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RUSSIA , MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES: 

RUSSIA , MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES IMMENSE TERRITORIAL STATE NORTHERNMOST LARGE AND POPULOUS COUNTRY IN THE WORLD A FORMER WORLD COLONIAL POWER A COMPARITIVELY SMALL (<145 MILLION) AND CONCENTRATED POPULATION CONCENTRATED DEVELOPMENT MULTICULTURAL STATE MINIMAL PORTS

RUSSIA’S DIMENSIONS: 

RUSSIA’S DIMENSIONS SPANS 11 TIME ZONES GULF OF FINLAND TO ALASKA (WEST TO EAST), AND WELL ABOVE THE ARCTIC CIRCLE TO SALT LAKE CITY (NORTH TO SOUTH) TWICE THE SIZE OF THE US OR CHINA SIBERIA: “SLEEPING LAND”

SIZE, LOCATION AND SPACE RELATIONSHIPS: 

SIZE, LOCATION AND SPACE RELATIONSHIPS LATITUDINAL EXTENT NORTHERNMOST POINT: RUDOLF ISLAND IN FRANZ JOSEPH LAND (82O) SOUTHERNMOST POINT: GROZNY IN WEST AND VLADIVOSTOK IN EAST (44O) LONGITUDINAL EXTENT MORE THAN TWICE ITS MAXIMUM NORTH-SOUTH EXTENT AND EXTENDS THROUGH 11 TIME ZONES RUSSIA MAKES UP 76.6% OF THE TOTAL TERRITORY OF THE FORMER USSR (17,075,400 KM--ALMOST TWICE THE SIZE OF THE US).

Slide4: 

80o 60o 40o LOCATIONAL IMPACT ON RUSSIA’S CLIMATE Hawaii Arctic Circle Alaska

CONTINENTALITY: 

CONTINENTALITY CLIMATIC CONDITIONS BASED ON A LARGE LAND MASS (as opposed to maritime climates) A LARGE LAND MASS IN THE HEART OF A CONTINENT TEND TO ABSORB MORE HEAT IN THE SUMMER AND RETAIN MORE COLD CONDITIONS IN WINTER

CLIMATOLOGY: 

CLIMATOLOGY CLIMATE AVERAGE WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR A GIVEN AREA OVER AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WEATHER REFERS TO THE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS AT A SPECIFIC PLACE AND TIME CLIMATOLOGY A BRANCH OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY CONCERNED WITH: SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT OF CLIMATE OVER THE SURFACE OF THE EARH PROCESSES WHICH CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISTRIBUTION

RUSSIAN CLIMATE: 

RUSSIAN CLIMATE AFFECTED BY 3 NATURAL CONDITIONS: -- LATITUDINAL POSITION -- CONTINENTAL POSITION -- LOCATION OF MAJOR MOUNTAINS Refer to Map on p. 15

VEGETATION: 

Tundra : treeless plains along Arctic shores with moss, lichen, and some grasses Taiga : South of Tundra, mostly coniferous forests Permafrost : Ground and subsoil are permanently frozen VEGETATION

CLIMATE AS A RESTRICTIVE ELEMENT: 

CLIMATE AS A RESTRICTIVE ELEMENT AGRICULTURE SHORT GROWING SEASONS DROUGHT PRONE EROSION (ACCELERATED VIA SNOW MELT) SETTLEMENT PATTERNS & TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY HIGH ENERGY CONSUMPTION SPECIALIZED EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES EXTRACTIVE PERMAFROST SPRING AND FALL MUD SPECIAL EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES - $$$

Slide10: 

Russia’s Physiographic Regions (8 total regions) Refer to Map on p. 103

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS: 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS 1. RUSSIAN PLAIN EASTWARD CONTINUATION OF NORTH EUROPEAN LOWLAND CORE AREA (MOSCOW BASIN) INCLUDES URBAN CENTERS

Slide12: 

2. THE URAL MOUNTAINS NORTH-SOUTH LENGTH COVERS 2500 KMS HIGHEST POINTS ARE IN THE NORTHERN URALS-2000 METERS IN PLACES CENTRAL URALS ARE THE LOWEST SECTION AND INCLUDE SEVERAL KEY CROSSING PLACES SOUTHERN URALS ARE WIDER AND CONSIST OF A NUMBER OF PARALLEL NORTH-SOUTH RIDGES AND INTERVENING VALLEYS URAL FORESTS AND MINERALS HAVE BEEN THE BASIS FOR INDUSTRIALIZATION AND BOAST AT LEAST TWENTY DIFFERENT COMMERCIALLY USABLE MINERALS. PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued)

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3. WEST SIBERIAN PLAIN THE WORLD’S LARGEST UNBROKEN LOWLAND INCLUDES THE OB AND IRTYSH RIVER BASIN PERMAFROST MAJOR CITIES: OMSK NOVOSIBIRSK PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued)

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SPARSELY SETTLED INACCESSIBLE RESTRICTIVE CLIMATE PERMAFROST NATURAL RESOURCES 4. CENTRAL SIBERIAN PLATEAU PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued)

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS(continued): 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued) 5. YAKUTSK BASIN MOUNTAINOUS, HIGH RELIEF HARDLY POPULATED, LIFE HERE IS TOUGH

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS(continued): 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued) 6. EASTERN HIGHLANDS RANGES, RIDGES, PRECIPITOUS VALLEYS, VOLCANIC MOUNTAINS, LAKE BAYKAL INCLUDES THE KAMCHATKA PENINSULA

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS(continued): 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued) 7. CENTRAL ASIAN RANGES RISE ABOVE THE SNOW LINE, GLACIATED

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS(continued): 

PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS (continued) 8. CAUCASUS MOUNTAINS EXTENSIONS OF THE ALPINES ALSO A CULTURAL DIVIDE, people historically north of the Caucasus Mountains are known as Caucasians

Slide19: 

Understanding present-day Russian culture requires understanding of a brief history of Russia’s political regimes.

The Mongol Invasion (14th C): 

The Mongol Invasion (14th C) Mongols had more military success in the open plains of Ukraine and Siberia The Slavs fleed into the forests and gathered there in what is the present-day Moscow Moscow became the unchallenged center of the Slavic Russes.

EARLY 16TH CENTURY(IVAN THE TERRIBLE- 1547-1584): 

EARLY 16TH CENTURY (IVAN THE TERRIBLE- 1547-1584) The Grand Duchy of Muscovy under the rule of Ivan, was a military power. So began an era of expansion as they defeat the Tartars and ending Islamic threat. The Grand Duchy was an imperial state and rulers call themselves “csars”.

MID 17TH CENTURYCossack expansion: 

MID 17TH CENTURY Cossack expansion The Cossacks were expert horsemen from Ukraine and began eastward expansion to reach to the Pacific Coast

END OF THE 17TH CENTURY(PETER THE GREAT- 1682-1725): 

END OF THE 17TH CENTURY (PETER THE GREAT- 1682-1725) Peter consolidated all territorial gains and turned Russia into a modern country. Began shipbuilding and increased sea power Built St. Petersburg as a forward capital.

Slide24: 

FORWARD CAPITAL Capital city positioned in actually or potentially contested territory, usually near an international border, confirms the state’s determination to maintain its presence in the region

Czarina, Catherine the Great(1760 – 1796): 

Czarina, Catherine the Great (1760 – 1796) Extended Russia’s empire into the coast of Black Sea (for sea outlet) at the expense of Ottoman Turks Extended to the Caucus region Crossed Bering Strait into Alaska and moved southward to California 1867, U.S. purchased Alaska for $7.6m because of conflicts in fur hunting/trade

Slide26: 

Catherine the Great expanded the Russian Empire through colonialism into the greatest empire with the largest territory. The Russian state became an imperial power that annexed land and governed over various nationalities and culture. COLONIALISM IMPERIALISM

Slide27: 

GROWTH OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE Refer to Map on p. 106

EARLY 20TH CENTURY: 

EARLY 20TH CENTURY

POLITICAL FRAMEWORK: 

POLITICAL FRAMEWORK SOVIET LEGACY REVOLUTION (1905-1917) BOLSHEVIKS VERSUS MENSHEVIKS V.I. LENIN (Vladimir Ilyich ULYANOV) CAPITAL: PETROGRAD TO MOSCOW (1918) FEDERATION/FEDERAL STRUCTURE USSR (UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS) -1924 SSRS, ASSRS, AUTONOMOUS REGIONS RUSSIFICATION

Slide30: 

Russification: Moving minority population eastwards and replacing them with Russian population. Federation: the idea of recognition of smaller political subdivisions and sharing power between central government with local government (some local autonomy). But in reality, Russia’s central government is still in control.

Slide31: 

FORMER SOVIET UNION Refer to Map on p. 111

COMMAND ECONOMY: 

COMMAND ECONOMY AN ECONOMY IN WHICH THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION ARE OWNED AND CONTROLLED BY THE STATE AND IN WHICH CENTRAL PLANNING OF THE STRUCTURE AND THE OUTPUT PREVAILS FEATURES OF THE SOVIET ECONOMY PRODUCTION OF PARTICULAR MANUFACTURED GOODS ASSIGNED TO PARTICULAR PLACES ECONOMIC INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE REPUBLICS

Slide33: 

Central planners assigned & commanded production of certain manufactures to certain places. Command economy often violated economic geography rules. This practice made USSR manufacturing very expensive & a monopoly. Planners never thought that they would fail and that a market-driven economy will take over Command Economy, continued

ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK: 

ECONOMIC FRAMEWORK CENTRALLY PLANNED (EARLY 1920S) MAJOR OBJECTIVES SPEED INDUSTRIALIZATION COLLECTIVIZE AGRICULTURE KEY MECHANISM GOSPLAN (a national planning commission), idea is to confiscate small farms to make them collectively into large farms for efficiency.

Slide35: 

Collectivization of agriculture did NOT increase farm productivity. The idea of engaging collectivization was to free enough farm workers to build up an industrialization labor force.

Slide36: 

CZARISM (before 1917) Vladimir LENIN Joseph STALIN Nikita KRUSCHEV Leonid BRESHNEV Mikhail GORBACHEV 20th C. SOVIET LEADERS

Slide37: 

Vladimir LENIN (1918 - 1927) INTRODUCED MARXIST PHILOSOPHY REPLACED PRIVATE WITH PUBLIC OWNERSHIP DEVELOPED NATIONAL ECONOMIC PLANS ESTABLISHED SOVIET POLITICAL STRUCTURE BASED ON ETHNIC IDENTITIES SOVIET LEADERS

Slide38: 

Joseph STALIN (1927 - 1953) ALL ASSETS NATIONALIZED CREATION OF HUGE CENTRALIZED STATE MACHINE OVER ALL ASPECTS OF SOVIET LIFE PURGES OF DISSIDENTS (30-60 MILLION) COLLECTIVIZED FARMING (SOVKHOZ) CONCENTRATION ON HEAVY INDUSTRY AT EXPENSE OF AGRICULTURE SOVIET LEADERS

Slide39: 

Nikita KRUSCHEV (1953 - 1964) GREATER EMPHASIS ON AGRICULTURE VIRGIN LANDS PROGRAM - PASTURES INTO IRRIGATED WHEAT FIELDS ULTIMATELY LED TO ARAL SEA ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER SOVIET LEADERS

Slide40: 

Leonid BRESHNEV (1964 - 1982) IN POWER (as Secretary General of the Russian Communist Party) AT THE HEIGHT OF THE COLD WAR MILITARY/INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY ECONOMIC STAGNATION (AGRICULTURE) SOVIET LEADERS

Slide41: 

Mikhail GORBACHEV (1985 - 1991) INITIATED ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORM PERESTROIKA RESTRUCTURING INTENDED TO PRODUCE MAJOR CHANGES TO BOTH THE ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL SYSTEM ECONOMIC AIM: TO CATCH UP WITH WESTERN ECONOMIES POLITICAL AIM: REFORM OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY GLASNOST POLICY OF ENCOURAGING GREATER OPENNESS IN BOTH INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AFFAIRS SOVIET LEADERS

Slide42: 

A SHARP DECLINE IN AGRICULTURAL & INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION ECONOMIC OUTPUT DOWN BY 4% IN 1990 & 10-15% IN FIRST HALF OF 1991 INTENSIFICATION OF ETHNO-CULTURAL NATIONALISM & SEPARATISM UNITY OF THE SOVIET UNION (MACRO) & UNITY OF REPUBLICS (MICRO) THREATENED PLURALIZATION OF SOVIET POLITICS & STEADY EROSION OF COMMUNIST PARTY MONOPOLY OR POWER COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION (CONDITIONS IN 1990 & 1991)

Slide43: 

Abandoned the Unitary state system (centralized gov’t administration with authoritarian rule) THE EMERGENCE OF A “COMMONWEALTH” OF SLAVIC COUNTRIES TO REPLACE THE SOVIET UNION COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION (CONDITIONS IN 1990 & 1991)

Slide44: 

THE RESIGNATION OF PRESIDENT GORBACHEV So ends the United Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) or Soviet Union Boris Yeltsin became first president of The Russian Federation, formed in 1992 COLLAPSE OF THE SOVIET UNION (CONDITIONS IN 1990 & 1991)

Slide45: 

Today’s president is Vladimir Putin. He first succeeded Boris Yeltsin on December 31, 1999 and was elected president on March 26, 2000 and won re-election in 2004. RUSSIA TODAY

CURRENT ORGANIZATION: 

CURRENT ORGANIZATION RUSSIAN FEDERATION (1992) 89 POLITICAL UNITS 21 REPUBLICS 11 AUTONOMOUS REGIONS (OKRUGS) 49 PROVINCES (OBLASTS) 6 TERRITORIES (KRAYS) 2 AUTONOMOUS FEDERAL CITIES (Moscow & St. Petersburg)

Slide47: 

RUSSIA’S ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS Refer to Map on p. 111 RUSSIAN ETHNICITY Refer to Map on p. 110

RUSSIA’S PROSPECTS: 

RUSSIA’S PROSPECTS ECONOMIC INDUSTRIAL RESOURCES (partially lost due to independence of many former states) TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE (not well developed, and now further complicated by boundary closures from former states) MANUFACTURING CAPACITY (reduced)

RUSSIA’S PROSPECTS: 

RUSSIA’S PROSPECTS POLITICAL INTERNAL FRICTION (still faces problems with diversity of ethnic groups and religious differences, e.g. Chechnya) EXTERNAL CHALLENGES: Relations with EU & NATO Ownership of oil and gas reserves around Caspian Sea Russian conflicts with Kazakhstan & former domains Chechnya’s resistance to be included in Russian Federation Uncertain Russian power and influence in world affairs

CHECHNYA: 

CHECHNYA IN SUPPORT OF RUSSIAN CONTROL INFIGHTING AFTER INDEPENDENCE WAS GRANTED IN 1991 CHECHENS INSTALLED A SEPARATIST LEADER ATTACKS ON RUSSIANS CHECHEN TERRORISM WHY CHECHNYA DESERVES INDEPENDENCE FOUGHT AGAINST THE RUSSIAN IMPERIALISTS TWO CENTURIES AGO SOVIETS REARRANGED THE BORDERS TO INCLUDE NON-CHECHEN HOMELAND MASSIVE PERSECUTION DURING STALIN’S REIGN 1991 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

Some governing geographic concepts: Distance Decay: 

Some governing geographic concepts: Distance Decay Increasing distances between places tend to reduce interaction between them. This applies to the Russian capital’s ability to oversee outlying areas

Some governing geographic concepts: Population Decline: 

Some governing geographic concepts: Population Decline Russia’s Population is declining at 1 million per year. Social disarray: military, universities, rising incidences of diseases, industries are failing, legal systems weak, banking unregulated, organized crime, corruption.

Some governing geographic concepts: Heatland Theory, Core Area: 

Some governing geographic concepts: Heatland Theory, Core Area

Slide54: 

How geographic facts influence policies Consisted of the Moscow region, the Volga valley, the Urals, Central Asia, and western and central Siberia. MACKINDER’S Heartland theory - 1904

Slide55: 

Heartland Who rules East Europe commands the Heartland; who rules the Heartland commands the World Island; who rules the World Island commands the World. HEARTLAND THEORY

Slide56: 

SPYKMAN’S RIMLAND Who controls the Rimland rules Eurasia; who rules Eurasia controls the destinies of the world.

Slide57: 

RUSSIA’S EXTERNAL CHALLENGES NATURAL RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION MANY NATURAL RESOURCES NOW IN FORMER SOVIET REPUBLICS IRREDENTISM CONCERN FOR RUSSIANS OUTSIDE ITS BORDERS NATIONAL PRIDE DETERMINATION TO REMAIN THE CHAMPION OF SLAVIC INTERESTS DESIRE TO REMAIN A POWER IN INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CENTRIFUGAL FORCES SEPARATIST AIMS IN THE CAUCASIAN PERIPHERY

Slide58: 

REGIONS OF THE RUSSIAN REALM Refer to Map on p. 123

Slide59: 

REGION 1

Slide60: 

Sub-region 1. Central Industrial Core Dominated by Moscow and St. Petersburg Extensive land transport network Automobile industry Textile, mining, metallurgy, machinery Access to Baltic Sea from St. Petersburg Economic hub

Slide61: 

OIL AND GAS REGIONS Refer to Map on p. 126

Slide62: 

Sub-region 2. The Volga Region Volga and Don Rivers empty into Black Sea, important water transport, also links to Central Industrial Region Transport foodstuff & raw materials Pop. 25 million Automobile production

Slide63: 

Sub-region 3. The Ural Region Rich in metellic mineral resources Well connected to the Core Industrial Region and Volga Regions This is frontier area waiting to be explored and developed

Slide64: 

TRANSCAUCASIA: INCLUDES BOTH 4. INTERIOR AND 5. EXTERIOR PERIPHERY REGIONS Subregions 4 & 5

Slide65: 

Now independent Landlocked, Pop = 3.8 m Christian faith, but surrounded by Muslim with exclave of Christian Armenians in Muslim Azerbaijan (see Fig. 2-13) This conflict still remain unresolved.

Slide66: 

Pop 4.4 m.; has Black Sea outlet to the world Georgian Orthodox Church, 10% Muslims Scenic beauty, warm climate favors agriculture, wine, citrus fruit, tobacco, timber; manganese deposits Politically unstable, centrifugal forces at work; remains a dysfunctional state

Slide67: 

Pop 8.3 m. + another 10 m Azeris living in Azerbaijan Province in neighboring Iran Has exclave in Armenia Shi’ite Muslims Huge reserve of oil and natural gas, centered in Baku, but with old pipes going through Russia US, French, British & Japanese oil companies will help develop, but prefers routing thro’ Turkey

Slide68: 

REGION 2: EASTERN FRONTIER

Slide69: 

The Kuzbas Region: Heavy manufacturing gave rise to urban centers, quality iron deposits, metal works, aluminum products The Lake Baykal Region (Baykaliya): settlements along railroad, dams for hydroelectricity, mining, lumbering, farming EASTERN FRONTIER

Slide70: 

VAST CHALLENGING UNTAPPED REGION 3: SIBERIA

SIBERIA: 

SIBERIA LARGER THAN THE CONTINENTAL US, BUT...LESS THAN 15 MILLION PEOPLE CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT VAST DISTANCES COLD TEMPERATURES ARCTIC WINDS POOR SOILS RESOURCE POTENTIAL PRECIOUS MINERALS METALLIC ORES OIL AND NATURAL GAS TIMBER

Slide72: 

FAR EAST REGION 4: FAR EAST

Slide73: 

RUSSIA’S MANUFACTURING REGIONS (FAR EAST) Far detached from Moscow Major city Vladivostok, a former military base Defunct shipbuilding industry Oil from Sakhalin Island Steel, chemicals, furniture shipped west for food from east Frontier with Japan and China FAR EAST