Russia and the Republics:

Descriptions
What countries make up the Russian Republics?
How did the Republics become independent countries?
What factors make these countries unique?
 Russian Republics
EURASIA- Europe
and Asia
Three Regions
1. Russia and
Western
Republics
2. Transcaucasian
Republics
3. Central Asian
Republics
From Soviet Union to Many Diverse Countries

Between 1922 and

1991, Russia and most
of the Republics were
part of the Union of
Soviet Socialist
Republics (USSR),
also known as the
Soviet Union.
Why did the Soviet Union break up into Republics?

Economy: Saudi Arabia lowered the

price of its oil. Soviet Union, another big
oil producer, had to do the same.
Government Reforms: The leaders tried
to help by beginning reforms of
government openness and improved
economy, but more people became
discontent.
Removal of Berlin Wall: Young people
left for the West.
 Russia
Russian state began in the region between the
Baltic, Black and Caspian seas.
Czar= Emperor; Ivan the Great, 1st Czar of Russian
Empire
1917 Russian Revolution
Command Economy helped to establish a
communist government
Late 1940s tensions between U.S. and Soviet Union
lead to the Cold War lasted through the 1980s
USSR (Union of Soviet Socialist Republics)
falls in 1991
Kremlin- Government building;
President lives there.
Religion--Christian Orthodox
 Two Types of Economies
Capitalism (Free Market Economy)
--Production of goods is based on consumer demand
--Government interferes as little as possible in the economy
--Individuals create businesses to gain profits

Command Economy
--Government owns all resources (means of production)
--Government makes al economic decisions
--Individuals cannot own property or go into business for
themselves
 Totalitarian Political System
Two types of totalitarian political
systems:
--Government holds all political
power; individual rights and
freedoms are limited; --No
meaningful political elections or
voting takes place since only one
party exists
1. Communist: former USSR, China
2. Dictatorship: North Korea, Cuba
Freedom Based Government System
Democracy: People (citizens) hold
political power, either directly or
through elected representatives
Citizens have individual rights and
freedoms such as the right to vote,
freedom of speech and freedom to
choose religion
Examples: the United States, Canada
and Sweden
Russia is the biggest country in the world, twice
as big as the USA
Ural Mountains
The Ural Mountains (also known
as the Urals) are a mountain
range that runs north-south
through western Russia. They are
considered the natural boundary
between Europe and Asia.
Siberia-large area in central Russia
-almost always cold
-most people live in western Russia
Lacks mountain barriers to
keep cold Arctic winds out Siberia
 Siberia
Siberia is the vast region
constituting almost all of Northern
Asia and makes up about 77 percent
of Russias territory
Siberias Biome (groups of
ecosystems with similar climates and
organisms) is mostly a frozen
tundra;
Vegetation is taiga (largest
coniferous forest on earth) in the
temperate southern zone.
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal, meaning "the
rich lake is the world's
second most voluminous
lake, after the Caspian Sea.
Lake Baikal is the deepest,
and among the clearest of all
lakes in the world. At more
than 25 million years old,
Baikal is also the world's
oldest lake.
Human-Environment Interaction
The Trans-Siberian Railroad
is a network of railways that
connect East and Western
Eurasia
Links Moscow with Russias far
east provinces, Mongolia,
China and the Sea of Japan
(Port of Vladivostok)
Today, the railroad is part of
the Eurasian Land Bridge.
Time Zones around the World
The map of earths surface is divided into 24 time
zones, one for each hour of the day. The earth rotates
360 degrees each day so each zone represents 15
degrees longitude. (360/24=15 degrees) Scientists
used the Prime Meridian as the starting point for the
time zones which is 0 degrees. This is Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT). The International Date Line was
set at 180 degrees longitude. To the east of this line,
the calendar date is one day earlier than to the west.
Time Zones in Russia
Russian Time Zones
There are 9 time zones in Russia, more than in any
other country (ie. 6 in Canada, 4 in the US).
Moscow standard time zone is 3 hours ahead of GMT
(Greenwich Mean Time).
Unusual fact: China uses only ONE time zone
because the Communist government believed this
would increase unity.
Time Zone Map
Western Republics: The Baltics
In the early 1500s, Russia
began explosive growth.
From the center at Moscow,
they expanded by 55 square
miles per day for the next
400 years. The first areas
they acquired were
Estonia
Latvia
Lithuania
Western Republics: Belarus

Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine

Moldova

Ukraine
 Western Republics: Ukraine
Ukraine currently has
territorial dispute
with Russia over the
Crimean Peninsula
which Russia annexed
in 2014 but which
Ukraine and most of
the international
community recognise
as Ukrainian.
 Food Producing Region
Russian Steppes-
temperate
grasslands
Chernozem(black
soil) worlds most
fertile soil
Major grain
producers (wheat)
Extends from
Ukraine to Siberia
Food basket of
Eastern Europe
 Human-Environment Interaction
Chernobyl disaster; a nuclear reactor
accident on April 26th, 1986 at the
Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in
Ukraine (during this time it was part
of the U.S.S.R.).
Worst nuclear power plant disaster
in history
Caused severe release of radioactivity following a
massive explosion that destroyed the reactor.
Most deaths from the accident were caused by
radiation poisoning.
People have endured property
contamination, birth defects,
and long term illnesses.
Transcaucasian Republics:
Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Georgia
Gateway of migration
between Europe, the
Middle East, and Asia
Great economic
potential from natural
gas and oil reserves in
the Caspian Sea
Trouble in Georgia: Ethnic Conflict
In 1980s, Georgia had 3.6 million
tourists...
Ethnic conflict broke out in the 1990s.
Fighting took place along the Black Sea
coast, in Abkhazia, a resort area.
Ethnic Abkhazians wanted
independence.
Russia sent thousands of troops to help
Georgias government.
The troops are still there, helping to
keep peace, but tourists stay away.
 Cultural Crossroads
Trade route from ancient times
to present day.
50 different ethnic groups live in
the region.
Many languages are spoken here.
Both Christians and Muslims
share the area.
Outside control, especially by
Russia, creates tensions.
 Central Asia: The Stans

Five Independent Republics

The Stans: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan,
Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan
Soviet leaders drew the borders in
Central Asia, creating tension and
hurting stability
Despite colonization, there are many
cultural traditions.
Some people are nomads who live in
yurts and have animal herds.
Islam is the dominant religion.
The area is rich in natural gas, oil,
minerals, but lacks united governments.
People speak Russian and one or more
ethnic languages.
 Human Environment Interaction
The Aral Sea has
lost 80% of its
water
Aral Sea no
longer gets water
from Amu Darya
and Syr Darya
rivers; water
diverted to
irrigate cotton
crops in Central
Asia
 Human Environment Interaction:
Technology Innovations
Standard of living can be
improved for communities
surrounding the Aral Sea.
Drying of Aral Sea can be
slowed down or stopped
One solution? Introduce
drought resistant cotton Fishing Boat abandoned by fishermen
plants that need less water
 Human Environment Interaction:
Nuclear Testing
Polygon testing
site of 470
nuclear devices
in Kazakhstan
The Silk Road

Series of trade
routes that run from
China through
Siberia, Central Asia
to Eastern Europe
(Turkey)
 The Silk Road
Transportation of
Chinese Silk
Gold, wine, porcelain,
and perfumes
Silver, and spices were
other goods
transported
Remember--
Yurts houses of Central
Asian nomads
Nomads people who
have no permanent home
Transcaucasia major
industries (money
makers ) Oil, tourism
and wine making