Russia+Geography

=Geography=


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Physical System
Russia is a very large country spanning from Northern Asia, bordering the Arctic Ocean, and falls between Europe and the North Pacific Ocean. The total area is 17,098,242 square km, and is approximately 1.8 times the size of the United States of America. There is 16,377,742 square km of land and 720,500 square km of water inside the border of Russia. Russia has a very wide range of climate conditions such as humid areas through much of European Russia, and subarctic in Siberia. Summers can also get much cooler along the Arctic coast as long as being warm in other areas. (Russia, CIA factbook, 2011)

Lowest point in Russia is in the Caspian Sea at -28 m Highest point in Russia is in the Gora El'brus at 5,633 m

Biological System
Russia has many natural resources many of which are wild, including major deposits of oil, natural gas, coal, and many other minerals, rare earth elements, and timber. There are 4,498 cu km of renewable water resources in Russia as well. Air pollution is a current problem in the Environment, caused by heavy industry, emissions of coal-fired electric plants, and transportation in major cities. Deforestation is another major problem due to soil erosion, soil contamination from improper chemicals, radioactive contamination, groundwater contamination from toxic waist, urban solid waist, and abandoned stocks of obsolete pesticides. (Russia, CIA factbook, 2011)

Out of the former Soviet republics, Russia is one of the most industrialized. Unfortunately, over the years much of the Russian industry has become highly inefficient due to low investments. Russia also has 9% of the world's largest land and fresh water. In recent years Russia has gained production for exporting in south of European Russia, with gains for domestic consumption growth throughout the rest of non-arctic Russia as well. (Russia, U.S Department of State, 2011)