Wrg 11e lecture_ch05
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This document provides an overview of Northern Eurasia, including the physical geography, climate, natural resources and development challenges facing countries in the region like Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia and Armenia. It summarizes the transition of the Soviet Union to independent states and the ongoing effects of history, environment and conflicts on regional development.
Wrg 11e lecture_ch05
- 1. Chapter 5 Lecture © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. World Regional Geography A Developmental Approach 11th Edition Northern Eurasia
- 2. Chapter Learning Outcomes • Outline how the opportunities and constraints of Northern Eurasia’s resources and environment affect development. • Describe how the history of Russia and the Soviet Union has shaped the context of development today. • Explain how the “transition” from Communism diverged from expectations and led to the current situation. • Account for the significance of “the power vertical” and “crony capitalism” in Northern Eurasian development. • Characterize Russia’s relationships with its neighbors and the rest of the world. • Understand Ukraine’s predicament, located between Europe and Russia and divided internally between east and west. • Identify the significance of oil and gas, both for the “haves” and the “have-nots.” • Explore the reasons why development is a spatially uneven process in which some areas excel, while others flounder. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 3. The Map © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 4. The Countries of Northern Eurasia © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 5. The Countries of Northern Eurasia © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 6. Countries of Northern Eurasia • Russia • Belarus • Ukraine • Georgia • Armenia • Azerbaijan © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 7. Landforms • West – Immense Eurasian landmass – No obstacles to movement of air masses or intrusion of cold air from Arctic or Siberia – Ural Mountains • Up to a maximum of 6,250 feet in remote north • Rarely exceeds 5,000 feet in settled areas. – As a result, fairly uniform climatic conditions • South – Caucasus Mountains – Between Black and Caspian Seas and Transcaucasian lands to the South – Highly diverse • East – Rugged, eroded plateaus – River valleys – Most of the area east of the Yenisey River is isolated and inhospitable. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 8. Natural Regions of Northern Eurasia © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 9. Natural Regions • Exceptionally large bands of essentially uniform vegetation and natural regions • Tundra • Taiga • Mixed forest • Deciduous broadleaf forest • Forest steppe • Steppe • Semidesert • Desert © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 10. Tundra, Permafrost, Taiga • Tundra – Region stretches across Russia’s Arctic shore. – In places, extends southward to hundreds of miles in Siberia – No trees grow in the tundra because of the short growing season, infertile soil, and shallow active layer insufficient for tree roots. • Permafrost—Permanently frozen Earth • Taiga – Russian word for boreal forest – Northern forest dominated by conifers, which Russia has more than any other country. – Covers much of Northern Russia west of Urals – Most of Siberia © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 11. Steppe and Chernozem • Steppe – Areas below Baltic states – Bordering Central Asia (dominates much of Kazakhstan) – South of mixed forest region – Low levels of variability of precipitation makes agriculture difficult. • Chernozem—“black earth” – Soil rich with organic matter – Appears as dark as compost © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 12. Climate • Formidable mountain systems – Rise to the South in Central Asia and in the East – Blocks Pacific’s influence from all but a small area of the Russian Far East • High-latitude location – Little isolation in winter – Long days in summer • Great size of landmass – Stretches 6,200 miles (10,000 km) west to east – 1200 miles (2000 km) north to south • Region marked by long, relatively dry, and very cold winters and short, but surprisingly warm, summers. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 13. Agricultural Zones © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 14. Environmental Challenges • General pollution • Disasters such as Chernobyl and Chelyabinsk • Oil pipelines and production • Natural gas production © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 15. Chernobyl • Major nuclear disaster • A 30-km radius of Chernobyl, Ukraine was abandoned. • U.S.S.R. took 20 days to formally acknowledge the disaster. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 16. Natural Resources of Northern Eurasia © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 17. Major Language Groups of Northern Eurasia © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 18. Industrial Regions and Selected Cities © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 19. Russian Empire • Big in landmass, but backward in trade, technology, and modern culture • Tsar—“Caesar” • Tsar Peter – Introduced new ideas and technology from the West – Retained fundamental principle of service to the state – Modernized the army – Created the navy – Canals and St. Petersburg • Catherine “the Great” – Nurtured arts and education – Did not allow ideas and technology from West to affect governance – Acquired land through conquest • Defeated in Crimean War in 1853 • Rural population more than doubled in 50 years. • Industrial work and living conditions were harsh. • 1860s—Embarked on Trans-Siberian Railway • 1905 revolution – Tsar allowed a Duma as a representative body. – But overcame through further repression and violence © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 20. Russia Through the Ages © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 21. The U.S.S.R. • Created as a result of 1917 revolution • Bolsheviks, led by Lenin • Initially led to chaos • Leadership to be exercised by a hierarchy of “Soviets,” but was dominated by the Communist Party. • 1920s—New Economic Plan (NEP) • Stalin – Emphasized heavy industrial production – Control from the center by Great Russians (white Russians) – Fomented discontent amongst non-Russian ethnicities – Led U.S.S.R. through World War II © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 22. Cold War U.S.S.R. • East/West global divide • Soviet “client states” – Eastern Europe – Cuba – Parts of Africa • Major production of “arms race”—Essentially made the U.S.S.R. go broke. • 1980s—Veneer begins to break. – Gorbachev brings new attitude. – Glasnost – Perestroika – A desire to preserve, not destroy, the U.S.S.R. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 23. Gorbachev Reforms • Attempts at “reform” within the Communist system spurred by Gorbachev. – Glasnost (openness) – Demokratia (democracy) – Perestroika (restructuring) © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 24. Disintegration of the U.S.S.R. • Attempt to retain some measure of union through the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) • Loose confederation • U.S.S.R. breaks up into over two dozen countries broken down along ethnic lines. • Some countries form unions with Russia afterward. • Some areas resist (Chechnya). © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 25. Breakup into Separate Countries • The Russian Federation • Ukraine • Armenia • Azerbaijan • Belarus • Georgia • Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan • Baltic states—Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania • Moldova © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 26. Russia Today • Created in 1991 • Wide swath of territory, ethnicities, cultures, and languages • Strong support from International Monetary Fund (IMF) – Slow recovery in mid-1990s – Crash in 1998 – Ruble devalued • Yeltsin is the first president. • Vladimir Putin is successor. – Not party affiliated; a party formulated around him. – There is some suggestion that he is moving Russia back toward autocratic rule. – Appointment of governors to maintain local control © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 27. North Caucasus / Problems © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 28. Ukraine • Almost as big as Texas and larger than any country in Europe • Mostly consists of rolling steppe land with extremely fertile chernozem soil. • Continental climate similar to the upper Midwest of United States. • A century ago, called the “breadbasket of Europe” • Better suited to grow wheat than Russia due to sufficiently mild climate to permit fall planting. • Industry was world-renowned before breakup of U.S.S.R. • Coal, iron ore, and manganese—All essential for steel production © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 29. Russia Influence in Ukraine • Russians are the largest minority. • Russian language is the most common language. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 30. Belarus • Two-thirds as large as neighboring Poland • About the size of Kansas • Soviets systematically developed Belarus for industry. • Country remained dependent—especially for industry. • Lukashenko election in 1994 – Hostile to West – Deals with countries deemed rogue states by United States • 1999—Russia and Belarus agreed in principle to a union of the two, but Russia has neither repudiated the agreement nor moved to implement it. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 31. Armenia • Nearly as large as Maryland • Population of 3 million • On a plateau with a dry, continental climate • Armenian ancestral homeland lies in Turkey, so there is a strong connection there. • Much of Armenia relies on investments from abroad. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 32. Azerbaijan • Close in size to Armenia • Population is predominantly Turkic Muslim. • Karabakh War has taken a great toll. • Current economic growth is because of petroleum. • Even as far back as 1900, it accounted for half of the world’s oil production. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 33. Georgia • Approximately the same size as Belarus and Armenia • 2003 “Rose Revolution” ousted former Russian ally. • Economy growing at acceptable rate • Ossetia has been a problem region, where a separatist movement is occurring. Mass violence is occurring. • Many bitter feelings across country © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.
- 34. Summary of Chapter • The formidable physical conditions found in Northern Eurasia and the remoteness of most locations inevitably add to the costs of development. • Northern Eurasian countries have yet to complete the dual transition that has been expected of them— to become democracies with market economies. • Georgia and Armenia still have a long, hard climb to attain prosperity, and both must avoid future violent conflicts if they hope to succeed. • Russia’s course will be crucial for the whole region. © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.