Chapter 15Chapter 15

A Land of ExtremesA Land of Extremes

• One of the world’s most fertile soils, One of the world’s most fertile soils, chernozem/black earth, is abundant chernozem/black earth, is abundant on the Northern European Plain. on the Northern European Plain.

• Nearly 75% of the region’s 290 Nearly 75% of the region’s 290 million people live on this plain. million people live on this plain.

• The Ural Mountains are responsible The Ural Mountains are responsible for separating the Northern for separating the Northern European and West Siberian plains. European and West Siberian plains. They pretty much divide Europe They pretty much divide Europe from Asia. (Eurasia)from Asia. (Eurasia)

• The largest lakes in the region are The largest lakes in the region are the Caspian and Aral Sea.the Caspian and Aral Sea.

• Lake Baikal is unique because it is Lake Baikal is unique because it is the world’s deepest lake and holds the world’s deepest lake and holds 20 percent of the world’s fresh 20 percent of the world’s fresh water.water.

• Coal, iron ore, natural gas and Coal, iron ore, natural gas and timber are resources found timber are resources found throughout Russia.throughout Russia.

• Because many resources are located Because many resources are located in climatically severe areas of in climatically severe areas of Siberia it is hard to transport these Siberia it is hard to transport these materials from one place to the next.materials from one place to the next.

• Because Russia is so large the Because Russia is so large the climate varies from place to place. climate varies from place to place. Much of the region is hundreds of Much of the region is hundreds of miles from seas. miles from seas. This leads to This leads to continentality, which causes low continentality, which causes low precipitation and extreme precipitation and extreme temperatures.temperatures.

• Due to the weather being so cold, Due to the weather being so cold, many Siberians use frozen rivers and many Siberians use frozen rivers and lakes as roads for part of the year. lakes as roads for part of the year.

• The largest forest on earth is the The largest forest on earth is the taiga. The taiga contains coniferous taiga. The taiga contains coniferous tress for the most part. Animals such tress for the most part. Animals such as fox, elk, bear and wolves make as fox, elk, bear and wolves make their homes in this region. their homes in this region.

The Aral SeaThe Aral Sea

• The Aral Sea has lost about 80 The Aral Sea has lost about 80 percent of its water since 1960 percent of its water since 1960 because officials have diverted water because officials have diverted water from the two major rivers that feed from the two major rivers that feed the Aral Sea. the Aral Sea.

• Pollution from pesticides and Pollution from pesticides and fertilizers have killed many fish and fertilizers have killed many fish and caused health problems for many caused health problems for many residents in the area. residents in the area.

Trans-Siberian RailroadTrans-Siberian Railroad

• The rails had to be laid across The rails had to be laid across thousands of miles of a bitter cold, thousands of miles of a bitter cold, undeveloped region.undeveloped region.

• It was built to speed up travel and It was built to speed up travel and populate the region so that its populate the region so that its resources could be developed.resources could be developed.

• Millions of settlers came and Millions of settlers came and resources such as coal and iron ore resources such as coal and iron ore were extracted.were extracted.

• The distance covered was more than The distance covered was more than 5,700 miles and the tracks crossed 5,700 miles and the tracks crossed seven different time zones. It took seven different time zones. It took 70,000 workers to construct the 70,000 workers to construct the railroad system.railroad system.