Transcript Northern Eurasia - World Geography!!

A Geography of the
Former Soviet Republics
(Northern Eurasia)
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
Russia is world’s largest nation in land size
Landsize Comparison
3539230
USA
Uzbekistan
172700
Ukraine
233100
Turkmenistan
188500
55300
Tajikstan
6592800
Russia
Moldova
14170
Lithuania
25210
Latvia
24900
Krygyzstan
76600
1049200
Kazakstan
Georgia
26900
Estonia
17410
Belarus
80200
Azerbaijan
33400
Armenia
11500
0
1000000 2000000 3000000 4000000 5000000 6000000 7000000
USA
Uzbekistan
Ukraine
Turkmenistan
Tajikstan
Russia
Moldova
Lithuania
Latvia
Krygyzstan
Kazakstan
Georgia
Estonia
Belarus
Azerbaijan
Armenia
Russia world population rank – 9th
Population
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
Eurasia’s population pattern is explained geographically
Temperature
Precipitation
Relief
Transportation - Trans Siberian RR
Cold
Warm
Wet
Mts
Level
Warm
Mts
Cold
Dry
Physical Regions of Northern Eurasia
Kola Peninsula
Glacier Scoured
Rocky Surface
Many Minerals
White Sea, Barents Sea
do not freeze - Russia
gateway to the Atlantic
Baltic States
• Low Elevation
• Glacial Made
• Sandy Soil
• Numerous Lakes
• Numerous Rivers
• Bogs, Swamps
• Baltic Access important
• Baltic freezes in winter
Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova are
the beginning of the vast
Russian or East European Plain.
Glacial formed
Fertile Soil
Many Swamps
Invasion
Route into
Russia
Belarus
The Natural
PripetIs
Marshes
Invasion
Route To/From
Europe’s
Largest Wetlands
Europe/Russia
Moldova - once part of
Romania - hilly nation
between two rivers
Buffer nation with
few resources
Crimea Region is largest The Breadbasket
Ukraine
and its Crimea
have
of Northern
Eurasia
area of subtropical land in
important links to Black Sea
Climate
the region.
and Humid
to Mediterranean
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
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.
Russian Plain
is the cultural
heartland of
the Russians.
Ladoga is the
largest lake
Volga is the
major river of
Russia and
Europe’s
Longest.
The Caucasus Region
Land between the Black and Caspian - Before it rose, the
Black, Caspian and Aral Sea were one large water body
Region prone
to Earthquakes
Armenia most
recent.
Caucasus provide
a secure border
for Russia
Mt. Elburz,
Russia’s
highest spot
is found here
Region;s humid
and subtropical
climates are
the best in all
of Northern
Eurasia.
Georgia - Ancient Nation with links
to ancient Greece. Mountain nation
with a subtropical and mediterranean
climate. Fruit, tea, vegetable
center of Northern Eurasia
Armenia - landlocked, earthquake zone, holds lake sevan, largest
of the Caucasus - ancient nation - claims to be oldest Christian
nation in the world.
Azerbaijan - semi arid nation of the caucasus - muslim, oil rich
Caviar harvest - Azers are famed for longevity -
Caspian Sea Oil Field
Caspian Sea Oil Field Pipelines
Caspian Sea
Other Resource
Caviar from the
Black Sturgeon
Ural Mts
• Traditional Divide
Between Europe and Asia
• European Russia ends
• Resource Rich, important
since World War II
• Russias new industrial
cities located here
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
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
Novosibirsk - Largest city of the Central Siberian Lowland
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
Lena - the longest
river of Russia.
Lake Baikal is the world’s deepest, largest fresh water lake
Kamchatka Peninsula has
the world’s greatest
concentration of active
volcanoes, geysers,
geothermal activities.
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.
Central Asia contains the best wheat region of North Eurasia The Kirgiz Steppe
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).
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
Tajikistan has become the cotton
center of Northern Eurasia