Eastern Europe and Western Russia- Physical Geography

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Eastern Europeand Western Russia

5. Natural Resources

4. Climates

3. Waterways

2. Landforms

6. Check for Understanding

1. Countries of Eastern Europe and Western Russia

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Click on each circle to learn more about each country

Countries of Eastern Europe and Western Russia

balkanization

Carpathian Mountains

Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains

steppe

Northern European Plain

Ural Mountains

central Russian upland

Russian Plain

Eastern Europe includes 10 countries in the north and 11 on the Balkan Peninsula. Russia is a huge country, extending through 11 time zones in Europe and Asia. Western Russia is the portion that lies within Europe. The region rests mostly on a group of plains. The largest is the Russian Plain. It begins in Belarus and Ukraine and stretches east about 1,000 miles (1,609 km). It rises to form the central Russian upland. This is an area of high elevation. To the east are the Ural Mountains. Beyond that is the west Siberian plain.The Northern European Plain includes Poland and extends into parts of Western Europe. South of it is the Hungarian Plain, which includes parts of many countries. The Transylvanian Basin is in Romania. A basin is an area that slopes downward from the land around it. Much of the Ukraine is steppe, or vast, level areas of land that support only low-growing vegetation, like grasses. South of the Russian Plain are the Greater and Lesser Caucasus Mountains. These two mountain chains extend from the northwest to the southeast with a valley between them. The Ural Mountains form a boundary between Europe and Asia east of the Russian Plain. The Urals are up to 250 million years old. The northern Urals are covered in forests and some glaciers. Grasslands cover the southern Urals. The Carpathian Mountains extend eastward from the Alps. The Vienna Basin separates the two ranges. The Carpathians run through the northern Balkan Peninsula and are linked to the Balkan Mountains. The region is so mountainous that human settlements are isolated. This isolation results in cultural diversity. It is also a source of conflict among ethnic groups. Conflict among ethnic groups within a region is known as balkanization.

Landforms of Eastern Europe and Western Russia

The Black Sea

The Baltic Sea

brackish

The Baltic Sea lies northwest of Russia and Eastern Europe. The Baltic is shallow and brackish, or somewhat salty, because it is seawater mixed with river water. In the southwest, the Adriatic, Ionian, and Black Seas surround the Balkan Peninsula. The Black Sea borders the southern coast of Ukraine and southwestern Russia. It also separates Turkey from Ukraine and the Balkan Peninsula. At Europe’s most southeastern point is the Caspian Sea. It is the world’s largest inland body of water. There are many rivers, canals, lakes, and reservoirs in Eastern Europe and Western Russia. Most are used for transporting both freight and passengers. They also are used to create electricity.

Waterways of Eastern Europe and Western Russia

Several types of climate are found in Eastern Europe and Western Russia. Much of the region has a humid continental climate. These areas have mild or warm summers and long, cold winters. In placessuch as Croatia, Serbia, and Bulgaria, summers are hotter, and winters are similar to those farther north. Albania and Macedonia have a more Mediterranean climate. Summers are hot and dry, and winters are mild to cool and rainy. Russia’s far north has a subarctic climate. Winters are very cold, with temperatures as low as –40°F (–40°C). Summers are short and cool, although temperatures can reach 86°F (30°C). Farther north is Novaya Zemlya. This is an archipelago consisting of two large islands and several small islands. The climate is polar, and a large part of it is covered in ice year-round. A small number of herders and fishers inhabit the southern island.

Climates of Eastern Europe and Western Russia

thermal power plants

Russia is by far the largest country in the world. However, only about one-sixth of its land is suitable for agriculture. Most agricultural land is in a fertile triangle extending from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. Farmers grow crops such as wheat, oats, and barley. More than one-fifth of the world’s forests are in Russia. They cover an area almost the size of the continental United States. Lumber, paper, and cardboard are important products. Forests grow slowly because of the long, cold winters. Intense harvesting and slow growth rates threaten both forests and the forest industry. Wildfires in 2010 destroyed 37 million acres (15 million ha), further damaging Russia's forestry and agricultural industries. The countries of this region also have many mineral resources. Most of Russia’s vast coal, oil, and natural gas reserves are in Siberia. Reserves are the estimated total amount of a resource in an area. Russia’s coal and rich deposits of iron ore fuel the country’s steel industry. Machines made from steel are used to build Russia’s automobiles, railroads, ships, and many consumer products. Poland’s mineral resources include aluminum, coal, copper, lead, zinc, and sulfur. Romania has rich coal deposits and oil in the Black Sea. Hydroelectric and thermal power plants provide energy. There are also copper and bauxite, the raw material for aluminum. Russia’s fishing industry is important to the country’s economy. Many of Russia’s lakes and rivers are used for freshwater fishing. Romania’s fishing industry is concentrated in the southeastern part of the country. The Danube River supplies the most fish.

Natural Resources of Eastern Europe and Western Russia