration camps in Poland, about 6 million Poland people were killed in camps. Under Soviet control, Poland was communist. Except Polish people never supported the Soviets. History and culture of poland Auschwitz, Poland

6. After WWI Czechoslovakia was formed with Czech and Slovakia lands that were controlled by Hungary. Czechoslovakia was a democratic government until Germans took control in the late 1930’s. In 1945 Soviets took over Germans in Czechoslovakia. Was Communist until 1989. Become an independent nation

7. Used to be considered part of the former Soviet Union. In the late 1980’s when the Soviet Union split Czech’s, Slovaks, and Hungarians reaffirmed themselves as separate countries. The Czech and slovak republics, and hungary

8. In 1993 Czech and Slovak leaders worked together under a velvet revolution and created two separate countries, Czech and Slovak. Velvet Revolution = a revolution without bloodshed. Independent at last…

9. Czech Republic did not exist as an independent nation until 1993. • Physical Characteristics: • More than 10 million people • Flat areas, except the plains that lie beside the Elbe River. • Plateaus and mountains. The Czech republic

10. 2 regions: • Eastern Region = Moravia • Old coal and steel industries. However, now inefficient in the world market. • Western Half = Bohemia • Mines and industries. Coal, iron ore, copper, and lead all mined in the North. Also deposits of quartz which is used to make glass. • Prague is the capital of Czech, located in central Bohemia. • Challenges: • air and water pollution from acid rain and industrial pollution. Czech Republic:

11. Became an independent nation in 1993. • More than 5 million people live in Slovakia. • Physical Characteristics: • Rugged peaks in the north to the plains of the Danube in the South. • Carpathian Mountains Slovakia:

12. Physical Characteristics: • About the size of Indiana. • Danube River divides the country into two parts. • Western half = Transdanubia • Hills, plateaus, and valleys. • Known as land across the Danube. • The Eastern half = Great Alfold • Known as “Breadbasket of Europe” Hungary:

13. Romania: • Economy: • Recently western investments have brought small improvement • Poor even though there are lots of natural resources • Ineffective government • Physical Characteristics: • Plains, fertile soil, foothills Balkan peninsula

14. Bulgaria: • Climate: • Summers = warm Winters = mild • Democratic Government • Physical Characteristics: • Fertile soil • Known as “garden of eastern Europe” Balkan peninsula:

15. Albania: • Economy: • Italian and Greek manufacturers built factories because of cheap labor. • Physical Characteristics: • Mountainous • 3.5 million people Balkan peninsula

16. Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia • Physical characteristics: • Flat terrain, marshy lowlands, and fertile plains • Combined population of 8 million people • All three countries gained independence after WWI Baltic states & Border nations:

17. Ukraine • Capital – Kiev • Economy: • Grow crops like wheat, barley, and potatoes • Physical Characteristics: • Smaller than the state of Texas • Fertile soil • Known as “Breadbasket of eastern Europe” Baltic states & Border nations:

18. Belarus and Moldova • Belarus • Economy: • Industries and services • Physical Characteristics: • Size of Kansas – 10 million people • Moldova • Economy: • Wine, sugar beets, and seed oils • Physical Characteristics: • Landlocked, Hilly - 4 million people Baltic states & Border nations:

19. Fun Facts: • Russia is the largest country in the world. • Twice the size of the U.S. • Russia spans across Europe and Asia. • Russia stretches across 11 time zones. • The coldest temperature ever recorded outside of Antarctica was in far Eastern Russia at -94 degrees Fahrenheit Russia

20. Varied • Most of the land is flat, rolling plains. • Mountains in the southern and eastern parts. • Several rivers flow into the Arctic Ocean and the Caspian Sea. • The Ural Mountains divide Russia between Asia and Europe. • Mountains are at a low elevation • Very important because they contain valuable minerals. Physical characteristics of russia:

21. Winters are long and very cold. • Summers are short. • Russia is mostly subarctic. • Biomes: • Tundra = few plants and animals, very cold. North Russia. • Taiga = thinly scattered forests. Forests cover half of Russia. Great source of paper and other forest products. • Steppes = Broad open stretches that were once a grassland. Ecosystems of russia: Taiga Forest

22. Rural Life: • Many Russians escape city life and enjoy hiking and camping in the mountains and forests. • Traditional ways of life continue in villages and other rural areas. • Urban Life: • ¾ of Russia’s population live in large cities • During Soviet control there were a lot of housing shortages, so government built huge apartment blocks. Geographic issues in russia:

23. Ethnicity: • 25 million residents of Russia belong to non-Russian ethnic groups. • Culture: • Artistic Creativity • Concerts, operas, and ballets. Culture and ethnicity of russia:

24. Railroads: • 93,000 miles of track in Russia. • Greatest mover of people and goods. • Inexpensive • Rivers: • Important trade route since most rivers are frozen during many months of the year. Dangerous. Transportation in russia:

25. Environment: • Soviets were wasteful and inefficient = depleted resources and hurt the environment. • Today, Russia is very concerned regarding environmental problems. • When Soviet Union fell, Russia suffered from inflation. • Inflation = wide spread increase in prices. • Because of inflation, black market developed. • Black Market = goods and services are sold unofficially Economic & environmental problems: