Chapter 04

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Chapter 4

Russia and Neighboring Countries

New Relationships

Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) Commonwealth of Independent States

Organization of cooperation between of 12 of 15 former Soviet republics

Subregions Slavic countries: Russia, Ukraine, Belarus,

Moldova Southern Caucasus: Georgia, Armenia,

Azerbiajan Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan,

Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan

Natural Environment

Northerly location and continentality Plateaus, Plains, and Major River Valleys Desert, Grassland, Forest, and Tundra

Steppe grasslands Black earth soils (chernozems) Brown earth soils Northern coniferous forest (taiga) Podzol soils Tundra Permafrost

Natural Environment

Environmental Problems Oil Pollution Pollution at Norilsk Nuclear pollution

Aral Sea Contraction Threatened Fisheries Global Environmental Policies

Crossroads, Imperialism, and Cultural Diversity

Political evolution of Russia up to World War I Eastern Slavs

Rus Muscovy

The Russian Empire Russification

The Soviet Union Competing for Control Five-Year Plans World War II

Global Changes and Local Responses

Post-World War II emergence as a superpower Communism at an Economic Standstill Perestroika & Glasnost Human Rights

Gulags & the Great Terror Solzhenitsyn & Sakharov War in Chechnya Status of women

Global Changes and Local Responses

Population Distribution and Patterns Greatest concentration in western Russia East of Urals: along Transportation-Siberian

Railroad to Lake Baikal Ethnic Russians in the “Near Abroad” Most Armenians & Azerbaijanis do not live in their

respective countries

Global Changes and Local Responses

Population Dynamics Slavic countries: stable or declining populations Virgin & Idle Lands Campaign Urbanization

Areas that lack good agricultural land Areas that emphasize urban-industrial development

Urban landscapes Secret cities

The Slavic Countries

Countries Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus Moldova included as well

Not entirely Slavic but many Slavs live there and it is tied closely to the Slavic countries

Economic hardship Transition from Communism to capitalism

Foreign Investment and Trade

The Slavic Countries

Political Divisions Republics, krays, oblasts, federal cities, okrugs Autonomous political units

North European and Middle Volga-Urals North Caucasus Siberia and the Far East Territories of the Far North

Heartland and Hinterland in Russia Science, Sports, and Society

The Southern Caucasus

Countries Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan

Rugged, mountainous region Oil resources Culture

Very diverse Christianity: Georgians & Armenians Islam: Azerbaijanis (Shia)

The Southern Caucasus

Ethnic Peace and Conflict Georgia: Ossetians & Abkhaz Persecution of Armenians & the Armenian

genocide Armenia & Azerbaijan

Nagorno-Karabakh

Central Asia

Countries Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan,

Tajikistan, Uzbekistan The countries occupy strategic geopolitical

positions Turkestan

Landlocked Arid & semiarid climates dominate

Islam Silk Road

Central Asia

Resistance to Russification People: Ethnic Conflict

Soviet definition of boundaries Fergana Valley

Titular groups & ethnic minorities

Central Asia

Economic issues Historical orientation toward Russia Drop in GDP following independence Oil Natural gas Cotton Water