Landforms and Resources

Chapter 15, Section 1

MAJOR GEOGRAPHIC QUALITIES

Largest country in the world. Former colonial power. Population and development

concentrated in the west (west of Ural Mountains).

Culturally diverse, but dominated by the Russian culture.

Ports are limited due to climate/ice.

RUSSIA’S DIMENSIONS

Spans 11 Time Zones From East to West: Gulf of Finland

to Alaska From North to South: Above the

Arctic Circle to Salt Lake Twice the size of the United States

Northern European Plain Chernozem-

black earth is abundant in the plain

75% of population lives in this plain

West Siberian Plain

Plain tilts northward causing rivers to flow into the Arctic Ocean

Central Siberian Plateau Between Yenisey and Lena Rivers Average height = 1000 to 2000 ft

Russia Far East Complex system of volcanic

ranges Kamchatka Peninsula contains

120 volcanoes – 20 are still active

Caucasus Mountains Stretch across the land that

separates the Black and Caspian Seas

form the border between Russia and Transcaucasia

Drainage basins

An area drained by a major river and its tributaries (smaller rivers that flow into the big river)

Arctic Ocean is the region’s biggest with the Ob, Yenisey, and Lena rivers draining an area of more than 3 million sq. mi.

The area where water runs off the land surface to the stream is the drainage basin (or watershed) for the stream. The larger the stream, the larger its drainage basin.

Small streams run downhill and feed larger streams. These are tributaries to the larger stream.

The largest stream draining an area is called the trunk stream. A high-standing area separates one drainage basin from another. That area is called the divide.

Rivers Volga – Europe’s longest river

flows for 2,300 miles

Lakes Caspian Sea – actually a saltwater

lake– Stretches N to S 750 miles = longest

inland sea

Lakes Aral Sea – saltwater lake Has lost 80% of water volume since

1960s

Lake Baikal Located in Southern Russia,

north of Mongolia Deepest lake in the world at

more than a mile at its deepest point

400 miles N to S Holds 20% of the world’s

fresh water 1200 unique species live

there

Baikal seal - Nerpa

Resource Management

Harsh climate, rugged terrain and large area make removing and transporting goods difficult

Environmental damage Hydroelectric power plants

discharge hot water known as thermal pollution which damages plant and animal life