Key Vocab
What is the term for a large, flat area of land that is higher than the land around it?
a plateau
What is the longest river in Europe?
The Volga River
What is Russia’s approximate population?
~143 million
What type of biome is the taiga?
A cold forest biome dominated by coniferous trees
What is the rain shadow effect?
When mountains block moist air, causing dry conditions on the leeward side
What type of map shows the elevation and shape of the land’s surface?
a relief map
What is the tallest mountain in Europe?
(100 Bonus: what mountain range is it part of?)
Mount Elbrus
(The Caucasus)
What is one major trend in Russia’s population and one reason for it?
A decreasing or aging population
Causes include: low birth rate, low fertility rate, aging population, and higher death rates
Which biome is treeless and found in very cold climates?
Tundra
What is one positive impact of thawing permafrost for Russia?
Easier access to natural resources or new shipping routes
What do you call a large area with similar climate, plants, and animals?
a biome
In what year did the Soviet Union officially end and the Russian Federation begin?
1991
Name 6 countries that border Russia.
(100 Bonus: Name Russia's exclave.)
Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, China, Mongolia, North Korea
(Kaliningrad)
What are the five main climate zones found in Russia?
Tundra, Sub-Arctic, Humid Continental, Semi-Arid, Mountain (Alpine)
What is one negative impact of thawing permafrost?
Damage to buildings and infrastructure, release of greenhouse gases, or unstable ground
What word describes a climate that is very dry and receives little rainfall?
arid
Which determines the other: climate or biome?
Climate dictates biome
Why do most people in Russia live west of the Ural Mountains?
Milder climate, better farmland, more cities, better infrastructure, and historical development in the west
What are the five main biomes found in Russia?
Tundra, Taiga, Steppe, Temperate Forest, Mountain (Alpine)
Why is precipitation generally low in Siberia? (3 reasons)
1) Cold air holds less moisture, leading to less precipitation
2) Being far from the sea reduces moisture in the air.
3) Moist air blocked by mountains, creating a rain shadow effect
What is the name for a large, flat, treeless grassland?
a steppe
What is the largest city built on permafrost in Siberia?
Yakutsk
Is Russia experiencing a natural decrease or natural increase in its population?
What is meant by a natural decrease/increase in population?
Natural decrease
Natural decrease = when the death rate is higher than the birth rate
What is the main difference between coniferous and deciduous trees?
Coniferous trees have needles and stay green year-round; deciduous trees have leaves that fall seasonally
How could melting Arctic sea ice benefit Russia economically?
(Bonus 100: What is an EEZ?)
Expanded exclusive economic zone access, new shipping routes, and resource extraction opportunities in the Arctic Ocean.
(an area of ocean that extends up to about 370 km from a country’s coastline, where that country has special rights to explore, use, and manage natural resources)