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