Russia and the Republics Ch 15 Northern Landforms

Russia and the Republics Ch 15

Northern Landforms • Intro – 1/6 of world landmass • North European Plain – Lowland – In west to Ural Mtns – Chernozem – fertile soil of plain » Lots of agriculture here – 75% of population – Moscow (Russian cap), St Petersburg, Kiev (Ukraine)

West Siberian Plain – E of Urals to Yenisey R – Arctic O to foothills of Altay Mtns – Slopes downhill to N » Rivers drain to Arctic O

Central Siberian Plateau and Russian Far East • • • Uplands and mtns dominant High plateaus • 1 -2000 ft Far East • E of Lena R • Volcanic ranges • Kamchatka peninsula 120 volcanoes 20 active • Sakhalin, Kuril Islands Seized from Japan after WWII Japan still claims

Southern landforms • Caucasus and Other Mtns – Caucasus » btw Black and Caspian Seas » form border btw Russia and Transcaucasia Trans= Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia – Further east » Tian Shan and others » Southeastern border of Central Asia Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan » Block moisture from south Create arid climate in central Asia

Turan Plain – Lowlands – East of Caspian – 2 rivers » Syr Darya » Amu Darya – Very dry area – 2 deserts » Kara Kum » Kyzyl Kum

Rivers and Lakes • Drainage Basins and Rivers – Drainage basin=area drained by river + tributaries – Arctic Basin » Ob » Yenisey » Lena 3=1, 750, 000 cubic ft/sec – Caspian » Volga Longest river in Europe 60% Russia’s river traffic

Volga drainage basin

Lakes – Caspian » Saltwater » 750 mi N-S » Largest inland sea-world – Aral » Saltwater » Lost 80% water since 1960 » Extensive irrigation » Vanish soon

Aral Sea

Lake Baikal – Deepest in world » 1 mile – 400 mi N-S – 20% world’s fresh water – 1200 species unique to lake

Regional Resources • • Intro – Lots of resources – Transportation difficult Abundant Resources – Coal – Iron, metals – Oil & gas – Forests » 1/5 world total – Hydroelectricrivers • Resource Management – Harvest and transport difficult » Harsh climate » Long distances – Siberia » Source of many resources » In far east – long distances » Frigid temps – Environmental damage » Mining » Oil/gas production » Thermal pollution » Hot discharge from dams/hydroel plants » Little govt control of pollution

Forests

An explosion at Russia's largest power generator—the Sayano-Shushenkaya hydroelectric plant in Siberia—has killed at least 12 people, and another 64 are thought to be lost in the wreckage. It's an environmental disaster of monumental proportions: in addition to the tragic deaths, the damaged plant has released an oil slick over 10 miles of the surface of nearby Yenisei River August, 2009