Russia and the Independent States
Russia, the world's large country, lies in two continents -- Asia and Europe. It stretches for approximately 6,000 miles! And it covers half of the European continent and about 35% of the Asian continent.
Russia used to be part of the USSR, also known as the Soviet Union, which dissolved in 1991. The republics that made up the USSR, both in Europe and Asia, are now independent countries.
Find out more:
Map to use with these activities
1. How many independent nations have been formed from the USSR besides Russia?
2. Print the map off that is listed for the activities. Locate and draw in the following:
-- The Arctic Circle
-- The Ural Mountains
-- Altay Mountains
-- The Baltic Sea
-- The Black Sea
-- The Caspian Sea
-- The Barents Sea
-- The Kara Sea
-- The Laptev Sea
-- The East Siberian Sea
-- The Bering Sea
-- The Sea of Ockhotsk
-- Lake Baikal
-- Lake Ladoga
-- Lake Onega
-- The Yenisey River
-- The Lena River
-- The Sea of Japan
3. After mapping the major bodies of water, locate and mark the following cities and countries:
-- Moscow
-- The independent countries you found from activity #1, and their capital cities.
-- Siberia
-- Communism Peak (24,590 feet)
-- St. Petersburg, Russia
-- Vlakivostok
4. Where could you see the Bolshoi Ballet?
5. Find as many different languages as you can that are spoken in Russia and the independent states. (see Interesting Fact #2)
6. Where might you find a Chukchi Eskimo?
7. The Yakut people living in northern Siberia raise reindeer for food, clothing, and transportation. What other major products are grown and/or manufacture in Russia and the independent states?
8. What is Russia's major export and/or import?
9. Where could you find a Manchurian Tiger?
Some interesting facts:
1. The Caspian Sea is the largest lake in the world at 143,205 square miles.
2. There are more than 100 different nationalities living in Russia. They speak more that 200 languages and dialects.
3. The Siberian city of Oymyakon is the coldest inhabited place on earth.
4. Much of the land in Asian Russia is permanently frozen.
5. The Lena River flows through Siberia for 2,734 miles. It is frozen seven months of the year.
6. Snow covers more than half of Russia for six months of the year.
