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Файл:Fundamentals of Geography. Study guide
.pdf
Human impact on the biosphere
101
Describe the availability of recreational resources (make a short presentation –
a tour of the sights of the city)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
What dangerous natural phenomena can occur here?
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
3. Do the riddle:
The river flows in the open space,
And feeds the Sea of Azov,
Along its shores
Tula, Voronezh, Rostov are located.
This _______________
Describe this river (length, width at the mouth, fullness), compare it with the
rivers of your region.
4. At the end of your “trip” – write a short poem describing the city according
to the following scheme:
1 word – (1) a noun
2 – 2 words (2) adjectives
3 – 3 words (3) verbs
4 – a sentence
___________________
________________ _______________
_____________ ___________ ___________
__________________________________________________
Example:
India
Multinational Fabulous
Admires Fascinates Attracts
It is a country of deep contradictions
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102
Ta s k 7 . Glo b al p rob l e ms o f h u man i t y
Consider one of the global problems of humanity to choose from:
1. Food problem.
2. The problem of peace and disarmament.
3. The problem of education.
4. The problem of healthcare.
5. The problem of plastic pollution of the environment.
6. The problem of mastering.
7. Energy problem.
8. Raw material problem.
9. Demographic problem.
10. Environmental problem of your country (to choose from).
Ta s k 8 . Re a d ing tex t s
You are offered to read the text, answer questions about the text, compose
a text on the given topic – about the country of their residence.
1. Geographical maps
(by Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“There are various geographical maps: physical, political, climatic, economic.
On the physical map we see land, oceans, seas, lakes, rivers. Land includes
continents and islands.
On the map we see 6 continents. These are Eurasia, Africa, Australia,
North America, South America and Antarctica. There are two parts of Eurasia
on the mainland: Europe and Asia. Eurasia is the largest continent. The smallest continent is Australia. There are many islands on Earth. Large islands are
Madagascar, Sakhalin, Cuba. There are peninsulas in Russia: Kola, Kamchatka. There are 4 oceans on Earth: the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean,
the Indian Ocean, and the Arctic Ocean. The largest ocean is the Pacific, and
the smallest is the Arctic. On the map of Russia, we see the seas: the Black
Sea, the Sea of Azov. The Black Sea is deep, and the Sea of Azov is shallow
(shallow). Russia has the deepest lake in the world Lake Baikal. Major rivers
of Russia are thenVolga, Amur, Lena, Yenisei, Ob. The physical map also tells
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103
us about the relief of the Earth. It shows where the mountains, plains, lowlands,
hills are located. We can see what kind of mountains they are: high or low
(low). The low mountains are the Ural Mountains; the high ones are the Pamir
Mountains.
There are elevated and low-lying plains. The Russian Plain is elevated (upland), the West Siberian Plain is the largest lowland in Russia. On the political
map, we see countries and state borders, capitals and cities. There are maps that
tell us about the climate. These are climate maps. Economic maps tell us about
economy” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
2. Location and density of the Earth's population
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“The Earth's population is extremely unevenly distributed: about 70 % of
all people live on 7 % of the earth's land area. Along with this, about half of the
inhabited land has an average population density of less than 5 people per
1 km2. Completely undeveloped areas occupy 15 % of the earth's land area.
These are, first of all, areas with extreme natural conditions. Certainly, people
settled and mastered, first of all, the territories which are the most favorable for
life and rich in various resources. Out of every 100 inhabitants of the Earth,
80 ones live on lowlands and plains, which occupy only 28 % of the earth's
land. Mountainous areas are much less populated. Since ancient times, employment in agriculture has had a great impact on the settlement of people. The
development of labor-intensive rice cultivation has led to the largest increase in
the population in East and South Asia. And nowadays, the density of the rural
population here everywhere exceeds 200 people per 1 km2, reaching in some
districts 1,500–2,000 people or more. The development of industry has caused
population growth in Europe and the United States. In some industrial areas,
the population density also reaches 1,000–1,500 people per 1 km2. Finally,
throughout the history of human civilization, the settlement of people was
strongly influenced by transport and trade routes. More than half of humanity
is concentrated in the 200-kilometer strip along the coasts of the seas and
oceans, and in the 50-kilometer strip, which occupies only 12 % of the land,
almost 30 %. The average population density of the Earth is 40 people per 1 km2.
But this average may hide very large differences between individual countries”
(Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
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3. Relief of Russia
(by Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“The relief of Russia is very diverse: there are many low-lying and elevated
plains on the European territory of the country, and there are many mountains and
plateaus on the Asian territory. Russia has two of the largest plains of the Earth –
the Russian, or East European, West Siberian. The East European plain is an upland, and the surface of Western Siberia is a huge low-lying plain. On the border
of Europe and Asia are the low Ural Mountains. The south of the European part
of Russia is occupied by the Caucasus Mountains. In the Caucasus range there is
the highest mountain of the country (and Europe) – Mount Elbrus. Its height
reaches 5642 m. In the south of the Asian part of Russia there are the Altai, Sayan,
Alatau mountains and the ridges of the Baikal and Transbaikalia. Almost the entire
surface of Central Siberia is a plateau. Mountain ranges and plateaus occupy
a large area of Eastern Siberia and the Far East” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
4. Natural zones of Russia
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“There are several natural zones on the territory of Russia. The northernmost
zone is the ice zone or the Arctic desert zone.
It is located in the Arctic zone. This zone is characterized by a long and cold
winter. The polar night lasts 150 days. The average temperature of the warmest month
is +5 °C. Polar bears, Arctic foxes and other animals live in the Arctic desert zone.
The tundra zone and the forest tundra zone are located in the subarctic belt.
The polar night is shorter here than in the Arctic zone. Summer is short and cool.
The average temperature of the warmest month is +10 °C. Winter, on the contrary,
is long and cold, with strong winds. The flora and fauna of the tundra is not rich.
The inhabitants of the tundra breed deer and arctic foxes.
The forest zone is located in the temperate zone. These are coniferous, broadleaved and mixed forests. Coniferous forests are called taiga. Coniferous forests
grow in the northern part of the forest zone. Mixed and broad-leaved forests grow
in the south of the forest zone. The wildlife of the forest zone is rich. The forests
are inhabited by brown bears, squirrels, foxes, hares and other animals. Residents
of the forest zone are engaged in fur trade and animal breeding. Forests are of great
importance. They affect the climate, water resources. The forest is the source of
many riches, so forests are protected in the country.
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105
To the south of the zone are the forest-steppe zone and the steppe zone. Fertile
soils prevail in the steppes. The natural conditions of the steppe zone make it possible that people are engaged in agriculture and animal breeding. To the south of
the steppe zone there is a zone of semi-deserts and a zone of deserts.
The semi-deserts have a dry, sharply continental climate. Winters are cold. The
average temperature in January is 5–8 °C below zero. Summers are hot and sunny.
Deserts are characterized by an abundance of heat and sunlight. Semi-deserts and
deserts are poor in fresh water. Wheat, barley, corn and melon crops are grown in
irrigated areas of semi-deserts and deserts. Large areas are occupied by orchards
and vineyards. Sheep, cattle, horses and camels are bred here.
The climatic conditions of the Black Sea coast, where the subtropical zone is
located, make it possible to grow tea and citrus fruits, as well as tobacco and
grapes” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
5. The forest industry of Russia
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“The forestry industry is one of the oldest in the country's economy. The forest
is not only an industrial raw material: it protects the soil from drainage and wind
erosion, preserves the moisture of the earth, restrains river flooding, protects fields
from dry winds, but also the most important product of vital activity – oxygen!
Consumers of forest industry products – mechanical engineering, chemical and
light industry, transport, communications, construction. Forest-surplus territories
lie thousands of kilometers away from the main areas where wood is consumed.
Therefore, forest industry establishment should help to have less transportation of
untreated wood over long distances, and the waste of forest production is utilized
completely. This problem may be solved due to the most important principle of
establishment of the forest industry i.e. the construction of timber complexes in
the places of the best provision by sea, river and rail transport. The timber industry
complex is the enterprises of the forest industry that are located close to each other
and have close production ties based on the joint use of raw materials, energy,
transport and complete recycling of waste. In almost all forest industries, the main
costs (up to 75 %) fall on logging. Therefore, another important principle of forest
industry establishment is the proximity of enterprises to logging areas, i.e. to raw
materials. The geography of individual forest industries is affected by the proximity of the consumer, as well as the conditions of water and energy supply. For
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example, it is more expensive to transport furniture than parts for its manufacture.
Therefore, furniture production is developed in densely-populated areas where
there are various industries. It is concentrated mainly in the cities of the European
part of Russia. Pulp production is water-intensive, and a lot of electricity is consumed to produce paper. Therefore, pulp and paper mills are located in Karelia,
on the banks of the Volga River. Such plants are built in Siberia. The exploitation
of forest resources should be carried out simultaneously with the restoration of tree
plantations” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
6. Seas, lakes, rivers of Russia
(according to Danilin, Nesterov, 2004, with additions)
“The territories of Russia are washed by 13 seas. The largest and deepest sea
is the Bering Sea. Its area is 2,315 thousand km2, its depth is 5,500 m. Major
Russian ports are located on the shores of the seas: Arkhangelsk, Murmansk,
St. Petersburg, Vladivostok, etc.
There are many lakes and rivers in Russia. On the territory of Russia there is
the largest lake the Caspian Sea, its area is 371 thousand km2. The largest lakes in
Russia are Baikal, Ladoga, and Onega. Lake Baikal holds 20 % of the planet's
fresh water. This is the deepest lake in the world, its depth is 1,620 m. More than
330 rivers flow into Baikal, and only one flows out of it – the Angara.
Major rivers of the European part of Russia are the Volga, Don, Pechora. The
Volga is the largest river in Europe. Its length reaches 3500 km. The longest rivers
of Russia flow through the territory of Siberia and the Far East: the Amur, Ob,
Yenisei and Lena. The Amur is the longest river in Russia. The Ob, Yenisei and
Lena start in the south of Siberia, and flow into the seas of the Arctic Ocean. Seas,
lakes, rivers are of great importance in the economy of the country: these are
transport routes, water resources, as well as sources of hydropower and fish resources” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
7. Minerals of Russia
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“The earth’s depths of Russia are rich in various mineral resources.
Mineral resources are called minerals, ores that are extracted from the bowels
of the earth. Places where there are minerals are called deposits, and large areas of
Human impact on the biosphere
107
deposits are called basins. The most important coal mining basins are Donetsk,
Kuznetsk (Kuzbass), Pechora. But the coal reserves of the Tunguska, Lena,
Kansk-Achinsk basins are especially large. Oil and natural gas are produced in
Western Siberia, the Volga region, the North Caucasus, Sakhalin and other regions
of the country. There are large oil reserves in the north of Western Siberia, but it
is difficult to develop this area, because the natural conditions of the region are
very harsh.
Coal, oil, gas are combustible resources. They are used as fuel and as raw
materials for the chemical industry. Russia is rich in metallic minerals, which
are called ores. Iron ore deposits of the Kursk magnetic anomaly, the Kola
Peninsula, and the Urals are known. There are large reserves of manganese
ores, copper ores, polymetals, and gold in Eastern Siberia. Numerous deposits
of non-metallic minerals are located in the Urals, Eastern Siberia, and the Far
East.
Nonmetallic minerals are used in the chemical industry, in the production of building materials, for the production of fertilizers. Diamond deposits located in Yakutia are of great importance” (Danilina, Nesterova,
2004).
8. Resources of the Seas of Russia
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“The seas of Russia are of great economic importance. First of all, these are
cheap transport routes connecting the country both with other states and with
its individual regions. Russia has a highly developed maritime transportation
system. Its role in foreign trade transportation is especially great. The biological
resources of the seas, primarily their fish variety, are of considerable value.
Almost 900 species of fish live in the seas surrounding Russia, of which more
than 250 are commercial. The importance of mineral resources of the seas is
increasing more and more. The energy of the tides can be used to generate electricity. There is still one small tidal power plant operating in Russia – the Kislogubskaya power station on the Barents Sea. The seas are also places of rest.
However, most seas have too harsh natural conditions, but the southern warm
seas: the Azov, Black, Caspian, Japanese are loved by holiday-makers” (Dani-
lina, Nesterova, 2004).
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108
9. Lake Baikal
(by Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“For its large size and beauty, people call it the "Glorious Sea". This is the
deepest lake in the world. It stretches in the shape of a narrow (up to 80 km)
crescent from southwest to northeast for 636 km (as the distance from Moscow
to St. Petersburg). Its greatest depth is 1,620 m. Fresh water reserves in the lake
are 23 thousand km3. This is one fifth of all fresh water in the world. If we
imagine that there would be no water in Baikal, it would take the runoff of all
the rivers of the world in 10 months to fill it again. 336 rivers flow into Baikal,
and only one flows out – the Angara. Baikal is the lake with the most transparent
water in the world. Its bottom can be seen at a depth of up to forty meters. In
the middle of the lake is the mountainous island of Olkhon, its top rises to 1,200 m,
there are other islands. The shores of Lake Baikal are rocky, surrounded by
mountains on all sides. The water of Lake Baikal is very clean and cold. Even
in summer, it does not warm up well, and you can swim only in a few places.
There are almost no clouds over Lake Baikal in summer. But often strong winds
blow from the mountains. They cause storms. The wave height is up to 4 m.
Baikal freezes in late December – early January or even February, but the ice
lasts until the end of May. Only in the area where the Angara River starts, the
lake does not freeze. The thickness of the ice is about 1 m, sometimes 2 m.
There are more than 1.5 thousand species of animals and over a thousand species of plants in Baikal. Fish is of economic value: omul, grayling, perch, pike
and others. There is a rare viviparous fish in the lake, the strawfish. There are
fish factories in the nearest cities. The lake is navigable, timber rafting is carried
out. Baikal must be protected. The development of chemical enterprises on the
shores of Lake Baikal is undesirable. Meanwhile, such enterprises are built on
the shore of Lake Baikal and the Selenga River flowing into it. 3 nature reserves
have been created off the shores of Lake Baikal, the largest of which is the
Baikal National Park. Its territory is about 85 thousand km2. By the beauty and
diversity of nature, it is one of the most beautiful in the world. Tourists like to
come here.
Not far from Lake Baikal there is a large industrial area, the center of which is
the city of Irkutsk. Powerful hydroelectric power plants have been created on the
Angara River, providing electricity for non-ferrous metallurgy, the forestry industry (the cities of Bratsk, Ust-Ilimsk)” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
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109
10. Distribution of the population of Russia
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“The population of Russia is unevenly distributed. Its average density is
8.7 people per 1 km2 (this is 4 times less than the average density of the globe).
At the same time, in the European part of Russia it is less than the global average
(29 people per 1 km2), and in Siberia it is 15 times lower (2.5 people per 1 km2).
In Moscow Region, the population density reaches 354 people per 1 km2, and in
the Evenki Autonomous Okrug it is 0.03 people per 1 km2. The main area of settlement and economic development, characterized by old development, high population density (on average 50 people per 1 km2), a large number of large cities,
occupies almost the entire European part of the country, with the exception of the
North. In Asian regions, it narrows and stretches in a strip along the south of Siberia and the Far East. This zone covers 34 % of the country's territory. Almost
138 million people live in this area. To the north of the main zone of settlement
and economic development is the zone of the North, which covers 64 % of the
territory of Russia. The most important resources of the country are concentrated
here, and only 10 million people live with an average density of 0.9 people per
1 km2. Settlement in the Northern zone is selective, focal, i.e. near large resource
bases, along river valleys and along transport routes, near ports. Living in the
Northern zone requires large expenses for clothing, food, etc. The uneven placement is explained by a number of factors that manifest themselves: 1) in poorly
developed territories with unfavorable natural conditions for humans (deserts, tundra, tropical forests, polar regions); 2) the majority of the population lives at an
altitude of up to 1000 m above sea level (on the plains); 3) population concentrations near the capital, large cities, industrial zones, developed transport routes,
large mineral deposits; 4) population concentrations near the seashore; 5) high development of territories with fertile soils and favorable agro-climatic conditions”
(Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
11. Non-traditional energy sources
(according to Danilina, Nesterova, 2004, with additions)
“Geothermal energy can be used in 2 ways. The first is the use of hot groundwater for heating buildings, greenhouses, and water pools. It is known that it was
used by the Romans to heat their baths (baths). Iceland is the first and so far the
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only state that uses thermal water on a large scale for heating and hot water supply.
For this purpose, a pipeline system was created in the capital of the country, Reykjavik, from where hot water is supplied to consumers. Thanks to greenhouses
with geothermal heating, Iceland fully provides itself with apples, tomatoes, melons and even bananas. The second way is the construction of geothermal power
plants (geothpps) in places of natural "underground boilers". The largest of them
were built in the USA, the Philippines, Mexico, Italy, and Japan. The use of tidal
energy, the energy of waves of seawater is still being studied. Tidal power plants
are available only in France, the USA, Canada, Russia, and China. The same can
be said about solar and wind energy, although there are already millions of "solar
houses" in many countries of the tropical and subtropical zones: in the USA,
France, Spain, Japan. The first solar power plants (SES) are successfully operating
in Ukraine, and small wind farms are already operating in almost a hundred countries around the world – from the tropics to the Arctic. 2 wind power plants (wind
farms) have been launched in the Rostov region by 2021. Non-traditional sources
also include the production of synthetic fuels based on coal, oil shale, oil sands
and biomass” (Danilina, Nesterova, 2004).
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