Russia and Central Asia Russia and Central Asia Russia and Central Asia Russia and Central Asia Location of countries, with Vast land area: Spans two Transition from communist Diverse ethnic groups, particular emphasis on the continents, Europe and Asia to free market economy customs, and traditions countries listed below (selected (covers 11 time zones) Farming and industry (many people of Turkic and on the basis of their per capita Vast areas of tundra, concentrated in the Fertile Mongol heritage) GDP, land size, and population) permafrost, taiga, and Triangle region, rich GDP steppe soils (wheat Cultural heritage chernozem Kazakhstan Varied climatic regions farming) Ballet Russia earth belt (rich Infrastructure: Fabergé eggs Turkmenistan soil) Railroad, systems Music chernozem Land size Mountains (e.g., Ural of rivers, canals, and Icons Russia Mountains, which divide railroads dolls Matryoshka Kazakhstan Europe from Asia) Energy resources: Oriental carpets Turkmenistan Caucasus Hydroelectric power, oil, Samovars Population Siberia (the sleeping land), natural gas Russia located east of the Urals Russian natural resources Cultural landscape Kazakhstan Major oil, natural gas, and not fully developed due to Russian Orthodox churches Uzbekistan mineral resources climate, limited (e.g., St. Basil’s Cathedral, Water features transportation links, and Moscow) Volga River vastness of the country Red Square Ob River Foreign competition for Kremlin Amur investment in the region (oil Mosques, minarets Lake Baikal pipelines) Siberian villages Caspian Sea Widespread pollution Soviet-style apartment Aral Sea Shrinking of the Aral Sea blocks Bering Strait Political and economic Pacific Ocean difficulties after the breakup Cities as centers of culture and Arctic Ocean of the Soviet Union trade Some rivers flow northward Cotton production in Moscow to the Arctic Ocean Central Asia St. Petersburg Novosibirsk Countries Physical Characteristics Economic Characteristics Cultural Characteristics
Russia and Central Asia Location of countries, with particular emphasis on the countries listed below (selected on the basis of their per capita GDP, land size, and population) GDP Kazakhstan Russia Turkmenistan Land size Russia Kazakhstan Turkmenistan Population Russia Kazakhstan Uzbekistan Russia and Central Asia Vast land area: Spans two continents, Europe and Asia (covers 11 time zones) Vast areas of tundra, permafrost, taiga, and steppe Varied climatic regions earth belt (rich chernozem soil) Mountains (e.g., Ural Mountains, which divide Europe from Asia) Caucasus Siberia (the sleeping land), located east of the Urals Major oil, natural gas, and mineral resources Water features Volga River Ob River Amur Lake Baikal Caspian Sea Aral Sea Bering Strait Pacific Ocean Arctic Ocean Some rivers flow northward to the Arctic Ocean Russia and Central Asia Transition from communist to free market economy Farming and industry concentrated in the Fertile Triangle region, rich chernozem soils (wheat farming) Infrastructure: Railroad, systems of rivers, canals, and railroads Energy resources: Hydroelectric power, oil, natural gas Russian natural resources not fully developed due to climate, limited transportation links, and vastness of the country Foreign competition for investment in the region (oil pipelines) Widespread pollution Shrinking of the Aral Sea Political and economic difficulties after the breakup of the Soviet Union Cotton production in Central Asia Russia and Central Asia Diverse ethnic groups, customs, and traditions (many people of Turkic and Mongol heritage) Cultural heritage Ballet Fabergé eggs Music Icons Matryoshka dolls Oriental carpets Samovars Cultural landscape Russian Orthodox churches (e.g., St. Basil’s Cathedral, Moscow) Red Square Kremlin Mosques, minarets Siberian villages Soviet-style apartment blocks Cities as centers of culture and trade Moscow St. Petersburg Novosibirsk Countries Physical Characteristics Economic Characteristics Cultural Characteristics
world_geography_essential_knowledge.docx