Unit 8- Northern Eurasia
Consequences of Aral Sea
80% volume lost, destruction of fisheries which has caused a loss of 60,000 jobs. Many respiratory health problems associated to the toxic dust that is blown around in the region
Exclave
A portion of a country geographically separated from the main part by surrounding alien territory
Tundra
Along Arctic coastline
Chechen separatism
Although part of Russia, the region of Chechnya follows Islam and is not ethically Russian. Chechnya has good reason to dislike Russia as historically, Russia has been cruel to the Chechens and has lied to them several times about possible autonomy
Nagorno-Karabakh
An area of Azerbaijan that is populated by ethnic Armenians. There is conflict over which country, Azerbaijan or Armenia, should control Nagorno-Karabakh
Silk Road
Ancient trade route connecting Europe to East Asia that ran through the Central Asian States
Socialist realism
Art style championed by the USSR
Communism as a political system
As a political system communism is categorized by one party rule, the Communist party. There are elections but the outcome of those elections is predetermined. Communist governments control,the economy as well as many aspects of daily life. While Communist countries have many issues, communist governments peroxide housing, health care, education, and often jobs for their citizens.
Joseph Stalin
Brutal leader of the USSR responsible for many deaths of citizens in the USSR as well as the expansion of communism after WWII
Caused Aral Sea to lose water
Caused by poorly planned irrigation efforts by the Soviet Union. They wanted to transform the arid area into wheat and cotton fields so they diverted some of the inflow waters to irrigation
Democratization
Changes in the Soviet political system to allow legitimate elections, multiple political parties, and open political discourse
Forest/taiga
Coniferous forest located in much of Siberia
Trans-Siberian Railroad
Connects Moscow to the Pacific port city of Vladivostok
Vladimir Putin
Current President of Russia
Lake Baikal
Deepest lake on the planet
Chernozem
Fertile, black dirt
Boris Yeltsin
Fist freely elected President of Russia
Distance decay
Government commands given to the regions located far away are often not followed such as occurred in the expansive USSR
Factor affecting climate
High latitude; prevailing winds from the Polar Easterlies; continentiality; cold Arctic Ocean currents
Mixed
In reality, all economies that are __________ contain aspects of command and free market principles
Caspian Sea
Largest inland sea on the planet. Disputed whether it is a lake or a sea because of the petroleum resources found there.
Mikhail Gorbachev
Last premier of USSR, instigator of sweeping reforms leading to the collapse of the USSR
Vladimir Lenin
Leader of the Communist Revolution of 1917 and first leader of the USSR
Long-term effects of Chernobyl
Legacy of health issues such as cancer; a very high rate of birth defects for children born in the area
Desert
Located in Central Asian States
Kamchatka Peninsula
Located to the Far East of Eurasia. Area close to the "Ring of Fire," that experiences volcanic and seismic activity
North European Plain
Located west of the Urals. Runs all the way to France. Throughout history it has been a "super highway" for invading armies and people moving.
Near Kiev, Ukraine
Location of Chernobyl
Aral Sea
Losing its water. It has lost at least 80% of its original volume
Effect of Soviet on culture and religion
Marx saw religion as an opiate of the masses, meaning it was not a good thing for communists to be involved in
European densities
Most of the population of this region live on the continent of Europe
Factors affecting population distribution in N. Eurasia
Most of the population of this region live on the continent of Europe as the climate there is more hospitable. As in most parts of the world, larger population centers are focused on manufacturing and trade and can be found along rivers and coasts
Siberian River Basins
Most rivers in the basin drain to the North into the Barrents Sea (Arctic Ocean)
Ural Mountains
Natural boundary between European Russia and Asiatic Russia
Golden Arches Theory
No countries that have McDonalds within their borders have ever gone to war.
Cultural contributions of N. Eurasia
Northern Eurasia has contributed to the arts significantly. Composers such as Tchaikovsky and Stravinsky are well known as is the famous Bolshoi ballet former of home of Basishnikov. Famous authors include Pushkin and Dostoyevsky
Chernobyl
Nuclear disaster in which great amounts of radiation were released
Economic
Outdated nuclear reactors often remain running as underfunded economies lack the resources to update or rebuild them; Russia is paid by other countries to dump nuclear waste within its borders
Window to the West
Peter the Great recognized the need for Russia to modernize and looked to Europe for guidance and inspiration. He moved the capital to the Baltic Sea port of St. Petersburg to facilitate interaction with Europe
Karl Marx
Philosopher that recorded the basic principles of communism
General Pattern of Landforms
Plains in the West. Mountains and highlands to the Far East. High mountains and lakes in the south
European Russia
Portion of Russia that is west of the Ural Mountains
Free market
Private individuals make economic decisions
Original "Great Game"
Refers to the battle over Central Asia between UK and Russia in the 1800s. Russia looked to expand while the UK feared losing possessions in India
"New Great Game"
Refers to the modern times as countries around the world attempt to gain control of oil resources in Central Asia
Transcaucasus
Region around the Caucasus mountains relatively located to southern Eurasia
Siberia
Region located east of the aural mountains. Very low population density. People live close to the Trans-Siberian railroad and also close to rivers and lakes
Central Asia
Region of south Central Eurasia. Made up primarily of the countries ending in "stan." Abundance of oil in Islam
Glasnot
Relaxed censorship and allowed greater freedom of expression in the USSR; Glasnot means "openness"
Russian/Bolshevik/Communist Revolution in 1917
Revolution in which the monarch of Russia (Czar) was toppled and the Communist Party took control
Reasons for Russia's current demographic situation
Russia has a declining population for several reasons such as lack of economic confidence in the future, chronic health issues, and the loss of a large number of males that fought in WWII
Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Churches are very distinct architecturally with their onion domes. During worship, the congregation stands the entire time
Why Russia fights in Chechnya
Russians see the Caucasus mountains as the natural, historic border for Russia in the South
Environmental
Safe disposal of nuclear waste has long been an issue in the region
Perestroika
Series of economic reforms attempting to move the USSR from a command economy to a Capitalist economy
Siberia's Rivers
Siberia's rivers flow north due to the location of highlands and mountains in the southern part of Northern Eurasia
Centrifugal forces
Size/ distance; ethnic/cultural/religious differences; economic collapse
General Winter
Sooner or later, invading armies in the region must struggle against the brutal Russian winter as well as the Russian troops
Volga River
Source is SE of St. Petersburg. The longest river in Europe/Eurasia. Empties into the Caspian Sea. 60% of all river traffic is on the Volga
Immediate effects of Chernobyl
Spread large cloud of radiation; deaths of first responders and employees; many people relocated
Baltic States
States that are located along the Baltic Sea... Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania
Effect on building construction in Siberia
Structures in Siberia must be built on stilts or the structure will melt the permafrost causing the structure to sink in and/ or collapse
Steppe
Sweeping temperate grasslands located mainly in Russia
Cold War
Tense period in USA/USSR relations over the containment and expansion of communism around the world
Political
Tensions between Russia and other countries of the security after the USSR collapsed over the location of nuclear missiles and their security
Choropleth mapping and conclusions
The Baltic states are the most developed region of Northern Eurasia due to their proximity to Europe, and indeed, membership in the EU. The Central Asian States and Transcaucasia are the least developed regions
Islam in N. Eurasia
The Central Asian States have strong tides to SW Asia and the main religion of that region, Islam. Islam is the main religion of Central Asian states and is also common in the Russian regions of Chechnya and Dagestan
Soviet Boundary Making
The Soviet created republics that contained large populations of several ethnic groups in an attempt to ensure that ethnic groups would focus on distrust amongst themselves rather than the Soviet government
Collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991
The USSR broke apart in 1991
USSR
The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, country created after the Communist Revolution
Importance of Kaliningrad
The exclave of Russia offers Russia a warm water port
Command/ Communism
The government makes all economic decisions
Centripetal and Centrifugal forces in The Caucasus
The major centripetal forces are language (Dagestan not Chechnya) and economic relations; centrifugal forces center on ethnic and religious differences
Communist urban landscape
There are many gigantic in former Soviet countries. The government of those countries provided housing to citizens. Apartments are the most efficient way to build and house larger populations
McDonald's in Russia
Was one of the first Western companies to come to the USSR/ Russia. It brought with it principles of a free market economy and these principles helped the ideas behind Perestroika
General Pattern of Climates
West= humid continental; north= tundra; east= subartic; south= semi-arid and desert