RUSSIA AND RUSSIA AND CENTRAL ASIACENTRAL ASIA

ECONOMIC AND ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL POLITICAL

CHARACTERISTICSCHARACTERISTICS

Use your map on pages 338-339 to determine the countries that were part of the former Soviet Union

(1917-1991)

1. Armenia

2. Azerbaijan

3. Belarus

4. Estonia

5. Georgia

6. Kazakhstan

7. Kyrgyzstan

8. Latvia

9. Lithuania

10. Moldova

11. Russia

12. Tajikistan

13. Turkmenistan

14. Ukraine

15. Uzbekistan

Former countries of the USSR

Former USSR, now Russia and 14 independent countries

From 1917 to 1991 this region was controlled by a communist government and was known

as the Soviet Union or Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)

Difficult transition in Government

The change from a Communist form of government to a more Democratic one has been difficult politically and economically.

TRANSITIONING FROM COMMAND TRANSITIONING FROM COMMAND TO FREE MARKET TO FREE MARKET

• This region is in transition from a command to a free market economy.

• Government Government controlled (command) controlled (command) economy to supply economy to supply and demand (free and demand (free market/capitalism)market/capitalism) http://www.j-archive.com/media/2005-11-17_J_15.jpg

http://overton2.tamu.edu/aset/krajci/pulkovo/102-0230_IMG.JPG

LARGE FARMING INDUSTRYLARGE FARMING INDUSTRY

• wheat farming is very productive due to wheat farming is very productive due to chernozemchernozem - west of the - west of the Ural Mountains Ural Mountains (part of North European Plain)(part of North European Plain)

Fertile Triangle Region:• Most chernozem soil is

found in the Fertile Triangle of Western Russia. Therefore, farming is concentrated in this region -especially wheat!

• Because people could grow food in the triangle, this is where the majority of the population lives and where industry has been developed.

Draw in the Ural mountains on the map above.

This region has little capital (money) to develop infrastructure.

• The countries depend on existing river and canal transportation routes.

• One successful level of the Russian infrastructure is the Trans-Siberian Railroad which was completed in 1905.

TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROADTRANS-SIBERIAN RAILROAD

• TransportatioTransportation route n route linking the linking the European side European side of Russia to of Russia to its Asian its Asian coastcoast

http://www.legendtour.ru/foto/rus/11006.jpg

http://www.lernidee.de/files/450x220/zarengold-sonderzug.jpg

What major cities does the Trans-Siberian Railroad connect?

(Begins in Moscow)Novosibirsk and Vladivostok

Are these site or situation cities?

SHRINKING OF ARAL SEASHRINKING OF ARAL SEA• Textile (fabric) Textile (fabric) farmers are diverting farmers are diverting

much of the river water that empties much of the river water that empties into the sea, causing it to shrinkinto the sea, causing it to shrink

http://www.geography.hunter.cuny.edu/~tbw/wc.notes/15.climates.veg/climate/aral.sea.map.jpg

HEAVY COTTON PRODUCTION IN HEAVY COTTON PRODUCTION IN CENTRAL ASIACENTRAL ASIA

• handpicked handpicked cotton is cotton is valuablevaluable

• students pick students pick cotton each fall cotton each fall for small wagesfor small wages

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/435084841_45175bdee2.jpg

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/435084841_45175bdee2.jpg http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40830000/jpg/_40830671_cotton1irin203.jpg

Energy Resources!

Water – Hydroelectric power

Natural Gas

Oil/PetroleumFound in Caspian Sea and Siberia

Impact of Oil on the Region:

• Oil reserves can be found in the Caspian Sea and in Siberia

• Not sure how much oil is there because the countries don’t have the capital resources to find out - very expensive to drill for oil

•There is much foreign competition for investment in the region – investors will share in the output and profits from those resources (China is a major investor)

1.Lack of human and capital ($) resources (it’s incredibly expensive!)

2.Harsh climate on much of its land3. Limited transportation links4. The country is very large

UNABLE TO USE ALL NATURAL UNABLE TO USE ALL NATURAL RESOURCESRESOURCES

WIDESPREAD POLLUTIONWIDESPREAD POLLUTION

• After the change to a free After the change to a free market economy, Russia went market economy, Russia went quickly into production of goods quickly into production of goods and ignored pollution outputand ignored pollution output

http://ecojunk.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/air_pollution_1.jpg

http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/search/previews/rws0111-03m.jpg

AIR POLLUTIONAIR POLLUTION

CHERNOBYL The Chernobyl disaster was a nuclear accident that occurred on 26 April 1986 at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukranian Soviet Socialist Republic (then part of the Soviet Union), now in Ukraine.It is considered to be the worst nuclear power plant disaster in history. It resulted in a severe release of radioactivity following a massive power excursion that destroyed the reactor. Most fatalities from the accident were caused by radiation poisoning.

The pollution caused by this accident was so severe that a new phrase was coined – “hazardscape” (pollution of air, soil, and water).

Samarkand, UzbekistanThe city is most noted for its central position on the Silk Road between China and the West, and for being an Islamic centre for scholarly study. The Bibi-Khanym Mosque remains one of the city's most famous landmarks.

REVIEW!REVIEW!

1. )What type of economy controls the production and

consumption of goods?

COMMANDCOMMAND

REVIEW!REVIEW!

2.) What transportation route links the eastern and

western regions of Russia?

TRANS-SIBERIAN R.R.TRANS-SIBERIAN R.R.

REVIEW!REVIEW!

3.) What are 3 reasons why Russia is unable to fully utilize

its natural resources?

CLIMATE, LIMITED CLIMATE, LIMITED TRANSPORTATION LINKS, TRANSPORTATION LINKS, VASTNESS OF COUNTRYVASTNESS OF COUNTRY

REVIEW!REVIEW!

4.) What caused the increased output of pollution in Russia?

CHANGE FROM COMMAND CHANGE FROM COMMAND ECONOMY TO FREE ECONOMY TO FREE

MARKETMARKET

REVIEW!REVIEW!

5.)What is the major cause for the shrinking of the Aral Sea?

OVER-IRRIGATION OVER-IRRIGATION FOR COTTON CROPSFOR COTTON CROPS