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Geographical
profile of Russia
Russia is the largest country in the world covering eastern part
of Europe and northern part of Asia. The total area of Russia is
about seventeen million square kilometres with the population of
about 145 million people. It borders on many countries, for
example, China, Georgia, Finland, Norway, Ukraine and others.
The country is washed by twelve seas and three oceans: the
Pacific Ocean in the east, the Arctic Ocean in the north and the
Atlantic Ocean in the west. Among the seas are the Baltic Sea,
the Azov Sea, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea and others.
The landscape of Russia is varied. Most of the territory
consists of vast plains that are steppes to the south and
heavily forested to the north, with the tundra along the
northern coast. 10% of the world's arable land is in Russia.
Mountain ranges are along the southern borders, such as the
Caucasus (with Mount Elbrus which the highest point in both
Russia and Europe) and the Altai Mountains (with Mount Belukha,
which is the highest point of Siberia). In the eastern parts
there is the Verkhoyansk Range and the volcanoes of Kamchatka
Peninsula (with Klyuchevskaya Sopka, which is the highest active
volcano in Eurasia as well as the highest point of Asian
Russia). The Ural Mountains, rich in mineral resources, divide
Europe and Asia, going from the north to the south.
The climate in the country varies. The areas which are far from
the sea have humid continental climate and it is predominant in
all parts of the country except for the tundra and the
southeast. Most of Northern European Russia and Siberia have
subarctic climate, with extremely severe winters (especially in
the Sakha Republic, where the Northern Hemisphere's Pole of Cold
is located with the lowest recorded temperature of -71.2 °C).
The strip of land along the shore of the Arctic Ocean and the
Russian Arctic islands have polar climate. The climate of the
coastal part of Krasnodar Territory on the Black Sea is humid
subtropical with mild and wet winters. Winters are dry -compared
to summers in many regions of East Siberia and the Far East. The
region along the Lower Volga and Caspian Sea coast, as well as
some areas of southernmost Siberia, possesses semi-arid climate.
Russia has thousands of rivers and inland water bodies providing
it with one of the world's largest surface water resources. The
Volga River, the largest river in Europe, and the Siberian
rivers (the Ob, the Yenisei, the Lena and the Amur) are among
the longest rivers in the world. The largest and most prominent
of Russia's freshwater body is Lake Baikal, the world's deepest
and purest freshwater lake. The Baikal contains over one fifth
of the world's fresh water. Other major lakes include the Ladoga
and the Onega, two of the largest lakes in Europe.
Russia is an industrial country. The major industries are
agriculture and fishing. Large farms concentrate mainly on the
production of grain and husbandry products, small private
household plots produce most of the country's yield of
vegetables and fruit. With access to three oceans - the
Atlantic, the Arctic, and the Pacific - Russian fishing fleets
are a major contributor to the world's fish supply. Russia also
has a lot of mineral resources: coal, natural gas, oil and iron.
ПЛАН-ОТВЕТ. GEOGRAPHICAL PROFILE OF RUSSIA
1. Рассказать о географическом положении России (eastern part of
Europe, northern part of Asia; total area is about 17 million sq
km; about 145 million people; borders on many countries).
2. Рассказать об океанах и морях, воды которых омывают Россию
(the Pacific Ocean, the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean; the
Baltic Sea, the Azov Sea, the Black Sea, the Caspian Sea, etc.).
3. Рассказать о ландшафте России (varied; vast plains, steppes,
tundra; mountain ranges: the Caucasus, Mount Elbrus, the Altai
Mountains, Mount Belukha, the Verkhoyansk Range, volcanoes of
Kamchatka, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, The Ural Mountains).
4. Рассказать о климате России (varies; humid continental
climate, subarctic, polar, humid subtropical, semi-arid.).
5. Рассказать о крупных реках и озёрах (The Volga River, the Ob,
the Yenisei, the Lena, the Amur, etc.; Lake Baikal, the Ladoga,
the Onega, etc.).
6. Рассказать о промышленности России (agriculture, fishing,
grain, husbandry products, vegetables, fruit, fish supply;
mineral resources: coal, natural gas, oil, iron, etc.).
QUESTIONS
1. Where geographically is Russia situated?
2. How many oceans and seas wash the country? Name some of them.
3. What is the landscape of Russia characterised by?
4. What mountain ranges can be found in Russia?
5. What are the highest peaks in Russia and where are they?
6. Where does the volcanic territory lie in Russia?
7. How can you describe the climate of Russia?
8. What is the predominant climate of the country?
9. What is the coldest region in Russia?
10. What's the water system like in the country?
11. What are the major rivers and lakes?
12. What is the Baikal?
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