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Geographical Position of the Russian Federation
The Russian Federation is the largest state of the new Commonwealth of Independent States. It covers a total area of over 17 million square kilometers.
The country is washed in the North by the Arctic Ocean and its seas: the Barents, Chukchee, East Siberian, Kara, Laptev, and White Seas; in the South by the Black, Azov, and Caspian Seas; in the East by the Bering Sea, the Sea of Japan and Okhotsk Sea; in the West by the Baltic Sea.
Russia encompasses within its territory immense differences in climate, economic conditions and cultural traditions. It is one of the largest administrative areas in the world.
The immensity of the Russian Federation is hard to imagine. A flight from Moscow to Magadan takes eight hours.
Russia borders on fourteen countries including the former republics of the USSR, which are now independent states.
Russia is rich in mineral resources. It has deposits of oil, coal, natural gas, iron, gold, nickel, etc.
The population of Russia is about 150 million people. Over 80% of them are ethnic Russians. 70% of the population live in the cities.
Vocabulary
state — государство
Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – Содружество Независимых Государств (СНГ)
cover — накрывать, покрывать
encompass – содержать, заключать в себе
immensity – необъятность
economic conditions – экономические условия
to border — граничить
former – бывший
to be rich in –богат
deposits — залежи
population — население
Ответьте на вопросы
1 What area does Russia cover?
2 What seas is Russia washed by?
3 Is Russia one of the largest countries in the world?
4 How many countries does Russia border on?
5 How long does a flight from Moscow to Magadan take?
6 What kind of mineral resources has Russia?
7 What is the population of Russia?
The Russian Federation: Physical Features
1) _____________________________________. The North Dvina, the three mighty Siberian rivers: the Ob, Lena and Yenisei, and the Amur rank with the Nile and the Amazon among the world’s longest rivers.
2) _____________________________________. This river is a major transport route from North to South and a source of hydroelectric energy. It rises North of Moscow in the Valdai hills.
3) __________________________________. Baikal is the world’s most ancient lake and the deepest one. It contains one-fifth of the world’s fresh water.
4) _________________________. Russia is located on two plains: the Great Russian Plain and the Western Siberian Plain.
5)_____________________________________. The Caucasus is a range of mountains which extends from the Black Sea to the Caspian Sea. The highest mountain in the Caucasus, in the Russian Federation and in the whole Europe is Mount Elbrus.
This mountain chain divides the European and Asian parts of Russia. The Urals are famous for their valuable minerals and gemstones.
6)____________________________________. Russia is one of the world’s coldest and most northern countries. Winter lasts five months in St Petersburg (from November to March) but up to nine months in Siberia, with snow falling even in May and frosts starting in August. The brief Siberian summer is the time of heat, with temperature reaching +30 degrees centigrade.
From North to South these are: the tundra, the taiga, mixed forest, steppe, semi-desert and desert. Each vegetation belt has its own flora, fauna and natural resources.