Section 1: Natural Environments Section 2: History and Culture CHAPTER 17 Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus Section 1: Natural Environments Section 2: History and Culture Section 3: The Region Today

SECTION 1 Natural Environments Question: What are the region’s landforms, rivers, climate and vegetation types, and resources?

Russia Ukraine Belarus SECTION 1 Natural Environments Russia Ukraine Belarus Landforms Ural Mountains Caucasus Mountains Pripet Marshes Carpathian Mountains Crimean Peninsula Siberian Plains Kamchatka Peninsula Rivers Dnieper River Don River Yenisey River Angara River Lena River Ob River Volga River Climates/Vegetation humid continental subarctic tundra in the north taiga forest in the south deciduous-coniferous forest in the far south steppe farthest south Natural Resources wood from forests gold and diamonds coal, hydroelectricity, oil, and gas copper, iron ore, manganese, nickel, and platinum

SECTION 2 History and Culture Question: What are some of the major events in the growth of the Russian Empire?

History and Culture SECTION 2 800 1400 1600 1900 1100 1500 1800 1547 Ivan the Terrible crowns himself czar of all Russia—north of Kiev to the Arctic Ocean and east to the Urals. 1100s Eastern, or Orthodox, Christianity is the main religion of Kiev. 1800s Russians spread into the Caucasus and Central Asia. 800 1400 1600 1900 1100 1500 1800 800s Kiev becomes an important trade center for the Mediterranean and Baltic Sea areas. Late 1400s Prince Ivan III, of Moscow, wins control over parts of Russia from the Mongols. 1637 Explorers reach the Pacific coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. 1905 Russia retreats to its present-day boundaries with China after losing a war to Japan. 1917 The czar resigns and the Bolsheviks overthrow the government in the Russian Revolution.

SECTION 3 The Region Today Question: What factors contribute to the economic development of the region?

Trans-Siberian Railroad; lumber, mining, and oil; small labor force SECTION 3 The Region Today Volga and Urals heavy industry, abundant hydroelectricity, refineries and petrochemicals, mineral resources and smelters St. Petersburg Region Westernized, good transportation, trade with European cities, draws tourists and high-tech industries Siberia Trans-Siberian Railroad; lumber, mining, and oil; small labor force Moscow Region economic center, transportation hub, access to raw materials, millions of Russian workers The Russian Far East factories, forest and mineral resources, naval bases, commercial fishing Economic Development Ukraine and Kiev centrally located; rich agricultural energy; human resources; agriculture; heavy industry; metalworking Belarus and Minsk few resources, educated labor force, wood product industries, outdated plants

Chapter Wrap-Up CHAPTER 17 1. What are the main physical characteristics of the two huge areas west and east of the Ural Mountains? 2. What are some resources that Russia has in large quantities? 3. Across what physical region did early migrants come to Russia and its neighbors? How did those newcomers shape the region’s culture? 4. Where do most of the region’s people live? 5. What environmental problems remain from the Soviet era?