Physical Geography
This railroad links Russia's European and Pacific ports
Trans-Siberian Railway
Most modern Russians are descendants of this ethnicity
Slavs
The largest continuous forest on earth
taiga
The legislative branch of Russia's national government
Federal Assembly
The restructuring of the Soviet system which hastened its collapse
Perestroika
With more than 1/10th of the world's land _____________, Russia is the largest country in the world
area
This title refers to the rulers of Russia from 1547-1917
czar
A high mountain located in Russia
Mount Elbrus
Large region or administrative district similar to a state or province
oblast
"openness"
glasnost
Most Russians live around these two cities
Moscow St. Petersburg
Leader of the Russia Revolution of 1917
Vladimir Lenin
The rich soil of Russia's European Plain region
chernozem
Russia's 21 self-governing areas where most of the population, power, and status reside
autonomous republics
Despite his attempts to improve life for Russians in the Soviet Union, a majority of the people desired freedom
Gorbachev
European Russia lies west of these mountains
Ural Mountains
Another name for Russia and its satellite states during the period of Communist rule
Soviet Union
This river is the longest river in Europe
Volga River
Ten large sparsely populated areas in northern Russia
okrug
He formed the CIS to retain economic ties among former Soviet states
Boris Yeltsin
Russia's greatest obstacle
Soviet past
He created the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
Vladimir Lenin
Lake formed from tectonic plate separation
Lake Baikal
Six territories that are governed by Moscow
krais
He increased his presidential power and began centralizing Russian government
Putin