Cultural Region
Fig. 1 : Russia is not made up of states like we are accustomed to in America. Rather, the governments of Russia have identified and acknowledged 83 federal subjects. Forty-six are oblasts, twenty-one are republics (these are the closest to a "state"), 9 are territories, 4 are autonomous districts, 2 are federal cities (Moscow and St. Petersburg) and one is an autonomous region.
Source: Federal Subjects of Russia, 2013
Physical Regions
Fig. 3 : This map shows where and what types of forests are in Russia. The taiga, a cold forest zone, takes up most of the country, extending from part of the north west regions all the way to the east border. These forests are abundant in timber and wildlife. Source: http://www.montrealprocess.org/documents/publications/general/2003/russiae/fig18.jpg
Landscape
Fig. 6 : One of the most famous landmarks in Russia is St. Basil's Cathedral in Moscow. Built between the years 1555-1561, Ivan the Terrible wanted to commemorate the capture of the leader of Mongol forces. The interesting and unique architecture has been unprecedented.
Source: http://www.moscow.info/red-square/st-basils-cathedral.aspx
Source: http://www.moscow.info/red-square/st-basils-cathedral.aspx
Source to all not cited: 10 Top Tourist Attractions in Russia, 2012
biodiversity and cultural diversity
The cultural diversity and biodiversity of Russia is very rich. Having the largest land mass and forests of the world, there are an abundance of species, environments, and ethnic cultures that lie within the country’s borders. While Russia has a strong sense of nationalism, the country is not opposed to acceptance and tolerance of other ethnic groups and their sense of culture.
There is a rich biodiversity in Russia. There remain untouched ecosystems in the northern Taiga and sub-arctic Siberia regions of the country (Biodiversity in Russia). There are 35 national parks and 100 strict nature reserves, called zapovedniks. This shows that the government is active in some aspects to protect the natural resources that the economy so heavily depends on.
While nearly 81% of citizens identify as Russian, another “26 million belong to 180 other ethnic groups,” (Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Policies). Throughout history, Russia has been strongly nationalistic; however, there was a resurgence of cultural acceptance and revival in the 1990s after the suppressive Cold War. Federal Target Programmes (FTPs) help support ethnic cultural communities. More and more cultural centers are being provided to these ethnic groups so as not to lose their heritage.
These two diverse categories have merged to create a cultural identity for Russia. For example, the state seal is of a double headed eagle. Russia’s national bird is the Golden Eagle (National Emblem…). Like the United States, whose national bird is the Bald Eagle, the fierce grace of an eagle is very symbolic to the strength and power that Russia has achieved. Another animal identified with Russia is the brown bear (Suneel, 2012). Finally, a symbol of Russia’s past, the sickle that once reigned on the communist flag, reflects how important crops like wheat and barley are to the people of Russia.
Russia also counts on many of the natural wonders of the country for tourism purposes. While many of the cities have their own glamour and appeal, with so many diverse environments there is also room for tourist activity. Many springs that cluster the landscape are hotspots for tourists, as well as the many mountainous regions. The Trans-Siberian Railway is the epitome of combining human interaction with nature, as this train takes tourists through the Russian countryside. The Volga River also provides a source of tourism, by a trip that winds down the meandering river (Tourism in Russia).
The main threat to the biodiversity of Russia is habitat destruction (Biodiversity). Nearly 40% of the steppes have been transformed as well as 33% of deciduous forests. Also, the expulsion of mineral deposits and oil are creating pollution problems in surrounding areas of the extraction site. Pesticides are also an increasing problem- while they are aimed to protect the plants, in the process it is harming animals, which in turn affect other animals in the food chain. Deforestation and other exploitation of resources are also problems affecting the biodiversity of the country.
Sources:
Biodiversity. (n.d.). Environmental Components. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://education.rec.org/ru/en/biodiversity/in_r
Convention on Biological Diversity. (n.d.). Biodiversity Facts. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/default.shtml?country=ru#facts
Russia : 4.2 Specific Policy Issues and Recent Debates. (2013, November 4). Compendium. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/russia.php?aid=424
Suneel. (2012, December 10). National Animals of Countries – A Photographic List. Animals Zone. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.animals-zone.com/national-animals-of-countries-a-photographic-list
Tourism in Russia. (n.d.). Russian Embassy in London. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://rusemb.org.uk/tourism/
. (n.d.). National Emblem like Flower, Bird, Animal. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.gkduniya.com/national-emblem.html
There is a rich biodiversity in Russia. There remain untouched ecosystems in the northern Taiga and sub-arctic Siberia regions of the country (Biodiversity in Russia). There are 35 national parks and 100 strict nature reserves, called zapovedniks. This shows that the government is active in some aspects to protect the natural resources that the economy so heavily depends on.
While nearly 81% of citizens identify as Russian, another “26 million belong to 180 other ethnic groups,” (Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Policies). Throughout history, Russia has been strongly nationalistic; however, there was a resurgence of cultural acceptance and revival in the 1990s after the suppressive Cold War. Federal Target Programmes (FTPs) help support ethnic cultural communities. More and more cultural centers are being provided to these ethnic groups so as not to lose their heritage.
These two diverse categories have merged to create a cultural identity for Russia. For example, the state seal is of a double headed eagle. Russia’s national bird is the Golden Eagle (National Emblem…). Like the United States, whose national bird is the Bald Eagle, the fierce grace of an eagle is very symbolic to the strength and power that Russia has achieved. Another animal identified with Russia is the brown bear (Suneel, 2012). Finally, a symbol of Russia’s past, the sickle that once reigned on the communist flag, reflects how important crops like wheat and barley are to the people of Russia.
Russia also counts on many of the natural wonders of the country for tourism purposes. While many of the cities have their own glamour and appeal, with so many diverse environments there is also room for tourist activity. Many springs that cluster the landscape are hotspots for tourists, as well as the many mountainous regions. The Trans-Siberian Railway is the epitome of combining human interaction with nature, as this train takes tourists through the Russian countryside. The Volga River also provides a source of tourism, by a trip that winds down the meandering river (Tourism in Russia).
The main threat to the biodiversity of Russia is habitat destruction (Biodiversity). Nearly 40% of the steppes have been transformed as well as 33% of deciduous forests. Also, the expulsion of mineral deposits and oil are creating pollution problems in surrounding areas of the extraction site. Pesticides are also an increasing problem- while they are aimed to protect the plants, in the process it is harming animals, which in turn affect other animals in the food chain. Deforestation and other exploitation of resources are also problems affecting the biodiversity of the country.
Sources:
Biodiversity. (n.d.). Environmental Components. Retrieved April 16, 2014, from http://education.rec.org/ru/en/biodiversity/in_r
Convention on Biological Diversity. (n.d.). Biodiversity Facts. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.cbd.int/countries/profile/default.shtml?country=ru#facts
Russia : 4.2 Specific Policy Issues and Recent Debates. (2013, November 4). Compendium. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/russia.php?aid=424
Suneel. (2012, December 10). National Animals of Countries – A Photographic List. Animals Zone. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.animals-zone.com/national-animals-of-countries-a-photographic-list
Tourism in Russia. (n.d.). Russian Embassy in London. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://rusemb.org.uk/tourism/
. (n.d.). National Emblem like Flower, Bird, Animal. Retrieved April 17, 2014, from http://www.gkduniya.com/national-emblem.html