Geography Test 2

Front 1

What mountain range is considered the economic and agricultural core of Russia and the newly independent states?

Back 1

Ural Mountains

Front 2

Which of the following regions has a landscape characterized by taiga to the south and tundra to the north?

Back 2

Siberia

Front 3

Which of the following occurred in the Soviet Union under Stalin's leadership?

Back 3

Heavy industry became the main component of Soviet economic growth.

Front 4

Which of the following is a population trend in Russia that has resulted from the deterioration of human well-being that began in the early 1990s?

Back 4

Adult life expectancy has declined.

Front 5

Despite GDP figures that indicate falling incomes, why are many Russians actually somewhat better off than official statistics suggest?

Back 5

Many are taking advantage of opportunities in the informal economy.

Front 6

Which of the following describes a trend in Russian politics since the collapse of the Soviet Union?

Back 6

Women have lost political representation.

Front 7

What was the source of the social safety net during the Soviet era?

Back 7

A person's place of work

Front 8

The shrinking of the Aral Sea is mainly a result of what activity?

Back 8

Irrigation

Front 9

Which of the following has been a main source of conflict for the countries of Caucasia?

Back 9

Oil reserves in the Caspian Sea

Front 10

What country is comparable to France in terms of its agricultural output, size, and population?

Back 10

Ukraine

Front 11

Which of the following is a type of vegetation most likely to be found in the tundra landscape of Siberia?

Back 11

Mosses and lichens

Front 12

What river and its tributaries flow into the Arctic Ocean making it useless as a trade route?

Back 12

Ob

Front 13

How have the mountain ranges such as the Caucuses and the Hindu Kush influenced the spread of culture and religion in this world region?

Back 13

The mountains have not deterred a long history of cultural and religious exchange.

Front 14

What governing Russian group eventually introduced and managed a command economic system in the Russian Empire?

Back 14

The Bolsheviks

Front 15

What is most likely the reason why western Siberia was the first region to be annexed by Russians in the 1600s?

Back 15

Mineral resources

Front 16

Which of the following is a true characteristic of the Soviet command economy, put in place by the Communist party in the early 1900s?

Back 16

Production methods were inefficient, often producing unpredictable surpluses and shortages.

Front 17

What statement represents the current status of oil exportation from Russia?

Back 17

Russia is expanding its exports of oil to include many countries of western Europe and small markets in the United States.

Front 18

The text uses the term oligarchy when discussing present-day politics in Russia and the newly independent states. Which statement best defines this term?

Back 18

High officials are elected but are overly influenced by powerful and wealthy elites.

Front 19

During the Soviet era how were minority groups viewed by the government?

Back 19

Minority groups were viewed as culturally marginal people that were in need of modernization and civilization.

Front 20

What statement best describes the cultural status of ethnic groups within the newly independent countries in the post-Soviet era?

Back 20

Relaxed governmental control has resulted in the reassertion of cultural identity by many minority groups.

Front 21

Which of the following statements is true regarding the status of women as laborers in Russian society?

Back 21

Women were generally considered better educated on average than men during the Soviet era.

Front 22

What has contributed to the nuclear contamination of the Arctic Ocean?

Back 22

Migrating Wildlife
Dumping Nuclear waste
Rivers

Front 23

Which of the following is a river that has been diverted contributing to the shrinking of the Aral Sea?

Back 23

Syr Darya

Front 24

What physical feature covers 60% of the Siberian landscape and inhibits the growth of agricultural crops?

Back 24

Permafrost

Front 25

In what part of Siberia does a majority of its 33 million people live?

Back 25

The warmer southern quarter

Front 26

What country, as a result of its increased agricultural production, may soon be competing with France in production of fruits, vegetables, and wines?

Back 26

Ukraine

Front 27

What provides for the warm moist climate experienced in the countries of Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan?

Back 27

Their location between the Black and Caspian seas

Front 28

What section of Moldova is its richest and most industrialized, leading to interests in control by Russia and Romania?

Back 28

Transnistria

Front 29

In what country of the Central Asian Republics has the dramatic physical landscape shaped the development of distinct ethnic groups?

Back 29

Tajikistan

Front 30

What subregion provided most citrus, tea, grapes, and wine during the Soviet era?

Back 30

Caucasia

Front 31

Define Mongols

Back 31

A loose confederation of nomadic pastoral people centered in eastern Central Asia, who by the 13th Century conquered an empire stretching from Europe to the Pacific

Front 32

Define Slavs.

Back 32

A group of farmers who originated between the Dnieper and Vistula Rivers, in modern-day Poland, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Front 33

Define Steppes.

Back 33

Semiarid, grass covered plains

Front 34

Define Serfs.

Back 34

Persons legally bound to live and farm on land owned by the lord

Front 35

Define Permafrost.

Back 35

Permanently frozen soil a few feet beneath the surface

Front 36

Define Socialism.

Back 36

A social system in which the production and distribution of goods are owned collectively, and political power is exercised by the whole community

Front 37

Define Tundra.

Back 37

A treeless area between the ice cap and the tree line of arctic regions, which has a permanently frozen subsoil

Front 38

Define Thermal Pollution

Back 38

The return of unnaturally hot water to the environment, as by industrial processes or hydro and nuclear power plants

Front 39

Define Taiga.

Back 39

Northern coniferous forest

Front 40

Define Russian Federation

Back 40

Russia and its political subunits, which include 30 internal republics and more than 10 so-called autonomous regions

Front 41

Define Privatization

Back 41

The sale of industries formerly owned and operated by the government to private companies or individuals

Front 42

Define Glasnost

Back 42

An opening up of public discussion of social and economic problems, which occurred under Mikhail Gorbachev in the late 1980's

Front 43

Oligarchies

Back 43

Powerful elites that wield influence because of their enormous wealth.L

Front 44

Define Perestroika

Back 44

A restructuring of the Soviet economic system in the late 1980's in an attempt to revitalize the economy

Front 45

Define Czar

Back 45

A ruler of the Russian Empire; derived from "Ceasar," the title of the Roman emperors

Front 46

Define Chernozem

Back 46

Black fertile soils of the region stretching south from Moscow toward the Black and Caspian Seas

Front 47

Define Command Economy

Back 47

An economy in which government bureaucrats plan, locate, and manage all production and distribution

Front 48

Define Communist Party

Back 48

The political party that ruled the former Russian Empire from 1917 to 1991

Front 49

Define Nonpoint sources of pollution

Back 49

Diffuse sources of environmental contamination, such as untreated automobile exhaust, raw sewage, and agriculture chemicals that drain from fields into the urban water supplies

Front 50

Define Communism

Back 50

An ideology based largely on the writings of the German revolutionary Karl Marx, which calls on workers to unite to overthrow capitalists and establish an egalitarian society where workers share whatever they produce

Front 51

Define Capitalists

Back 51

A wealthy minority that owns the majority of factories, farms, businesses, and other means of production

Front 52

Define Group of Seven (G7)

Back 52

An organization of the most highly industrialized nations, now sometimes called Group of Eight (G8) when Russia is invited to meetings

Front 53

Define Bolsheviks

Back 53

A faction of communists who came to power during the Russian Revolution

Front 54

Define Internal Republics

Back 54

More than 30 ethnic enclaves in Russia, whose political status and relationship to the Russian state are continuously being renegotiated republic by republic

Front 55

What physical feature separates European Russian and western Siberia?

Back 55

The Ural Mountains

Front 56

What is the deepest lake in the world and where is it located?

Back 56

Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia

Front 57

does permafrost prevent development in much of Siberia?

Back 57

Restrict crops that can be grown and curtail overall agricultural production.

Front 58

What river serves as the prominent transport connection between the northern and southern parts of European Russia?

Back 58

The Volga River

Front 59

Who was Karl Marx and what impact did he have on the creation of the Soviet Union?

Back 59

German revolutionary philosopher who created the ideology of communism; he criticized Europe because they were capitalists

Front 60

Communism, as a social movement, is defined as one that seeks what?

Back 60

1. Removes social classes and private ownership
2. Keeps the means of production in the hands of a few
3. Encourages private ownership
4. Rejects all authority

Front 61

Who were the Bolsheviks?

Back 61

Highly disciplined faction of revolutionaries who were inspired by communism. They formed the Communist Party that set up a powerful government in Moscow and led Russia into a transition period that would orchestrate the economy and start industrialization.

Front 62

Who was V.I. Lenin

Back 62

Vladmir Lenin was the leader of the Bolsheviks.

Front 63

Who was Stalin?

Back 63

After Lenin, He ruled the Soviet Union and created a centrally planned, or command, economy. He believed in Socialism, government-controlled economic system, to increase industrial production to achieve economic growth. He used secret police, starvation, and mass execution.

Front 64

How does a command economy work?

Back 64

The state owned all real estate and means of production, while the bureaucrats directed all economic activity; factory locations, production, management, distribution of products, and pricing.

Front 65

What Soviet activities resulted in the cold war with the United States?

Back 65

The Soviet Union installed undemocratic Communist regimes across eastern Europe

Front 66

What was Gosplan?

Back 66

1. Formed Socialism
2. Increased industrialization
3. Forming Collectives
4. Military Build-up

Front 67

What does glasnost mean and how did it work?

Back 67

Soviet Union leader Mikhail Gorbachev opened public discussions of social and economic problems. It works through perestroika, or restructuring economy.

Front 68

What atrocity did Stalin commit during the time he was leading the Soviet Union?

Back 68

1. Secret Police
2. Starvation
3. Mass Executions
Resulting in at least 20 million deaths

Front 69

What were the two main focuses of the communist economy????

Back 69

1. Unite workers to overthrow capitalists
2. Establish an egalitarian society where workers share what the produce

Front 70

Under which leader did heavy industry and collectivization become the main components of Soviet economic growth?

Back 70

Stalin

Front 71

What were the major problems the Soviet Union faced in industrializing Siberia?

Back 71

Long winters
Permafrost
Swampy forestlands
Complex upland landscapes

Front 72

In what sub region do most of Russia's citizens reside???

Back 72

Moscow

Front 73

What are the main efforts of Europe and the United States to bring Russia into closer formal association with established trading institutions?

Back 73

Russia is scheduled to become part of the World Trade Organization and is the newest member of the Group of Eight

Front 74

What severe environmental problems are the Central Asian countries experiencing (i.e. agriculture and the Aral Sea)?

Back 74

Large-scale irrigation projects in Central Asia is causing the Aral Sea to disappear, resulting in a climate change, air and water pollution, desertification, and chronic illnesses.

Front 75

In the text, what do the authors argue is likely to inhibit the effort to reduce environmental degradation in the former Soviet Union?

Back 75

The economy slowed markedly; the domestic demand and international price decreased.

Front 76

How would the female labor force be described in Russia during the last decade or so compared to the male labor force?

Back 76

70% of women are unemployed. President Gorbachev believes the role of soviet women is domestic.

Front 77

What are the characteristics of the Caucasian countries?

Back 77

Mountainous
Subtropical intermountain valley
Grows citrus fruits and bananas
Longer Lifespan

Front 78

How has the independence of many of the former members of the Soviet Union caused unrest in parts of Russia (i.e. Chechnya)?

Back 78

To the Russians, this declaration is dangerous and poses a threat to Russia's long term security. Russia wants access to an oil transit but Chechnya wants the rights to their own resources and protects them by using guerrilla warfare with Russia

Front 79

What religion predominates in Central Asia?

Back 79

Islam

Front 80

In post-Soviet Russia, despite the introduction of democratic policies, who makes most of the decisions regarding national policy?

Back 80

Oligarchs, people who wield power because of their enormous wealth.

Front 81

Why is the informal economy hurting Russia today?

Back 81

because Governments are unable to collect tax revenue the economy and the government's obligations are not being covered.

Front 82

In post-Soviet Russia, what is the result of the Russian government's removal of price controls allowing goods to sell at their market price?

Back 82

Overall, People suffered. At first, prices skyrocketed because of scarcities and many spent their savings to pay for necessities. Eventually, the supply of goods increased and prices fell.

Front 83

What are some of the many contributions to the frustrations and malaise experienced by Russian laborers in the post-Soviet era?

Back 83

Privatization has caused many laborers to lose their stable jobs.

Front 84

What is the gap between male and female life expectancy

Back 84

13 years

Front 85

What are some of the suggested reasons for the male and femal life expectancy gap?

Back 85

Physical and mental distress caused by lost jobs and social disruption.
High divorce rates
Alcohol led to high suicide rate

Front 86

What is cited in the textbook as a major reason for falling birth rates during the 1990s in Russia?

Back 86

Insufficient incomes.