Explore Russia’s Diverse Physical Geography

1. Physical Geography: Russia

2. Bye Bye Soviet Union • In 1991, the Soviet Union broke up into 15 independent republics. • Russia is by far the Largest

4. A Vast and Varied Land • Russia is the world’s largest country. • Covers 6.6 million square miles • Stretches across both Europe and Asia

6. Mountains and Plateaus • Ural Mountains • Mark the boundary between European and Asian Russia • Caucasus Mountains • Contains Russia highest point, Mt. Elbrus (and extinct volcano) • Central Siberian Plateau • Contains the Sayan Mts. And Yablonovyy Mts. That mark the border between Russia and China

8. Plains Areas • North European Plain • Makes up most of European Russian • The northern part of the plain is flat and drains poorly • Results in many swamps and lakes • The Southern part contains navigable waterways and a rich black soil known as Chernozem • About 75% of Russia’s population lives in the North European Plain • West Siberian Plain • Ural Mts. Divide NEP and WSP • Poorly drains • Result: Swamps and Marshes

9. Coasts, Seas, and Lakes • Russia has the longest continuous coastline of any country in the world. • Stretching 23,400 miles • Because of extremely cold weather, most ports are not accessible year-round because of ice • Black Sea • Russia’s Fishing Industry has thrived here • Caspian Sea • Largest inland body of water in the world • Not a sea because it does not connect to the ocean • Lake Baikal • Third largest lake in Asia • Deepest freshwater lake in the world • Estimated to contain about 20% of earth’s fresh water

10. Rivers • Volga River • 4th largest river in Russia • Called Matushka Volga or “Mother Volga” • Gives Russia a water route to northern Europe • Hydroelectric Power – power generated from falling water • 2/3 of Russia’s water traffic travels along the Volga • Siberian Rivers • Rivers flow south to north • Water melts earlier in the south, causing water to dam up at the frozen north • Results in swamps and marshes • Amur River • Marks border between Russia and China for about 1,000 miles • Warmer than most of Siberia • Siberia’s main-food producing Area

11. Natural Resources • Minerals • Petroleum deposits, dry natural gas, coal, nickel, aluminum, gemstone, platinum group metal, sulfur, and tungsten. • World’s largest nickel producer • Soil and Forest Land • Only 10% of Russian land is farmable • Permafrost – permanently frozen layer of soil • Black Earth Belt – Contain most of Russia’s farming • Extends from Ukraine to southwestern siberia • 1/5 of earth’s remaining forest lie in Russia • 75% in eastern Russia • Diminishing faster than Amazon

12. Climate and Vegetation: Russia

13. It’s Cold • Eastern Siberia • Contains Russia’s coldest winters • Verkhoyansk the “cold pole of the world” • Temperatures as low as -90°F

14. High Latitude Climates • Russia’s high latitude results in cold winters and short summers • Tundra • A vast treeless plain, where temperatures average below freezing • Located in Northern Russia bordering the Artic Ocean • Has weeks of no sun in the winter, and continuous sun in the summer • Subarctic • Dominate climate in Russia • Taiga – the coniferous forests extending across much of subarctic North America and Eurasia, bordered by tundra to the north and steppe to the south • Russian taiga is world’s largest coniferous forest

16. Mid-latitude Climates • Humid Continental • Milder (and more livable) weather than Tundra and Subarctic • Moscow: 9°F - 21°F (January) 56°F - 75°F (July) • Makes up majority of Russia’s North European Plain • Contains mixed forest and fertile land • Steppe • Wide, grassy plains of Eurasia • Contains fertile chernozem soil