Glencoe World GeographyChapter 14:
The Physical Geography of RussiaChapter Overviews
The vast and varied landscape of Russia stretches over the continents of Europe
and Asia, covering 11 time zones and bordering 14 different countries. The Russian
climate is a story of extremes, ranging from the subzero temperatures of eastern
Siberia to the humid continental climate of the North European Plain.
The Land Russia is the world's largest country, with vast plains spanning
nearly half of its surface. About 75 percent of Russia's population live on
its North European Plain. This region is home to Russia's major cities, Moscow
and St. Petersburg. Mountain ranges punctuate an otherwise flat landscape. The
Caucasus Mountains contain Mt. Elbrus—Russia's highest point, and the
Ural Mountains mark the traditional border between European Russia and Asian
Russia. The country contains some of the world's largest lakes and Europe's
longest river. Russia has ample supplies of natural resources. Mineral and energy
resources are large but often difficult to tap. Only 10 percent of Russia's
land can support agriculture, but the Black Earth Belt with its rich soil called
chernozem supports high yields of wheat, barley, rye, and other crops that feed
much of Russia. Forests supply much of the world's timber, and fishing remains
an important industry. Climate and Vegetation Russia is a country of climate extremes. On the
northern fringes of Russia's high-latitude climate lies the tundra, where average
temperatures remain below zero. Vegetation is limited to mosses, lichen, algae,
and dwarf shrubs, due to the region's permafrost and very short growing season.
Russia's dominant climate, the subarctic, spans across European Russian and
parts of Siberia. This climate supports the taiga, a densely wooded region that
contains the world's largest coniferous forest. A humid continental climate
with milder winters and longer summers dominates the mid-latitudes, where most
people live and the majority of Russia's agriculture is located. In a small
area between the Black and Caspian Seas is Russia's steppe climate. This temperate
grassland area has dry summers and long, cold, dry winters with swirling, sparse
snow.
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