Chapter 15 – Section 1 Pages TEKS: 3B, 4A, 4B, 4C, 5A, 6A, 7B, 8A, 8D, 11B, 21A, 21C, 22A, 22B, 22C

RUSSIA BY LAND MASSRUSSIA BY POPULATION

 One of the world’s most abundant soils, chernozem, is on this plain.  Nearly 75 percent of the region’s people live on this plain.  Three of the region’s largest cities are here.

 Large amount of forest known as taiga.  Area gets low rainfall throughout the year  Extremely cold temperatures.

 Mountain ranges like the Caucasus Mountains block moist air from getting to the area from the South.  Several areas in Central Asia are semiarid or desert.

 Caspian/Aral Seas – once two large saltwater lakes.  Massive irrigation has taken away most of the water of the Aral Sea.

 Lake Baikal is the deepest lake in the world – holds 20% of world’s freshwater.  In one spot, it is more than a mile from the surface to the bottom.  The river’s regions flow through a several drainage basins, like the Arctic Sea, Caspian Sea, Baltic Sea and Pacific Ocean.

 The region has large amounts of coal, iron ore, oil and timber.  Harsh climates and landforms make it difficult to transport the goods.  It’s hard to entice workers to these regions.