Name _______________________________________ Period _________ Date___________________
Essentials in World Regional Geography
Reading Guide: Chapter 6
Pages 138-173
A Geographic Profile of Russia & the Near Abroad
1. What group controlled this region between 1917 and 1991? Where was this power
centralized?
2. What happened in 1991 that changed the political landscape of this region?
3. What was the Russian goal for the region following 1991? What event does the book
mention destroyed that goal? Are there any more recent events that have shown Russia
still seeking this goal?
4. Why has there been much debate, among geographers, concerning what countries to
include in this region of study?
5. Why do the author’s make direct mention of Russia in their title for this region?
6.1 – Area & Population
6. How many times bigger is Russia than the U.S.?
7. Compared to the other regions studied in the text, where does Russia & the Near
Abroad rank in size? Population?
8. How do the growth rates of Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus compare to the Central Asian
countries? Why such a contrast?
6.2 – Physical Geography & Human Adaptation
9. How has the physical geography of much of this region hampered economic
development?
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10. Why does the region of Siberia suffer from such severe cold for much of the year?
11. How do many Russians enjoy nature during the brief warm summers?
12. What is permafrost? In what climate belt(s) is it found in?
13. How does permafrost affect the human development of those regions?
14. What is the Taiga? What possible dangers does it face? Why?
15. Definitions & Insights (p.144) What is the “Russian Cross?” What is causing it?
16. What is chernozem? Why is it so important? Where is it found?
17. What crop is most commonly grown in the deserts of Central Asia? How is this
possible?
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18. What is the most important river of in the region? Why?
19. The Worlds Great Rivers What was the Great Volga Scheme? Why was it created?
20. What landform in central Russia makes ground travel next to impossible? Why?
6.3 – Cultural & Historical Geographies
21. What small sub-region is extremely diverse both ethnically and linguistically? Why do
you think this region is so diverse? (Hint: Map on p. 150)
22. What peoples have populated this region since the early centuries, and have come to
dominate it today?
23. What great influence did the Byzantine Empire have on Russians?
24. How did the Bolshevik/communist rule affect the culture of the region?
25. How was the expansion of the Russian empire different from the expansion of the
Western European empires during the same period?
26. Why was St. Petersburg considered Russia’s “Window on the West?”
27. What was the scorched earth strategy used by both Russia and the Soviet Union in
defense from invaders?
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28. What event helped the communists take over the Russian Empire and establish the
Soviet Union?
29. Who were the Soviet Union’s allies in World War II?
6.4 – Economic Geography
30. What two groups did Karl Marx view to be in a constant struggle throughout history,
which will be the central theme of communism?
31. Describe a communist society as described by Marx.
32. Did this vision ever come to fruition? Explain.
33. Describe the Soviet command economy.
Fill in the following chart concerning the results of the Soviet Command Economy. Include
gigantomania, collectivized agriculture, and welfare state
Successes
Failures
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34. What changes in 1985 did new Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev bring?
35. Why did Gorbachev feel these changes were needed?
36. How did Gorbachev’s and Boris Yeltsin’s views differ concerning the direction of the
Soviet Union?
37. What was the Second Russian Revolution?
38. What does it mean that Russia is a “misdeveloped country?”
39. What were the consequences for Russians with the fall of the Soviet Union and Yeltsin’s
economic shock therapy?
40. What is a kleptocracy? How did Russia become one?
41. Who are the Russian “oligarchs?” How did they assume power?
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42. What has Vladimir Putin done since becoming president of Russia in 2000? Do you
know what Putin does now since his term as president came to an end in 2008?
43. What has driven the economic growth of Russia since the early 2000s?
44. What is the biggest danger do the authors see to Russia’s economy? Do you agree?
Why?
45. What do you think has happened to Russia’s economy in the past year?
6.5 – Geopolitical Issues
46. How is Russia’s large size affecting its political stability?
47. What did the Federation Treaty of 1992 do for the 20 Russian Republics that signed it?
48. What factor makes the small republic of Chechnya so important geographically?
49. What does the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) do? How does Putin want
to change this?
50. How much of Ukraine’s energy comes from Russia?
51. Why do you think Russia so resistant to granting the small republic of Chechnya
independence?
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52. Give one example of how Russia has helped to destabilize Georgia?
53. In 2001, how did Russia respond to Georgia’s insistence of Russia to scale back their
military presence in the region?
54. Why is both the U.S. and Russia so concerned about the economic and political
situations in many former Soviet Republics of the Near Abroad?
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