1. Russia

2. Explain the physical, climate, and population characteristics of Russia • Describe Russia’s National Conception Day campaign and predict its impacts 100% participation. • Explain Russia’s geographic problems Lesson Objectives

4. Russia is MOSTLY a part of Asia • Ural Mountains • Eurasia • World’s Largest Country in Land Area • Spans ___ Different Time Zones • 5,ooo miles of coastline • Grasslands & Plains • Mountains • Forests • Tundra • Siberia Physical Characteristics

5. Water Resources • Several Rivers but… • Lake Baikal • World’s Deepest Freshwater Lake • World’s Oldest Lake • Caspian Sea • World’s largest inland body of water • Caviar resources • Oil Resources Climate • Mostly continental but also dry and polar • Very Harsh Climate • Why? • Impacts?

6. Population Characteristics • About 50% of the US population • Population Growth? • The Russian Cross (more like an ‘X’) • Declining Birth Rates • Rising Death Rates • Alcoholism • Suicide • Abortion • The Russian Remedy • National Conception Day- Sept. 12

7. HistoryEconomic & PoliticalCharacteristics • Early Russia • Mongols vs. Russian Princes • Capital: Moscow • Czarist Russia • Czars: • Capital: St. Petersburg • Time of Expansion & Challengers • Became the world’s largest contiguous empire • Role of Geography

8. Communist Russia • Russian Revolution- February 1917 • Establishment of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) • Federation – 15 republics based on ethnic groups • Communism in the Soviet Union • Classless society • Command economy • Collectivization • Industrialization • Leaders • What was life like in the USSR?

9. Post-Communist Russia • Uncertain future • Miss the benefits of communism • Constitution allows for the president to rule by decree • Democratic reforms have been reversed • Rebellion in Chechnya • 1980s- Mikhail Gorbachev began radical reforms • Glasnost • Perestroika • 1991- Soviet Union fell • 15 new countries

10. Ethnic Turmoil • Transportation • Economic Problems • Environmental Problems Geographic Issues in Russia

11. Geographic Issues continued Chernobyl World’s Worst Nuclear Accident Radiation spread throughout Europe Impacts: • The Aral Sea • Shrinking sea • Less than half of its original size • Anthrax Island

12. “Briefly explain the human-environment interaction in Russia’s History”