Physical Geography of the Russian Core Landforms The Ural Mountains form a natural barrier between European Russia and Siberian Russia. The majority of the Russian population lives in the southern part of the Northern European Plain where there are waterways and fertile soil. Ukraine, the second largest European country, has vast stretches of plains and plateaus. landlocked country with many lakes.

Ural Mountains

Ural Mountains

Water Systems of Russia The longest river in Europe, the Volga, along with its tributaries, is an important commercial, transportation, and hydroelectric resource in Russia. The Dnieper River in Ukraine creates hydroelectric power, enables commerce, and provides fresh water. Lake Baikal in Siberia, the world’s oldest and deepest lake, is home to many unusual freshwater marine species. 

History and Government Human Geography of the Russian Core History and Government Russia’s history dates back to A.D 600 by the Slavs. The Slav communities were organized into loose city states called the Kievan Rus. In the early 1200s the Mongols conquered this territory but allowed the Slavs to maintain governing. In the 1600’s Czar Peter the First (Peter the Great) came to power wanting to modernize Russia.

RUSSIAN HISTORY In the 1700’s Empress Catherine the Great expanded the Russian empire. Wanted to expanded to have a port on the Black Sea. The expansions into Eastern Europe brought into the Russian empire people of different cultures. Due to new territories Russification was begun to make those people more Russian. Russification: Government program that required everyone in the empire to speak Russian, become Christian, and assigned Russian speaking people into leadership positions in non-Russian ethnic regions.

KARL MARX 1818-1883 The philosopher, social scientist, historian and revolutionary, Karl Marx, is one the most influential socialist thinker to emerge in the 19th century. Although he was largely ignored by scholars in his own lifetime, his social, economic and political ideas gained rapid acceptance in the socialist movement after his death in 1883. Known as the father of modern communism. His philosophy relied on two key principles: Public/government ownership of all lands and means of production. A classless society with an equal sharing of wealth.

History and Government Unrest during World War I triggered, or set off, the Russian Revolution of 1917, signaling the demise of Europe’s last absolute monarchy. The Communist party takes control of the country by killing the Czar and his entire family. Vladimir Lenin the head of the worker’s union takes control of the country as a dictator and implements communism. The Communist-controlled Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) emerged and engaged in a political and ideological war with the West. This is known as the Cold War.

Collapse of the Soviet Union The enormous costs associated with the Cold War led to the end of the Soviet Union. Military spending and bad economic polices weakened the Soviet Union. 1985 Premiere Mikhail Gorbachev became leader of the Soviet Union. Gorbachev instituted a new economic policy called Perestroika that introduced free market economics into the Soviet Union. Afterwards, he instituted a new political policy called glasnost. It allowed people the freedom to participate in the politics who were not communist. It allowed for people to express ideas and encouraged greater freedoms. In 1991 the collapse of the Soviet Union led to the independence of 15 different countries in the region, including Belarus and Ukraine.

Human Geography of the Russian Core Population Patterns About 80 percent of Russians live west of the Ural Mountains where there is rich soil, waterways, and a milder climate. Location is Eastern Europe. After the fall of the Soviet Union, people were free to migrate, and many settled in cities, such as the capital city of Moscow. The region is facing a population decline, with death rates increasing while birth rates are falling, resulting in a smaller, but older population.

Society and Culture Today Human Geography of the Russian Core Society and Culture Today The Soviet government promoted atheism and discriminated against different ethnic groups. In the late 1980s the government began to loosen its restrictions on religion and the arts, leading people to rediscover both. Russian women have a long history of working, first in industry and now in all sectors; financial necessity is increasing their numbers in the workforce, contributing to a lower birth rate.

Human Geography of the Russian Core Economic Activities With the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia experienced a rocky transition from a command economy to a market economy. Natural resources account for most of Russia’s exports, such as crude oil, minerals, and lumber. Although a key trading partner with Russia, Ukraine remains wary of Russia’s former power and is considering joining the European Union. Belarus remains industrially integrated and closely allied with Russia.