. Index
. 1996 Index
. Flag
. Geography
. People
. Government
. Economy
. Transportation
. Commun'tions
. Defense
. Geo Names
. Feedback
===========
|
Russia Geography 1996
Northern Asia (that part west of the Urals is sometimes included with
Europe), bordering the Arctic Ocean, between Europe and the North Pacific
Ocean
slightly more than 1.8 times the size of the US
total 20,139 km, Azerbaijan 284 km, Belarus 959 km, China (southeast) 3,605
km, China (south) 40 km, Estonia 290 km, Finland 1,313 km, Georgia 723 km,
Kazakhstan 6,846 km, North Korea 19 km, Latvia 217 km, Lithuania
(Kaliningrad Oblast) 227 km, Mongolia 3,441 km, Norway 167 km, Poland
(Kaliningrad Oblast) 432 km, Ukraine 1,576 km
200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation
inherited disputes from former USSR including: sections of the boundary with
China; islands of Etorofu, Kunashiri, and Shikotan and the Habomai group
occupied by the Soviet Union in 1945, administered by Russia, claimed by
Japan; maritime dispute with Norway over portion of the Barents Sea; Caspian
Sea boundaries are not yet determined; potential dispute with Ukraine over
Crimea; Estonia claims over 2,000 sq km of Russian territory in the Narva
and Pechora regions; the Abrene section of the border ceded by the Latvian
Soviet Socialist Republic to Russia in 1944; has made no territorial claim
in Antarctica (but has reserved the right to do so) and does not recognize
the claims of any other nation
ranges from steppes in the south through humid continental in much of
European Russia; subarctic in Siberia to tundra climate in the polar north;
winters vary from cool along Black Sea coast to frigid in Siberia; summers
vary from warm in the steppes to cool along Arctic coast
broad plain with low hills west of Urals; vast coniferous forest and tundra
in Siberia; uplands and mountains along southern border regions
wide natural resource base including major deposits of oil, natural gas,
coal, and many strategic minerals, timber
formidable obstacles of climate, terrain, and distance hinder exploitation
of natural resources
air pollution from heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants,
and transportation in major cities; industrial and agricultural pollution of
inland waterways and sea coasts; deforestation; soil erosion; soil
contamination from improper application of agricultural chemicals; scattered
areas of sometimes intense radioactive contamination
permafrost over much of Siberia is a major impediment to development;
volcanic activity in the Kuril Islands; volcanoes and earthquakes on the
Kamchatka Peninsula
international agreements:
party to - Air Pollution, Air Pollution-Nitrogen Oxides, Air
Pollution-Sulphur 85, Antarctic Treaty, Climate Change, Endangered Species,
Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test
Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Tropical Timber 83, Wetlands,
Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Air Pollution-Sulphur 94,
Antarctic-Environmental Protocol, Biodiversity, Law of the Sea
largest country in the world in terms of area but unfavorably located in
relation to major sea lanes of the world; despite its size, much of the
country lacks proper soils and climates (either too cold or too dry) for
agriculture
|
|
