Russia – Geography – Flashcards
Unlock all answers in this set
Unlock answersquestion
Chernozem
answer
Rich black soil that supports the production of wheat and other crops.
question
Hydroelectric Power
answer
Energy generated by falling water.
question
Permafrost
answer
Permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground.
question
Tundra
answer
Vast, treeless plain in Northern Russia.
question
Taiga
answer
Forest belt in Russia's subarctic climate region.
question
Steppe
answer
Temperate grassland area with dry summers and cold, dry winters.
question
Harsh Climate
answer
Extreme weather makes human activity difficult.
question
Warm-Water Port
answer
Year-round access by ships.
question
Tundra Includes
answer
1. Very limited vegetation. 2. Very shallow soil over permafrost.
question
Subarctic Includes
answer
1. Includes the Taiga. 2. Snow cover for 120 to 150 days each year.
question
Humid Continental Includes
answer
1. Most of Russia's North European Plain. 2. Mild summer temperatures and excellent soil for grain crops.
question
Steppe Includes
answer
1. Temperate region with long, cold, dry winters and dry summers. 2. Vast grasslands and crops such as mint and beans.
question
How does Russia's climate affect its agriculture?
answer
In certain areas, Russia's climate is mild enough for farming, but most of Russia is too cold for successful farming.
question
How does Russia's physical geography contribute to its potential for world trade?
answer
Russia has natural resources and the Black Sea is the perfect warm-water port.
question
Russia is the world's coldest country.
answer
False. Coldest>Largest.
question
Russia spans 11 time zones; when it is noon in Moscow, it is 11 P.M. on Russia's Pacific Coast.
answer
True.
question
European Russia and Asian Russia are separated by the Caucasus Mountains.
answer
False. Caucasus>Ural.
question
Russia has warm-water ports on the Baikal Sea, which empties into the Aegean.
answer
False. Baikal>Black.
question
The lake with the largest surface area is the Black Sea in southwestern Russia.
answer
False. Black>Caspian.
question
European Russia's Dnieper River provides vital transportation links and hydroelectric power.
answer
False. Dnieper>Volga.
question
The great rivers of Siberia generally flow north into the Arctic Ocean.
answer
True.
question
Russia holds huge reserves of mineral resources, such as diamonds and coal.
answer
False. Diamonds>Oil.
question
Most of Russia cannot be farmed because of its dry climate.
answer
False. Dry>Cold.
question
Russia's flourishing tourist industry is important to the country's economy.
answer
False. Tourist>Fishing.
question
What are the characteristics of the climate and seasons in most of Russia?
answer
Russia has long, cold, dry winters and short, cool, dry summers.
question
Why does Siberia receive very little precipitation?
answer
Siberia is far from oceans and is in the higher latitudes.
question
What kind of temperature is typical of the tundra climate?
answer
The average temperature is below freezing.
question
Why does so little vegetation grow in the tundra?
answer
The tundra has a short growing season and thin soil above the permafrost.
question
What temperature and snowfall is typical of the subarctic climate?
answer
Its very cold and has snow cover for 120 to 250 days each year.
question
How large is the Taiga forest and what resource does it provide?
answer
The Taiga covers 2/5 of Siberia and provides soft wood timber.
question
Why do most Russians live in the country's mid-latitude climates?
answer
Its too cold in other places.
question
What types of vegetation are found in Russia's humid continental climate?
answer
Mixed forests, sunflowers, sugar, beets, and wheat.
question
How did the Russian winter of 1941 help defeat the German Army?
answer
The freezing cold stopped the German's machinery.
question
What are the recent challenges to the steppe ecosystem?
answer
Foreign plants are decreasing natural land fertility.
question
Nationality.
answer
General term for a major ethnic group.
question
Sovereignty.
answer
Self-rule.
question
Czar.
answer
Supreme ruler of Russia.
question
Socialism.
answer
Belief calling for greater economic equality.
question
Bolshevik.
answer
Member of a revolutionary group led by Lenin.
question
Communism.
answer
Philosophy calling for a new society led by workers.
question
Satellite.
answer
Country controlled by the Soviet Union.
question
Cold War.
answer
Struggle between communism and capitalism for world influence.
question
Perestroika.
answer
Policy of economic restructuring.
question
Glasnost.
answer
Policy of greater political openness.
question
Atheism.
answer
Belief that there is no god.
question
Islam.
answer
Second largest religion in Russia.
question
Buddhism.
answer
The religion of Tuva, Buryatia, and Kalmykia.
question
Pogrom
answer
Organised religious persecution.
question
Socialist realism.
answer
Artists glorified Soviet communism.
question
Ethnic diversity.
answer
Variety of ethnic groups.
question
Serfs.
answer
Impoverished workers.
question
Reform.
answer
Change intended as an improvement.
question
What did the Communists accomplish after they won the civil war in Russia?
answer
They regained the Ukraine, Belarus, and Caucasus regions.
question
In what new direction did Joseph Stalin take the country?
answer
Joseph Stalin made Russia an industrial giant.
question
What features influence Russia's population distribution?
answer
The cold weather and lack of ports are two major influences on Russia's population, as most people live in European Russia.
question
How has education changed since the collapse of the Soviet Union?
answer
The Soviet Union Era had mandatory, free education that focused mostly on math, science, and engineering. Now, schools have a balanced approach to teaching as they teach: math, science, engineering, history, language, and literature.
question
Slavs Include.
answer
Serbs, Poles, and Ukrainians.
question
Turkic Peoples Include.
answer
Tatars, Chuvash, Bashkivs, and Sakha.
question
Caucasians Include.
answer
Chechens, Dagestanis, and Ingushetians.
question
The Soviet government disapproved of religion and instead promoted _______.
answer
Atheism.
question
Russia is made up of more than 70 _______________.
answer
Distinct gruous.
question
Only ___ of the population lives in two-thirds of Russia's land area.
answer
15%.
question
Most Russians who claim a religious affiliation belong to the ________________ church.
answer
Russian Orthodox.
question
Russian Slavs dominate Russia's ________ and culture.
answer
Politics.
question
The second largest ethnic group in Russia is the _____________.
answer
Turkic people.
question
Russia's population is _________ because of poor health care and a low birthrate.
answer
Shrinking.
question
The Caucasian peoples consist of the Chechens, Dagestanis, and ____________.
answer
Ingushetians.
question
Some of the world's greatest literature comes from Russian authors such as ______________________ who wrote Gulag Archipelago.
answer
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.
question
Soviet "socialist _______" strangled artistic expression in Russia.
answer
Realism.
question
May 1, or ______, was a workers' holiday in Soviet Russia, but today it is just a spring celebration.
answer
Mayday.
question
Since 1991, ____ have returned to their homeland.
answer
Jews.
question
Southeastern Russia is the home of the _____________.
answer
Turkic peoples.
question
Since 1990, urban population growth in most industrialized cities has _________.
answer
Decreased.
question
Prominent educators, writers , artists, and scientists made up the Soviet _____.
answer
Union.
question
In the A.D. 600s, Slavs settled near (cities/waterways) on the North European Plain.
answer
Waterways.
question
Kievan Rus was a loose union of (city-states/ethnic groups) organized by the Varangians.
answer
City-states.
question
Ivan the Great, king of the Muscovites, built a huge fortress called the (Kremlin/Muscovy).
answer
Kremlin.
question
Ivan the Terrible expanded Russian territory and became the country's supreme ruler, called a(n) (emperor/czar)
answer
Czar.
question
By the late 1600s, Peter the Great had (conquered/modernized) Russia, built portsm and encouraged trade.
answer
Modernized.
question
Because of government oppression and extreme poverty, many Russians were drawn to a belief in economic equality known as (feudalism/socialism).
answer
Socialism.
question
The Bolsheviks, who believed in (socialism/communism), took control of the government in November 1917.
answer
Communism.
question
After winning the civil war, the Bolsheviks established a new (country/army).
answer
Country.
question
Countries in the region controlled by the Soviet Union were called (satellites/provinces)
answer
Satellites.
question
The Cold War was the struggle between communism and (socialism/capitalism) for world influence.
answer
Capitalism.
question
Mikhail Gorbachev began to restructure Russia's economy through a policy called (glasnost/perestroika).
answer
Perestroika.
question
The Soviet Union collapsed when all the Soviet Republics declared (war/independence).
answer
Independence.
question
The move from a command economy to a (market/industrial) economy brought severe economic hardship to Russians.
answer
Market.
question
Russia's stability has been threatened by (separatist/socialist) movements.
answer
Separatist.
question
Highest point in Russia.
answer
Mount Elbrus.
question
What percent of Russians live in the North European Plain?
answer
75 percent.
question
Volga River
answer
Fourth longest river in Russia and longest river in Europe.
question
How much of Russia's land is suitable for farming?
answer
10 percent.
question
Black Earth Belt
answer
Ukraine to southwestern Russia.
question
How much of the world's forest is in Siberia?
answer
One fifth.
question
Coldest temperature.
answer
-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
question
Tundra.
answer
Covers 10 percent of Russia.
question
Taiga.
answer
World's largest coniferous forest.
question
How many Russians are ethnic Russians?
answer
80 percent.
question
How many different ethnic groups are in Russia?
answer
Over 100.
question
Russia.
answer
World's sixth most populous country. 22 people per square mile.
question
Ivan IV.
answer
First crowned czar of Russia.
question
St. Petersburg.
answer
Window to the west.
question
Karl Marx
answer
Belief in a workers' revolution.
question
Nicholas II.
answer
Forced to give up his throne.
question
Lenin.
answer
First Communist leader.
question
Stalin's policies
answer
Caused many Russians to starve or die.
question
Mikhail Gorbachev.
answer
Responsible for glasnost.
question
Education.
answer
Nearly one hundred percent of Russians are literate.