1. Former Soviet Republics
A Geography of the
Former Soviet Republics
(Northern Eurasia)

2. Northern Eurasia is a land of geographic extremes
World’s
Largest region
Largest Plain
Largest Swamp
Largest Lake
Deepest Lake
Largest Forest
Largest volcanic region
Coldest Inhabited location

3. Russia is world’s largest nation in land size
Landsize Comparison

4. Russia world population rank – 9th

5. Eurasia’s population pattern is explained geographically
Temperature
Warm
Cold
Relief
Level
Mts
Transportation - Trans Siberian RR
Precipitation
Wet
Dry

7. Kola Peninsula Physical Regions of Northern Eurasia Glacier Scoured
Rocky Surface
Many Minerals
White Sea, Barents Sea
do not freeze - Russia
gateway to the Atlantic

8. Baltic States Low Elevation Glacial Made Sandy Soil Numerous Lakes
Numerous Rivers
Bogs, Swamps
Baltic Access important
Baltic freezes in winter

12. Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova are
the beginning of the vast
Russian or East European Plain.
Glacial formed Fertile Soil Many Swamps
Invasion Route into Russia

13. Invasion Route To/From Europe/Russia
Belarus Is The Natural
Invasion Route To/From
Europe/Russia
Pripet Marshes
Europe’s
Largest Wetlands

14. Moldova - once part of
Romania - hilly nation
between two rivers
Buffer nation with
few resources

15. The Breadbasket of Northern Eurasia
Crimea Region is largest
area of subtropical land in
the region.
Ukraine and its Crimea have
important links to Black Sea
and to Mediterranean
The Breadbasket of Northern Eurasia
Humid Climate
Fertile Black Earth Soils
Dnieper River is
major waterbody
most cities, pop
along its banks
Donets Basin is
Ukraine’s major
resource and
industrial zone
The Ukraine occupies
the best of the
Russian Plains

16. Russia west of the
Urals is the Russian
or East European
Plain - Glacier
made.
North of Moscow
Rivers Flow
North
South of Moscow
Rivers Flow To
Caspian or Black
Sea.
Russian Plain
holds Russia’s
best climate,
best soils,
most people,
most industry.
is the cultural
heartland of
the Russians.
Ladoga is the
largest lake
Volga is the
major river of
Russia and
Europe’s
Longest.

17. The Caucasus Region

18. Land between the Black and Caspian - Before it rose, the
Black, Caspian and Aral Sea were one large water body
Mt. Elburz,
Russia’s
highest spot
is found here
Region prone
to Earthquakes
Armenia most
recent.
Region;s humid
and subtropical
climates are
the best in all
of Northern
Eurasia.
Caucasus provide
a secure border
for Russia

19. Georgia - Ancient Nation with links
to ancient Greece. Mountain nation
with a subtropical and mediterranean
climate. Fruit, tea, vegetable
center of Northern Eurasia

20. Armenia - landlocked, earthquake zone, holds lake sevan, largest
of the Caucasus - ancient nation - claims to be oldest Christian
nation in the world.

21. Azerbaijan - semi arid nation of the caucasus - muslim, oil rich

22. Caviar harvest - Azers are famed for longevity -

24. Caspian Sea Oil Field

25. Caspian Sea Oil Field Pipelines

26. Caspian Sea
Other Resource
Caviar from the
Black Sturgeon

27. Ural Mts
Traditional Divide Between Europe and Asia
European Russia ends
Resource Rich, important since World War II
Russias new industrial cities located here

28. West Siberian or
Central Siberian
Lowland
East of Urals
Largest Plain in
the world
Largest Swamp
in the world
Caused by rivers
which flow north
ward to a frozen
waterbody

29. Ob and its branch the
Irtysh drain the region
Rivers are the highways
especially in winter
Oil and Natural gas
are abundant
Region is suffering
from environmental
pollutions

31. Novosibirsk - Largest city of the Central Siberian Lowland

32. Russia (Siberia) east of the Yenisi River is the least populated
region of Russia
mostly plateaus and mountains
extreme cold
winter lasts nearly all year
coldest inhabited cities in the world
resource rich

33. Lena - the longest
river of Russia.

34. Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest, largest fresh water lake

35. Kamchatka Peninsula has
the world’s greatest
concentration of active
volcanoes, geysers,
geothermal activities.

37. Russia ends at the Bering Sea
Vladivostok is the major
eastern Russia town and port
Amur River forms most of
the border between Russia and
China.

38. Central Asia contains the best wheat region of North Eurasia -
The Kirgiz Steppe

39. Central Asia is a depression - containing the lowest spot of North
Eurasia - the Aral Caspian Despression, containing the largest
desert of North Eurasia - The Kara and Kyzl Kum - and the highest
locations of North Eurasia (Communism Peak).

40. Rivers of Central Asia (Syr and Amu Darya) are so used the Aral
Sea is disappearing.
Kazakstan has oil
The location made it
the missile launch site
for Russia

44. Tajikistan has become the cotton
center of Northern Eurasia