What are the two notable mountain ranges in Russia?

Ural Mountains and Caucasus

Which two areas of Russia do the Ural Mountains separate?

European Russia and Siberian Russia

What kind of natural resources are the Ural Mountains rich in?
Iron ore and mineral fuels

Which two areas do the Caucasus Mountains separate?

Russia and countries to the south

What is the highest peak of the Caucasus Mountains?

Mount Elbrus

What is chernozem?
Rich, black soil that supports agriculture

Where does a majority of the Russian population live?

Southern part of the Northern European Plain

Describe Siberia.
Plains and plateaus... known for harsh continental climate and large swamps/wetlands

What is the second-largest country in Europe?

Ukraine

Describe the geography of Belarus.

Landlocked country, lots of lakes, numerous swamps and rivers, flat terrain

Why is the Volga River important and where is it mostly located?

Important commercial, transportation, and hydroelectric resource... Russia

What is the longest river in Ukraine?

The Dnieper River... functions the same as the Volga, but mostly important for supplying water
for Ukrainians

What is the oldest and deepest lake in the world and where is it located?
Lake Baikal, Russia

What is the permafrost?

A permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground

What are the steppes?

Broad, open grasslands

Which climate zone does Belarus and Ukraine both have?

Humid continental climate

What mineral resource is Russia a leading producer of?

Nickel... also aluminum, natural gas, gemstones

What resources are rich in Ukraine?

Iron, mountain wax, granite, and graphite

What was Kievan Rus?

Loose union of city-state Slav communities... Kiev was the leading one

Which group invaded Kiev?

Mongols

What did Peter the Great do?

Determined to modernize Russia... enlarged its territory, built a strong military, and developed
trade

What is Russification?
Government program that required everyone in the empire to speak Russian and become a
Christian

Who was the father of modern communism and which two principles did he advocate
for?
Karl Marx, public ownership of all land and means of production and a classless society with an
equal sharing of wealth

What triggered the Russian Revolution of 1917?

WW1... numerous strikes and demonstrations organized by Russian workers who suffered
hardships because of the war

What are satellites?

Countries controlled by another country

What weakened the Soviet Unions role in the world?

Enormous costs of the Soviet Unions military and inefficient economic policies

What is perestroika?
Restructuring, part of Gorbachevs plan for reforming the Soviet economy and government

What is glasnost?
Policy of greater political openness

Why does Russia want Chechnya?

Several vital oil and gas pipelines run through Chechen territory

Describe the conflict that happened in Crimea.

Russia wanted Crimea, most people are of Russian descent, so Russian troops moved in and
ordered elected officials out of office, Crimea became part of Russia in a sucession

Describe the population of Russia.

Shrinking, falling birthrates-- Russia is trying to pay families... mortality is also falling

How are old Soviet policies affecting Russians today?

Soviet government had been severely discouraging religious practices, and only now are they
returning to religion.... during the Soviet era, education was free and mandatory with an
emphasis on math, science, and engineering... now is more balanced but limited funding for
schools

Describe the role of women in the military during WW2.

Women fought in every branch but also took jobs in the wartime industrial workforce

Describe the status of women in Russia.

Many women marry later in life, have careers, and expected to be treated as equals

Describe the economy of Russia during the Soviet Union era.

Operated as a command economy (government makes economic decisions, owns banks,
factories, farms, mines, etc)... government decides what, how much, and where to produce...
unemployment was nearly nonexistent but wages were low

What is the black market?

Illegal trade in which scarce or illegal goods are sold at high prices

What did Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin do to try to help the command economy?
Gorbachev started moving the country towards a market economy (businesses being owned by
private individuals) and reduced government controls/encouraged foreign investment... Yeltsin
continued this and removed governmental price controls, encouraged privatization

What is Russias currency called?

A ruble

What is Russias most important industry?

Petroleum extraction and processing... also crude oil

Describe Ukraines situation with the EU.

Trying to join, but dependent on economic, political, and social criteria, trying to improve

Where has Russia been trying to access vast deposits of minerals, oil, and gas?
Arctic Ocean

Who is protesting the drilling of this area?

Environmentalist groups like Greenpeace

What controversial structure is Russia building?

A pipeline from Siberia to the Pacific Ocean... primary concern is with Lake Baikal

What is the problem with Russias fishing industry?

Ships are hauling up fish but only some of them are wanted and the rest is discarded,
unnecessary

Describe the Soviet Unions actions with nuclear technology that impacted the
environment.
Nuclear waste can remain radioactive for thousands of years, posing dangers to people and the
environment.... most is in storage facilities, but a lot were dumped into the water

What is happening to Siberia because of global warming?

Worlds largest peat bog can release methane into the atmosphere, permafrost used to cover
but now shallow lakes,