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Russia Today
The Big Idea
Russia is a federal republic with a growing market economy
but faces tough challenges.
Main Ideas
• The Russian Federation is working to develop democracy
and a market economy.
• Russia’s physical geography, cities, and economy define its
many culture regions.
• Russia faces a number of serious challenges.
Main Idea 1:
The Russian Federation is working to
develop democracy and a market economy.
Government
Economy
• Russian leaders have struggled
to change from communism to
democracy.
• Russia is moving toward a
market economy, based on free
trade and competition.
• The Russian Federation is a
federal republic, a system in
which power is divided between
national and local governments.
• The Russian government has
greatly reduced its control of
the economy.
• Increased democracy has led to
more freedom for Russians.
• Problems such as government
corruption, or dishonesty, have
slowed the development of a
free society in Russia.
• Russia produces and exports oil,
natural gas, timber, metals,
chemicals, and crops.
• Service industries now make up
the largest part of economy.
City and Rural Life
City Life
• About 75 percent of all Russians live in cities.
• Most live in small apartments in high-rise buildings.
• More restaurants and shopping centers are available with a
wider range of consumer goods.
• Cities often have large parks and wooded areas in and around
them.
Rural Life
• About 25 percent of all Russians live in rural areas.
• Many live in houses.
• Many richer Russians own dachas, or Russian country
houses.
Main Idea 2:
Russia’s physical geography, cities, and
economy define its many culture regions.
• Russia has six main culture regions
– Differ in features such as population, natural resources, and
economic activity
• Four western culture regions make up Russia’s heartland.
– Home to the vast majority of Russia’s people, the country’s
capital, and largest cities
– Most productive farming area
Western Culture Regions
Moscow Region
• Moscow is Russia’s capital and
largest city.
• Center of government is housed
at the Kremlin, in the heart of
the city.
• Most important economic area
• Transportation center
Volga Region
• Volga River is a major shipping
route.
• Dams along its route form lakes
and provide hydroelectric power.
• Factories produce oil and gas.
• Caspian Sea provides sturgeon
and black caviar, a costly
delicacy.
St. Petersburg Region
• St. Petersburg was once the
capital city and home to czars.
• Theaters and museums enrich
the city’s cultural life.
• Its location on the Gulf of Finland
has made it a major port and
trade center.
Urals Region
• Important mining region
• Produce nearly every major
mineral
• Smelters, factories that process
metal ores, process copper and
iron.
• Also known for gems and
semiprecious stones
Siberia and the Russian Far East
Siberia
Russian Far East
• Siberia means ―Sleeping Land‖
in Tatar language.
• Long coastline region along the
Pacific Ocean
• Winters long and severe
• Land is heavily forested
• Remote region with many
valuable, but difficult to
access, resources.
• In the few cities, factories
process forest and mineral
resources.
• Main industries are lumber,
mining, and oil production.
• Farming in the Amur River
valley
• Jobs there pay high wages, but
few people chose to live there.
• City of Vladivostok is a naval
base and the area’s main
seaport.
• Cities tend to follow the TransSiberian Railroad, the world’s
longest single rail line that runs
from Moscow to Vladivostok.
• Islands off the coast provide
oil, minerals, and commercial
fishing.
Main Idea 3:
Russia faces a number of serious
challenges.
• Russia has made great progress since 1991, but challenges
remain.
• Shift to a market economy has brought problems.
– Prices and unemployment have risen.
– Gap between rich and poor has widened.
• Population is falling—more Russians are dying than are being
born.
• Soviet government did little to prevent pollution.
– Environment has been severely harmed.
– Government must repair damage.
• Ethnic conflicts have resulted in fighting and terrorism.
– One of the worst conflicts is in Chechnya in the Caucasus
Mountains.