Russia & the Eurasian Republics: Physical Geography

North European Plain Center of economic life for almost 3/4 of the people of Russia & the EAR Chernozem = rich black topsoil Makes Ukraine one of Europe’s best farming areas Cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Kiev Rivers: Volga, Dniester, Dnieper, and the Don

Chernozem

West Siberian Plain East of the Ural Mts. World’s largest area of flat land (1 million square miles) Swamps, marshes, and frozen land Unsuitable for farming

Turan Lowland Dune covered kums (deserts) Kyzylkum = red sand desert Uzbekistan Kara kum = black sand desert Turkmenistan

Mountains Carpathian Mts. Border Ukraine Extension of the Alps Caucasus Mts. Mt. Elbrus (18,510 ft) Pamir Mts. Communism Peak is Region’s highest elevation (24,590 feet) Tian Shan “heavenly mountains” World’s largest glaciers Ural Mts. Rich in minerals Divide European Russia & Siberia eroded Mt. Elbrus Communism Peak

Tian Shan

Seas Ice-covered seas in the north: Sea of Okhotsk & Bering Sea White, Barents, Kara, Laptev, East Siberian, and Chukchi Sea of Okhotsk & Bering Sea Border northeast Russia Black Sea warm Caspian Sea largest inland body of water in the world saltwater Aral Sea shrinking

The Shrinking Aral Sea

Lake Baikal Siberia Oldest and deepest 1/5 of earth’s total freshwater supply “glorious and sacred sea”

Major Rivers Ural Dnieper, Dniester, Don Volga “mother Volga” Longest river in European Russia Frozen 4 - 6 months a year Hydroelectric power, water for industries and irrigation, and major highway for trade and communications.