Transcript Section 1: The Land

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Chapter Introduction
Section 1 The Land
Section 2 Climate and Vegetation
Chapter Summary & Study Guide
Chapter Assessment
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Chapter Objectives
• Identify the physical features and
natural resources of Russia. 
• Discuss the effects of Russia’s climate
and vegetation on life in the region.
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As you read this chapter, use your journal
to note the physical features and
environment of Russia. Use colorful, vivid
words to describe the unique beauty of
Russia’s landscape.
The Land
Objectives
• Describe the size of Russia’s land area. 
• Discuss how Russia’s interconnected plains
and mountain ranges shape settlement in
the country. 
• Identify Russia’s natural resources.
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The Land
Terms to Know
• chernozem 
• hydroelectric power 
• permafrost
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The Land
Places to Locate
• Caucasus Mountains 
• Central Siberian Plateau 
• North European Plain 
• West Siberian Plain 
• Volga River
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Many active volcanoes are found in far
eastern Russia, where the Kamchatka
Peninsula lies within the Ring of Fire, the
belt of volcanic activity surrounding the
Pacific Ocean. Four volcanoes in
Kamchatka–Kliuchevskoi, Tolbachik,
Shiveluch, and Bezymianny–last erupted
in 1999.
A Vast and Varied Land
• Mountains and Plateaus Stretching
across parts of Europe and Asia,
Russia is a huge land of plains divided
and bordered by mountains and
plateaus. 
• The Urals are old, worn-down mountains
that mark the boundary between
European and Asian parts of Russia. 
• The Caucasus Mountains in the
southwest reach their highest elevation
at Mount Elbrus, 18,510 ft. (5,642 m),
Russia’s highest point.
(pages 345–348)
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A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
(pages 345–348)
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A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
• Mountain ranges also form a rugged
natural boundary between Russia and
China.
(pages 345–348)
A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
• Plains Areas The North European Plain
covers most of European Russia. 
• The southern part of the plain has rich
soil, and about 75 percent of the Russian
population lives there. 
• The Ural Mountains separate the North
European Plain from the West Siberian
Plain, which covers almost one million
square miles (2.6 million sq. km).
(pages 345–348)
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A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
• Coasts, Seas, and Lakes Russia has
the longest continuous coastline of any
country, at 23,400 miles (37,650 km). 
• The coastline touches the Arctic and
Pacific Oceans and the Baltic, Black,
and Caspian Seas. 
• Most of Russia’s ports are frozen for
at least part of the year. Lake Baikal
in southern Siberia is the deepest
freshwater lake in the world.
(pages 345–348)
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A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
(pages 345–348)
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A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
- The Black Sea is Russia’s warm-water outlet
to the Mediterranean Sea. 
- The Caspian Sea is actually a saltwater lake
with no outlet. 
- Lake Baikal holds about 20 percent of the
earth’s freshwater.
(pages 345–348)
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A Vast and Varied Land (cont.)
Why is it important to keep the water
in Lake Baikal clean, and what global
impact might result if the lake were
permanently polluted?
Lake Baikal, containing about 20
percent of Earth’s freshwater, is
an important ecological area.
(pages 345–348)
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Rivers
• Most of Russia’s longest rivers are in
sparsely populated Siberia. 
• Siberians enjoy a surplus of freshwater,
but European Russians often face water
shortages or problems with water
quality.
(pages 348–349)
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Rivers (cont.)
• The Volga River The Volga is the fourthlongest river in Russia and the longest
river in Europe. 
• Draining much of Russia’s North
European Plain, the Volga River and
its canals link the Moscow area to the
Caspian, Black, and Baltic Seas.
(pages 348–349)
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Rivers (cont.)
(pages 348–349)
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Rivers (cont.)
• Siberian Rivers Siberian rivers flow
north to the Arctic Ocean. Blocked by
ice, meltwaters often flood the land
and create vast swamps.
(pages 348–349)
Rivers (cont.)
How might Russia distribute its water
more evenly?
Possible answer: Russia might
distribute its water more evenly
by building pipelines to carry water
west to European Russia.
(pages 348–349)
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Natural Resources
• Minerals and Energy Russia has
huge mineral resources. 
• It is especially rich in mineral fuels,
such as oil, natural gas, and coal. 
• Russia’s rivers make it a leading
producer of hydroelectric power.
(pages 349–350)
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Natural Resources (cont.)
• Soil and Forest Land Because of
Russia’s generally cold climate, only
about 10 percent of Russia’s land is
suitable for farming. 
• A rich, fertile “Black Earth Belt,”
however, stretches from Ukraine to
southwestern Russia, supplying the
country with grains, sugar beets, and
other produce. 
• About one-fifth of the world’s forested
land is in Siberia. Russian forests
supply much of the world’s timber.(pages 349–350)
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Natural Resources (cont.)
• Russia’s Fishing Industry Fish is a
staple food in Russia and also an
important export.
(pages 349–350)
Natural Resources (cont.)
(pages 349–350)
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Natural Resources (cont.)
How would your diet change if you lived
in a country like Russia?
In Russia there probably are fewer
choices and convenience foods.
(pages 349–350)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
C 1. permanently frozen layer of soil
beneath the surface of the
ground
A. chernozem
__
A 2. rich, black topsoil found in the
North European Plain,
especially in Russia and
Ukraine
C. permafrost
__
B 3. electrical energy generated by
falling water
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B. hydroelectric
power
Critical Thinking
Drawing Conclusions Why do 75 percent
of Russians live west of the Ural Mountains?
Seventy-five percent of Russians live west
of the Ural Mountains because of the milder
climate and presence of fertile soil and
navigable rivers, which led to the
development of large cities.
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Critical Thinking
Identifying Cause and Effect What
problems arise as a result of the large
number of Russians living on the North
European Plain?
Water shortages and pollution arise as
a result of the large number of Russians
living on the North European Plain.
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Critical Thinking
Making Generalizations Explain how
Russia’s geography affects access to
natural resources.
Russia is rich in natural resources, but
geographic and climatic obstacles make
resources inaccessible or costly to develop.
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Analyzing Maps
Region Study the map below. What types
of physical features form Russia’s
boundaries?
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Analyzing Maps
Seas, mountains, and rivers form
Russia’s boundaries.
Applying Geography
Effect of Location Think about the
locations of Russia’s seas. Then write a
descriptive paragraph explaining how the
locations of these seas affect Russia’s
economy.
Possible answer: Most of Russia’s seas are in
the far north where ports are often icebound.
The Black Sea provides Russia with warmwater ports for year-round shipping.
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Close
Work with a classmate to plan the itinerary
for a 10-day class tour of Russia. Give
reasons for your chosen destinations.
Climate and Vegetation
Objectives
• List Russia’s major climates. 
• State what seasons are like in Russia. 
• Explain how climate affects the way Russians
live. 
• Classify the types of natural vegetation found
in each of Russia’s climate regions.
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Climate and Vegetation
Terms to Know
• tundra 
• taiga 
• steppe
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Climate and Vegetation
Places to Locate
• Siberia 
• Arctic Circle
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The coldest temperature ever recorded
in Asia was in Russia. On February 6,
1933, the temperature in the Siberian
town of Oimekon was -90ºF. The same
temperature was recorded on February
7, 1892, in Verkhoyansk, another
Siberian location.
Russia’s Climates and Vegetation
• Most of Russia has a harsh climate with
long, cold winters and short, relatively
cool summers. 
• Lying well within the Eurasian landmass,
most of the country is far away from any
moderating ocean influences.
(pages 351–352)
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Russia’s Climates and Vegetation
(cont.)
How do you think climate affects most
Russians on an everyday basis?
Possible answers: Russians probably
welcome summer when it comes.
Because of the long, cold winters,
Russians may need heavier and
warmer clothes than most Americans
do. They wear hats, scarves, and
gloves more often.
(pages 351–352)
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High Latitude Climates
• Tundra The tundra, a vast, treeless
plain, covers about 10 percent of
Russia. 
• The weather is always cold, and little
grows there because of the short
growing season and the thin acidic soil.
(pages 352–353)
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High Latitude Climates (cont.)
• Subarctic The subarctic lies just south
of the tundra. 
• The subarctic has snow for up to 250
days of the year. 
• The taiga is a forest belt in the subarctic
that is the world’s largest coniferous
forest. 
• It contains one-half of the world’s
softwood timber.
(pages 352–353)
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High Latitude Climates (cont.)
• Living in a Cold Climate Russians
must be creative to live in an extremely
cold climate. 
• Builders plan for the cold when they
construct buildings, and cars are made
from a special type of steel that will not
crack in the cold. 
• Large amounts of oil, gas, wood, and
coal are used to keep warm.
(pages 352–353)
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High Latitude Climates (cont.)
(pages 352–353)
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High Latitude Climates (cont.)
How would the deforestation of the
taiga affect the world?
Possible answers: Without the taiga
there would be a loss of biodiversity.
Because trees help reduce the buildup
of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere,
global warming might be accelerated
by the loss of taiga forests.
(pages 352–353)
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Mid-Latitude Climates
• Humid Continental Most of the North
European Plain and some of southern
Siberia have a humid continental
climate, with long, snowy, relatively
mild winters. 
• In humid continental areas of Russia,
the coniferous taiga of the north gives
way to mixed coniferous-deciduous
forests. 
• Farther south, the forests gradually
merge into temperate fertile grasslands.
(pages 354–355)
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Mid-Latitude Climates (cont.)
• War and Winter Russia’s cold climate
was helpful in World War II because
Russian soldiers, who were used to the
cold, fought well against the German
soldiers, who were unprepared for a
brutal winter. 
• Steppe The steppe climate region has
dry summers and long, cold, dry
winters. Its rich soil enables a variety of
grasses and plants to flourish.
(pages 354–355)
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Mid-Latitude Climates (cont.)
(pages 354–355)
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Mid-Latitude Climates (cont.)
In which of these climatic zones do you
think most Russians live? Why do you
think so?
They probably live in the humid
continental zone because of the mild
temperatures and the plentiful rainfall.
Rich soils also lie in this zone, so
crops grow well there.
(pages 354–355)
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Checking for Understanding
Define Match each definition in the left column with the
appropriate term in the right column.
__
B 1. Russian term for the vast
subarctic forest, mostly
evergreens, that covers much of
Russian and Siberia
__
C 2. wide, grassy plains of Eurasia;
also, similar semiarid climate
regions elsewhere
__
A 3. vast, treeless plains in cold
northern climates; characterized
by permafrost and small, low
plants, such as mosses and
shrubs
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A. tundra
B. taiga
C. steppe
Critical Thinking
Making Generalizations What
generalization can you make about
Russia’s climate regions?
With some exceptions, Russia’s climates
and vegetation are typical of high
latitudes–extremely cold temperatures,
tundra and taiga vegetation.
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Critical Thinking
Making Inferences How does Russia’s
climates and short growing season affect
food production?
Possible answer: Limited agricultural land
must be farmed intensely, fresh foods must
be preserved, and some produce must be
imported because of the short growing
season.
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Critical Thinking
Comparing and Contrasting What are the
differences between the tundra and
subarctic climate regions? Between the
humid continental and steppe climate
regions?
Tundra climate regions consist of year-round
cold temperatures and are treeless, and
barren. Subarctic climate regions consist of
taiga vegetation (coniferous forests). Humid
continental climate regions consist of mixed
forests, fertile soil, and more moderate
seasonal temperatures. Steppe climate
regions consist of a short summer season,
fertile soil, and grasslands.
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Analyzing Maps
Region Study
the maps on the
right. Which
type of climate
characterizes
the North
European Plain?
The North
European Plain
has a humid
continental,
and subarctic
climate.
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Applying Geography
Impact of Climate Write a paragraph
describing physical processes, such as
freezing and thawing, and the effect they
have on the land and the people of Siberia
and other northern parts of Russia.
Close
Reread “A Geographic View” on page 351
of your textbook. Notice the colorful
description of Kamchatka’s climate in the
last sentence. Can you come up with
similarly colorful one-sentence descriptions
of the climate or vegetation in other parts
of Russia?
Section 1: The Land (pages 345–350)
Key Points
• Russia is the largest country in the world,
spanning Europe and Asia. 
• Russia’s land consists of interconnected
plains and plateaus and is bordered on
the south and east by mountain ranges. 
• Most rivers in Russia flow northward and
are frozen for much of the year. 
• Russia is rich in resources, such as
petroleum, coal, minerals and gems,
and timber.
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Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
(pages 351–355)
Key Points
• Most of Russia has a harsh climate with wide
extremes of temperatures, which creates
challenges in all aspects of Russian life. 
• Russian winters are long and cold, and its
summers are short and relatively cool. 
• Permanently frozen subsoil, or permafrost,
lies beneath much of Siberia. 
• The vegetation in Russia is varied, with treeless
tundra in the far north, densely wooded taiga
in the north and central areas, and temperate
steppe grasslands in the southwest.
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Reviewing Key Terms
Insert the key term that best completes each of the
following sentences.
permafrost
tundra
steppe
chernozem
taiga
hydroelectric power
permafrost
1. The permanently frozen ___________________
lies beneath much of northern Russia.
tundra
2. The frigid ___________________
stretches along
Russia’s northern boundary.
3. Many varieties of grasses grow in the
___________________
climate region.
steppe
4. The rich ___________________
soil of the North
chernozem
European Plain supports the production of grains.
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Reviewing Key Terms
Insert the key term that best completes each of the
following sentences.
permafrost
tundra
steppe
chernozem
taiga
hydroelectric power
taiga
5. Coniferous trees grow in the ________________,
a forest belt that covers most of Russia.
6. The Volga River provides western Russia with
hydroelectric power
___________________.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 1: The Land
Which mountains form a natural dividing
line between European Russia and Asian
Russia?
The Urals form a natural diving line.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 1: The Land
What are Russia’s two main plains?
The two main plains are the North European
Plain and the West Siberian Plain.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 1: The Land
Explain why the Volga River is so important
to the people of Russia.
The Volga River provides hydroelectric power,
transportation, and links for trade
and agriculture.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 1: The Land
What are Russia’s major natural resources?
The major natural resources are oil, natural
gas, and coal, as well as other minerals,
forests, and fish.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
What are the main characteristics of Russian
seasons?
The main characteristics of Russian seasons
are long, cold winters and short, cool
summers.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
What are the four climate regions in Russia?
The four climate regions are tundra,
subarctic, humid continental, and steppe.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
Which climate region dominates Russia?
The subarctic climate region dominates
Russia.
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Reviewing Facts
Section 2: Climate and Vegetation
What kinds of vegetation are found in each
of Russia’s climate regions?
In the tundra region, there are lichens,
mosses, algae, and dwarf shrubs. In the
subarctic region, there are taiga (coniferous
forests). In the humid continental region,
there are deciduous and mixed deciduousconiferous forests. In the steppe region,
there are grasslands.
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Critical Thinking
Drawing Conclusions Why do most
Russians live on the North European
Plain?
Most Russians live on the North European
Plain because there are navigable rivers,
fertile soil, and a less harsh climate.
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Critical Thinking
Analyzing Information Why is Russia’s
Volga River often called “Mother Volga”?
The river is vital to Russia. It drains much
of the eastern North European Plain and
connects Moscow to northern Europe.
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Locating Places
Match the letters on the map with the physical features
of Russia.
__1.
Ural Mountains
B
__2.
Caucasus
E
Mountains
__3.
Verkhoyansk Range
G
__4.
Central Siberian
F
Plateau
__5.
Arctic Ocean
H
__6.
Bering Sea
D
__7.
Caspian Sea
A
__8.
Volga River
C
__9.
Ob River
I
__10.
North European Plain
J
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Due to the large amount of coal deposits,
what precious gem is also a natural
resource of Russia?
The diamond is a natural resource of Russia.
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Explore online information about the topics
introduced in this chapter.
Click on the Connect button to launch your browser and go to the
Glencoe World Geography Web site. At this site, you will find
interactive activities, current events information, and Web sites
correlated with the chapters and units in the textbook. When you
finish exploring, exit the browser program to return to this
presentation. If you experience difficulty connecting to the Web
site, manually launch your Web browser and go to
http://geography.glencoe.com
Using the table below and your knowledge of
geography, choose the best answer for the following
multiple-choice question. If you have trouble
answering the question, use the process of
elimination to narrow your choices.
1. What factor may help explain why Russia and Canada have a lower
percentage of arable land than do the United States and France?
A
Russia and Canada have been settled longer.
B
Russia and Canada extend farther into cold northern regions.
C
Russia and Canada have larger land masses.
D
Russia and Canada are less industrialized.
Test-Taking Tip Study the information shown in the table about land
use. Then think about climate regions in the selected countries. Notice
similarities or differences between figures for the four countries. Choice
C is not relevant, so it can be eliminated.
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Siberian Tigers
Permafrost
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About 500 Siberian tigers, most of the world’s wild
population of the animal, live in the forested
mountains north of Vladivostok. Because poachers
hunt the tigers and loggers destroy the tigers’ habitat,
the species has become endangered.
In Siberia, buildings rest on pilings 6 to 8 feet
(1.8-2.4 m) off the ground so that heat from within
does not melt the permafrost. Melting permafrost
can cause building foundations to shift and crack.
Lake Baikal has a unique ecosystem that is home
to 1,500 types of animals and plants found nowhere
else in the world.
Understanding Climographs
Climate is the result of the complex interaction of latitude,
wind patterns, temperature, and precipitation. Climographs
allow us to compare and contrast different climates in different
regions based on temperature and precipitation.
Understanding Climographs
Learning the Skill
A climograph combines a line graph and bar graph to show
average variation in temperature and precipitation. In the
graphs on the previous slide, the months of the year are
shown on the horizontal axis. Temperature appears on the left
vertical axis as a line graph; precipitation appears on the right
vertical axis as a bar graph.
Understanding Climographs
Learning the Skill
To analyze the information in a climograph: 
• Identify highest and lowest temperatures. 
• Determine the variation in annual precipitation. 
• Use this information to describe and compare the two
climates.
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Understanding Climographs
Practicing the Skill
Answer the questions using the climographs on page 356 of
your textbook.
1. Which city is warmer year-round? Wetter?
Minneapolis is warmer, and wetter year-round.
2. Which city has the greater annual variation in temperature?
Minneapolis has the greater annual variation.
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Understanding Climographs
Practicing the Skill
Answer the questions using the climographs on page 356 of
your textbook.
3. What kind of climate does Moscow have? Minneapolis?
Both cities have a humid continental climate.
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Maps
Russia: Physical-Political
Russia: Climate Regions
Russia: Natural Vegetation
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