The European part of Russia includes the East European Plain, the Caucasus and Ural Mountains (Fig. 1). Most of this territory is occupied by the East European (Russian) Plain, one of the largest plains in the world.

Rice. 1. Composition of the European part of Russia

In the north, the East European Plain is washed by the cold waters of the White and Barents Seas, in the south - by the warm waters of the Azov and Black Seas, in the southeast - by the waters of the Caspian Sea-Lake. The western borders of the plain go to the Baltic Sea, while part of it goes beyond the borders of the country, in the east it is bounded by the Ural Mountains, and in the south by the Caucasus Mountains.

At the base of the East European Plain lies a large tectonic structure - the East European (Russian) platform (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Tectonic structure

Most of the platform foundation is covered with a thick layer of horizontal sedimentary rocks of different ages. Therefore, flat relief prevails here. In the northwest, the foundation of the platform is raised, here is the Baltic Shield. The elevated plains of Karelia, the Kola Peninsula and mountains are connected with the Baltic Shield. Khibiny. The raised foundation serves as the foundation Central Russian Upland and the High Trans-Volga. Tectonic uplifts of individual parts of the platform led to the formation Volga Upland , and the northern and southern outskirts of the plain were subjected to repeated attacks of sea waters on land, resulting in the formation of flat coastal lowlands - Caspian and Pechora.

The main uplands of the northern part of the plain are Valdai and Smolensk-Moscow (Fig. 3) - formed as a result of the accumulation of glacial material.

Rice. 3, Smolensk-Moscow Upland

Between the large hills are flat sandy lowlands - Upper Volga, Meshcherskaya, Oksko-Donskaya.

So let's conclude:

• The East European Plain is a hilly plain by the nature of its surface.
• The relief is dominated by lowlands and uplands.
• The average height of the relief of the plain is from 200 to 500 meters.
• The nature of the relief is determined by the peculiarities of the structure of the earth's crust of this territory and the history of its formation.

The flat relief is favorable for economic activities of people.

In addition to the relief, the climate also influences the features of the economic activity of people.

The mainland of European Russia is located in the subarctic and temperate climatic zones. At the same time, most of them are in the temperate climate zone.

Air masses (Fig. 4) from the Atlantic Ocean bring the main mass of precipitation to the plain. The amount of precipitation decreases from west to south and southeast. In the west, from 600 to 800 mm of precipitation falls annually, and to the south, southeast, the amount of precipitation is reduced to 200-300 mm. The driest place of the East European Plain is located on the Caspian lowland. Less than 200 mm of precipitation falls here.

Rice. 4. Climatic zones and air masses

Air from the Atlantic influences the climate not only in summer, but also in winter. It is associated with frequent thaws in winter, cyclonic weather at any time of the year.

The invasion of arctic air in summer leads to cooling and droughts. In winter - to the establishment of cold, clear and frosty weather (Fig. 5). Arctic air in winter spreads over the entire territory of the East European Plain, up to the extreme south.

Rice. 5. Winter

In general, the climate in most of the East European Plain is temperate continental, favorable for human activities

Since the climate of the plain is humid, many rivers flow through its territory. Large rivers originate on the Valdai, Smolensk-Moscow, and Central Russian Uplands - Volga (Fig. 6) , Dnipro, Don . These rivers flow south.

Rice. 6. Volga River

Abundant, but relatively short rivers carry their waters to the north Pechora, Northern Dvina, Onega.

To the west flow into the Baltic Sea Western Dvina, Neva, Neman. All the rivers of the plain freeze. The duration of freeze-up depends on the location of the river and decreases when moving south. In the spring, due to the melting of snow, the rivers overflow, and in the summer they become shallow. Many have built reservoirs and hydroelectric power stations.

Since the upper reaches and channels of many rivers are often located close to each other, they are currently connected by canals - channel them. Moscow, Volga-Baltic, Volga-Donskoy (Fig. 7) , White Sea-Baltic. Rivers and canals form a single water system in the European part of Russia. The presence of a dense river network and a system of canals ensures good transport accessibility of the plain.

Rice. 7. Volga-Don Canal

The large length of the plain from north to south determined a well-defined zoning in the distribution of its landscapes.

The coast of the Barents Sea is occupied by cold, heavily waterlogged plains. This part of the plain is located in the tundra zone (Fig. 8) and forest tundra. There are no conditions for the development of agriculture, but reindeer breeding and hunting and trade are developed, there are large deposits of coal, oil, gas, iron ore, non-ferrous metal ores and apatites.

Rice. 8. Tundra

In the middle zone of the East European Plain, typical forest landscapes used to dominate (Fig. 9) - dark coniferous taiga, mixed, broad-leaved oak and linden forests. Currently, many forests have been cut down, and forest landscapes have turned into forest fields - a combination of forests and fields. In this part of the plain, the main part of the population lives, cities and industrial enterprises are located.

Rice. 9. Landscape of Central Russia

In the south of the plain there are expanses of steppes and forest-steppes on fertile chernozem soils. This is an area with the most favorable climatic conditions for agriculture. Here is the main agricultural zone of the country, the richest iron ore deposits of the KMA, oil and gas in the Volga and Ural regions (Fig. 10).

Rice. 10. Oil fields of the Volga region

The European part of Russia accounts for 1/3 of the country's territory, about 80% of the population, 85% of industrial and agricultural production, and about 90% of the non-productive sphere of the country. The European part of Russia forms the Western macro-region. The Western macro-region includes six natural and economic regions: the European North, the North-West, Central Russia, the Volga region, the European South, and the Urals.

Bibliography

Main

1. Customs E.A. Geography of Russia: economy and regions: Grade 9, textbook for students of educational institutions. - M.: Ventana-Graf, 2011.
2. Fromberg A.E. Economic and social geography. - 2011, 416 p.
3. Atlas of economic geography, grade 9. - Bustard, 2012.
4. Geography. The entire course of the school curriculum in diagrams and tables. - 2007, 127 p.
5. Geography. Student's handbook. Comp. Mayorova T.A. - 1996, 576 p.
6. Crib on economic geography. Schoolchildren, applicants. - 2003, 96 p.

Additional

1. Gladky Yu.N., Dobroskok V.A., Semenov S.P. Economic Geography of Russia: Textbook - M.: Gardariki, 2000 - 752 p.: ill.
2. Rodionova I.A., Textbook on geography. Economic geography of Russia. - M.: Moscow Lyceum, 2001. - 189 p.
3. Smetanin S.I., Konotopov M.V. History of ferrous metallurgy in Russia. - M.: "Paleotype", 2002.
4. Economic and social geography of Russia: Textbook for universities / Ed. prof. A.T. Khrushchev. - M.: Bustard, 2001. - 672 p.: ill., cart.: tsv. incl.

Encyclopedias, dictionaries, reference books and statistical collections

1. Geography of Russia. Encyclopedic Dictionary / Ch. ed. A.P. Gorkin. - M.: Bol. Ros. ents., 1998. - 800 p.: ill., maps.
2. Russian statistical yearbook. 2011: Stat.sb./Goskomstat of Russia. - M., 2002. - 690 p.
3. Russia in numbers. 2011: Brief Statistical Collection/Goskomstat of Russia. - M., 2003. - 398 p.

Literature for preparing for the GIA and the Unified State Examination

1. GIA-2013. Geography: typical examination options: 10 options / Ed. EM. Ambartsumova. - M.: "National education", 2012. - (GIA-2013. FIPI - school)
2. GIA-2013. Geography: thematic and typical examination options: 25 options / Ed. EM. Ambartsumova. - M.: "National education", 2012. - (GIA-2013. FIPI - school)
3. GIA-2013. Exam in a new form. Geography. Grade 9 / FIPI authors-compilers: E.M. Ambartsumova, S.E. Dyukov. - M.: Astrel, 2012.
4. Excellent student of the exam. Geography. Solving complex problems / FIPI authors-compilers: Ambartsumova E.M., Dyukova S.E., Pyatunin V.B. - M.: Intellect-Centre, 2012.

Electronic educational resources

1. Educational multimedia manual 1 C Educational collection Geography of Russia. Economy and regions Grade 9.
2. Educational multimedia manual “Geography Lessons of Cyril and Methodius. 8th and 9th grade"

1. Russian Geographical Society ().
2. Wild nature of Russia. Caucasus ().
3. Wild nature of Russia. Ural().
4. Wild nature of Russia. Primordial valleys ().

1. I. Epishin In the upper reaches of the Volga (N4/2012)
2. E. Chervyakova In the Volga Delta (N3/2011)

Europe- part of the Eurasian continent, washed by two oceans at once - the Arctic, as well as the Atlantic.

The area of ​​the EU is approximately 10 million square meters. The population accounts for approximately 10% of the total population of the planet, which is approximately 740 million people.

General information

How many parts in Europe:

1. Northern Europe;
2. Southern Europe;
3. Eastern Europe;
4. Central Europe.

Depending on the opinions available, European countries can be assigned to one part of it or to another.

The highest point in Europe is Mount Elbrus, whose height reaches 5642 m. The lowest point is the Caspian Sea, which at the moment is approximately 27 m high.

The main territory is dominated by flat terrain, and only 17% of all of Europe is mountains. The climate of most of Europe is temperate. But in the north of the territory there are glaciers, and in the Caspian lowland - desert.

Europe is the region with the greatest cultural diversity despite its small territory.

Eastern Europe

The European part of Eurasia, located within the borders of Central and Eastern Europe, is commonly referred to as Eastern Europe.

This territory is home to a larger number of people than in other European regions, and occupies about 2/3 of Europe.

The bulk of the population is represented by people of Slavic appearance. In connection with political actions, the territory is constantly amenable to change.

So, in Soviet times, the countries of the USSR were included in Eastern Europe, but after the collapse of the Soviet Union, some countries separated and began to be considered foreign.

The climate here is drier and less warm. However, the soils of this part of Europe are much more fertile than the soils of Western Europe. Eastern Europe has the largest amount of chernozem soils in the world.

Eastern Europe is the closest in spirit and territory to Russia part of the Old World. The flight by plane will not take more than two hours. You can even go on vacation to the nearest countries while driving your own car.

The familiar climate and native language will be a nice bonus for those who decide to spend their holidays in Eastern Europe.

Western Europe is the territory in which all the Western countries of Europe are located. Usually, this includes countries that are connected by cultural and geographical principles, and which were able to avoid Soviet influence during the Cold War.

The climate in Western Europe is mostly temperate, with mild winters and warm summers.

Western Europe is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Urbanization here is at the level of 80%.

The largest agglomerations here are London and Paris.

Western Europe is considered the most popular for tourism. About 65% of tourists flock here.

In this area you can see everything from sandy beaches to mountain landscapes. The mosaic of landscapes is striking in its beauty.

A large flow of tourists has led to the formation of special tourist zones that specialize in providing tourist services to guests.

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Everyone will be able to accurately indicate on the map where Europe is located. However, it is not so easy to set clear boundaries.

The geographical boundaries of Europe on the northern, western and southern sides are the coastline of the seas of the Arctic Ocean, as well as the Atlantic Ocean. These are the Baltic, Northern, Irish, Mediterranean, Black, Marmara and Azov seas.

The eastern border is usually drawn along the slope of the Ural Mountains to the Caspian Sea. Some sources also include the territory of the Caucasus in Europe.

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List of countries in Europe

The number of European countries is quite extensive.

Listed in alphabetical order, the list would look like this:

• Austria;
• Albania;
• Andorra.

• Belarus;
• Belgium;
• Bulgaria;
• Bosnia.

• Vatican;
• United Kingdom;
• Hungary.

• Germany;
• Holland;
• Greece.

• Denmark.

• Ireland;
• Spain;
• Italy;
• Iceland.

• Latvia;
• Lithuania;
• Liechtenstein;
• Luxembourg.

• Malta;
• Moldova;
• Monaco.

• Norway.

• Poland;
• Portugal.

• Russia;
• Romania.

• San Morino;
• Serbia;
• Slovakia;
• Slovenia.

• Ukraine.

• Finland;

• Croatia.

• Montenegro;

• Switzerland;
• Sweden.

• Estonia.

This is a complete list of states that are European.

Number of European countries

The number of states that make up Europe today is 50 .

But based on the political and economic situations that are taking place in the world, it cannot be argued that this list will not change.

You can take as an example the Soviet Union, which at one time broke up into 15 independent states. Whereas the GDR and the FRG, for example, on the contrary, united into a single whole, and today they are called Germany.

Currently, a difficult political situation is taking place in Spain. The Catalan part of it is trying to stand out as a state independent of Spain, and be called Catalonia.

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National symbols

The national symbols of the countries are their flags and coats of arms. As a rule, animalistic symbols are included in the basis of coats of arms. The image of a horse symbolizes speed, movement.

All European countries are familiar with the myths about the god of the sun, who moved in his carriage, which was drawn by horses.

And here, for example, the elephant represents reliability and strength. It is his image that can be found on the coat of arms of the city of Coventry in the UK.

The state symbols of England is the oldest of all European countries. The coat of arms, which is now official in Great Britain, originated in the 19th century.

looks like a shield

• Top left and bottom right corners there are three golden leopards on a red background.
• Top right- a fiery lion, located on a background of the color of gold - the Scottish coat of arms.
• In the bottom left- a harp of gold on a blue field - Irish symbols.

This shield is held by a golden lion with a crown in its mane and a snow-white unicorn.

The symbolism of the Scandinavian countries reveals the history of the countries of the European North. The coat of arms of Denmark has been formed over several centuries. It is a shield, on top of which there is a crown, and inside the shield, four blue leopards are arranged in a row from top to bottom.

Divided by a red and white cross, in the center of which is just her coat of arms.

Until the 13th century, the state emblem of Sweden depicted three leopards in crowns standing one behind the other on the field, which very much resembled the coat of arms of Denmark.

Only at the beginning of the 14th century did coat of arms depicting three golden crowns, which later became the state symbol.

primordial coat of arms of Iceland was presented in the form of a white falcon. But in 1944, a new symbolism was chosen: a shield held by a bull, a dragon, an eagle and an old man.

chief The symbol of Albania is a black eagle with two heads., which is the Albanian coat of arms.

The symbol of Bulgaria is the golden lion., located on a red shield, which is a symbol of masculinity.

Polish coat of arms It looks like a white eagle, whose head is decorated with a gilded crown.

Symbol of Serbia was created during the unification of the lands of Serbia. It depicts an eagle with two heads and a crown.

Macedonia became independent only in the second half of the 20th century. Therefore, until this period, symbolism was represented only by territorial symbols.

Now the coat of arms of Macedonia flaunts a golden crowned lion.

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Population and area of ​​countries

The main giant by all criteria among European countries is Russia.

Its area is approximately equal to 17 million square meters, which is almost equal to the area of ​​South America, and the population is about 146 million.

However, the entry of Russia into Europe is considered controversial, because most of it is located in Asia, and only about 22% - in Europe.

The next in the list of the largest countries in Europe is Ukraine. It occupies an area of ​​almost 604 thousand square meters.

The population of Ukraine is about 42 million people.

France, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Norway, Poland and Italy present a list of the 10 largest European countries. However, in terms of the number of inhabitants of these countries, Germany is after Russia, the number of inhabitants of which is about 81 million people .

The population of France is in third place in terms of number. Within it, there are about 66 million people .

The largest cities in Europe are London, with its population of 7 million people, Berlin - 3.5 million people, followed by Madrid, Rome, Kyiv and Paris with a population of 3 million.

Which countries are in the European Union?

The Union of Europe was organized during the collapse of the USSR. The EU is united together for economic reasons and political views of the state. Most of these countries use one type of currency - the euro.

The Union is an international entity that includes the signs of a country and the signs of the international community, but in fact they are neither one nor the other.

In some cases, decisions are made by supranational institutions, and in others through negotiations between countries that are members of the European Union.

At the very beginning of its inception, only six countries were part of the European Union.– Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France.

To date, thanks to the connection to the agreement, the number of countries within the European Union has increased to twenty-eight.

States give up their sovereignty, in return receive protection in various institutions of the union, which act for the common interests of all participants.

The Lisbon Treaty included rules for leaving the European Union. For the entire period of action, only Greenland left the European Union - in the late 1900s.

At the moment, five countries claim the opportunity to leave the Union. These are Albania, Macedonia, Serbia, Turkey and Montenegro.

List of EU countries:

1. Austria;
2. Belgium;
3. Bulgaria;
4. Hungary;
5. United Kingdom;
6. Greece;
7. Germany;
8. Denmark;
9. Italy;
10. Ireland;
11. Spain;
12. Republic of Cyprus;
13. Luxembourg;
14. Latvia;
15. Lithuania;
16. Malta;
17. Netherlands;
18. Portugal;
19. Poland;
20. Romania;
21. Slovenia;
22. Slovakia;
23. Finland;
24. Croatia;
25. Sweden;
26. Estonia.

Liechtenstein, the Norwegian and Swiss states have not agreed to become members of the European Union, but partly take part in the implementation of joint economic activities.

The population of the European Union as of 2009 exceeded five hundred million people.

Throughout the land of the European Union, people equally use twenty-four languages. But, as a rule, the most popular languages ​​in the European Union are English, German, and also French.

As for religious views, according to polls, about 18% of the population are atheists, 27% are not sure of their views, and 52% confidently believe in the existence of God.

From a geographical point of view, the European part of Russia belongs to the European continent - this is the most populated and economically well-developed part of the country, where Russian statehood was born. Today, about 78% of the population lives in these territories.

History of the development of the European part of Russia

The oldest human settlements in this area date back to the Paleolithic and are found on the territory of the Voronezh region in the village of Kostenki, on the territory of the Vladimir and Moscow regions.

During the V-lll millennia, people living in the European part of Russia experienced a slow transition to settled agriculture. The most striking examples of the cultures of that time are the Dnieper-Donetsk and the Comb Pottery Culture, as well as the later Maikop and Koban cultures that flourished in the North Caucasus in the lV-lll millennia.

Proto-Indo-European past

At the same time, the so-called Samara culture was formed on the territory of the southern Russian steppes, which is recognized by many researchers as Proto-Indo-European.

Summarizing, it is worth saying that the European part of Russia for many millennia was the scene of a clash of constantly moving human masses. Tribes of the Arkaim culture moved from the east to Europe, from the west Finno-Ugric tribes came to the territory of the East European Plain, who managed to achieve hegemony in a significant part of the European north.

The origin of Russian statehood

By 862, historians discover the first traces of Slavic statehood in the north-west of modern Russia, numerous peoples have already passed through the territory of Eastern Europe, such as the Huns, Hittites and Alans, who left their mark in local cultures, which some peoples bear to this day.

However, it is worth noting that the Varangians did not come to an empty place, but to the already existing settlements in the south of Lake Ladoga and in the Upper Volga. It is reliably known that the so-called state of Rurik included the cities of Staraya Ladoga, Novgorod, Beloozero and Rostov.

The main part of the population consisted of various Slavic tribes, which were still in a state of decomposition of the communal-clan system, and Finno-Ugric tribes. The Varangians occupied the vacant place of the military aristocracy, but rather quickly assimilated by the local population, which is quite clearly seen in the evolution of the names of local rulers, who in the first centuries were exclusively Northern European, and later - Slavic.

Neighbors of medieval Russia

Of great importance for the formation of the statehood of a relatively young union of tribes, which was Russia, was the interaction with the Khazar Khaganate and the Byzantine Empire, which were important economic partners and political rivals of Ancient Russia.

An important historical event for the young Russian state was the invasion of the Mongols in 1237 and the ensuing yoke, which lasted until 1480 in some regions of North-Eastern Russia. Since that time, despite numerous changes in the borders and name of the state, the hegemony of the Russian people over the East European Plain has remained unchanged, although its statehood has experienced numerous crises and been tested by foreign interventions.

Geography of European Russia

Which part of Russia is European has been determined for a long time, despite the fact that in some geographical areas this presents some difficulties. It is generally accepted that the border with Asia runs along the eastern slopes of the Ural Mountains, the Russian-Kazakhstan border, the coast of the Caspian Sea, along the channels of the Kuma and Manych rivers, the mouth of the Don River, and is further limited by the territories of other Eastern European states. It is worth considering that the islands of the seas washing the northern shores of the European part of Russia also belong to Europe.

From an administrative point of view, the considered part of the country is divided into the North-Western, Central, Volga and Southern federal districts. The Ural Federal District is also partly on European territory.

Among specialists, it is customary to consider this area as one of the large macro-regions, among which the European part, the Caucasus, the Urals and Siberia with the Far East stand out. A significant part of the European territory is occupied by the East European or Russian Plain.

Administrative division

In the European part of Russia, regions, republics and territories are located both completely and partially. For example, the Republic of Bashkiria, the Krasnodar Territory, the Chelyabinsk and Orenburg regions are located simultaneously in Asia and Europe, while another forty-five subjects are located entirely in Europe.

The Central Federal District includes Moscow and the region, Belgorod, Bryansk, Vladimir, Voronezh, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kostroma, Kursk, Lipetsk, Ryazan, Oryol, Smolensk, Tambov, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl regions. That is, only eighteen regions.

The Northwestern District includes eleven regions, including such a city in the European part of Russia as St. Petersburg, as well as the Nenets Autonomous District, which is part of the Arkhangelsk Region. The largest cities in this federal district are St. Petersburg, whose population has recently reached five million, and Murmansk, which, with a population of 295,000, is the largest settlement beyond the Arctic Circle and an important commercial port.

The Southern Federal District includes the Astrakhan, Volgograd and Rostov Regions, as well as the Republic of Kalmykia. Since 2014, two more regions have been included in the district: the Republic of Crimea and the federal city of Sevastopol.

Largest cities

The largest concentration of cities with a population exceeding one million inhabitants is observed in the Volga Federal District. Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Samara, Perm and Ufa belong to that region of the European part of Russia where the paths of Western and Eastern civilizations traditionally crossed, therefore the Volga region is distinguished by diversity both nationally and culturally.

In the Central District are Voronezh and Moscow, which is also one of the most populated cities in Europe, second only to Istanbul in this indicator and ahead of London. It is worth saying that in terms of the number of millionaire cities, Russia is ahead of other European countries.

What part of Russia is European is most difficult to determine on its southern borders, where there are no pronounced geographical landmarks. Therefore, some scholars include or exclude the Caucasian steppes from Russian Europe. However, there is no doubt that Rostov-on-Don and Volgograd are the largest cultural, industrial and economic centers of the south of Russia.

Instead of a resume

Despite the fact that the European part of the territory of Russia is only 20% of the area of ​​the entire country, it is nevertheless larger than any of the foreign European states.

For example, it is six times larger than Ukraine, and it is the largest state in foreign Europe, and more than seven times the territory of the French Republic.

It is also worth mentioning that the geographical and climatic conditions in this part of the country are different, and include both polar tundra and alpine meadows, as well as dry steppes and semi-deserts. The central part of the region is famous for its fertile soils. On the same day in different regions of the European part of Russia, the temperature can vary by 20 degrees.

Caucasus- the territory of Russia between the Black and Azov Seas in the west and the Caspian Sea in the east with a total area of ​​440,000 sq. km, including the Main Caucasian Range, as well as the plain and foothill regions of the Ciscaucasia. The highest point of the Caucasus is Elbrus (5642 m above sea level). The Caucasus received the title of "All-Russian health resort": world-famous and very attractive for citizens who wish to improve their health are located here. Those who consider themselves quite healthy, and even ready to risk their health for the sake of thrills, will find worthy goals for themselves, regardless of what their qualifications and initial training are: numerous Caucasian and. , - all these amazing places are united by the hospitable Caucasus, and every year tourists from all over the world come here for the next conquest of a mountain peak or a dizzying descent from the ski slope. The mountain valleys of the Caucasus are replete with a mass of interesting ones that can decorate the track record of any water tourist experienced in the elements: and other stormy rivers "with character" annually from May to October attract lovers of water extreme sports. And of course, the Caucasus is a series of famous for those who like to soak up the sandy beach in blissful idleness. In the days of the USSR and the Iron Curtain, getting here was the dream of every person, and rest, for example, in Sochi was a matter of pride and an indicator of the success of a vacationer. But even today, when other world resorts are available to Russians, the resorts of the Caucasus still attract lovers of the warm Black Sea and amazing Caucasian seascapes. The Caucasus combines everything that travel enthusiasts usually like: interesting tourist routes for both amateurs and professionals; monuments of antiquity and the newest buildings of the Olympic Village, and, of course, nature, beautiful in its diversity - from sea shores with sandy beaches, green river valleys, relict groves and alpine meadows to snowy mountain peaks and glaciers.

Republic of Karelia It is located in the North-Western part of Russia, borders on Finland and is washed by the White Sea from the south-east. Karelia is one of the most popular tourist regions in Russia. A region with a rich history, amazing northern nature, many rivers, lakes, and forests - it seems to be specially created for people to come here from all over Russia. Karelian water routes along calm rivers with powerful local rapids (Vodla, Kem, Onda, Unga,) and picturesque lakes are extremely popular - both athletes and their families will be interested here. Excursion trips to such places as are no less popular - these monuments of wooden architecture and bins of Russian history are familiar to everyone and are always popular with tourists coming to Karelia, both Russian and foreign. There is something to do in Karelia in winter too: many travel companies offer snowmobile tours on frozen lakes and snow-covered forests with overnight stays in cozy Karelian villages. Karelia is also known for its white nights: white nights here begin at the end of May and last until mid-August. On the days of the summer solstice at the end of June, the night is almost indistinguishable from the day, and the brightest night falls on June 20-21. In Karelia, White Nights are celebrated in a special way: youth events are held in different cities, for example, the festival of young classical music performers "White Nights".

Kola Peninsula is located in the north-west of Russia, in the Murmansk region, and makes up about 70% of its territory. Almost all of it is located beyond the Arctic Circle, therefore, the Kola Peninsula is characterized by such phenomena as a polar day (from late July to mid-August) and a polar night (from late November to mid-January). Northern lights. For those who want to see this amazing natural phenomenon with their own eyes, we recommend visiting these lands at the end of December: the polar night and the northern lights - a non-trivial way to celebrate the New Year - will make your holiday unforgettable. In the west of the peninsula there is a mountain range (up to 1200 m), which is popular with ski lovers. The most popular ski resorts of Khibiny are,. On catamarans or kayaks, you can lay interesting water routes along the rivers, , as well as on sea kayaks or a sailing catamaran on the seas and lakes. In recent years, so-called “ecological tourism” has been gaining popularity on the Kola Peninsula: Russians and foreigners come here who want to “live in places where no man has gone before.” (1100 m) - a mystical and beautiful place on the Kola Peninsula east of the Khibiny, attractive to lovers of secrets, accustomed to the difficulties of hiking and mountain hiking. Numerous tour operators on the Kola Peninsula offer a variety of snowmobile and quad bike tours, jeep safari, fishing, as well as horseback riding and hiking in the most remarkable places.

Volga region- this is the entire territory adjacent to the Volga, stretching for more than 1500 km along the river. The Volga region is divided into three large regions, according to belonging to one of the parts of the Volga: Upper, Middle and Lower Volga. In the Volga region, you can outline countless tourist routes: (rafting and rafting along the Volga and its tributaries),

The European territory of Russia is located in the eastern part of Europe. It occupies an area of ​​40% of the entire European territory. The composition of European Russia includes: the territory of the East European Plain, the mountain ranges of the Caucasus with the Urals. A significant territorial part is occupied by the expanses of the East European Plain. The predominant relief of this part of our country is a plain. European Russia occupies one third of our state, where almost 80% of all the inhabitants of our country live.

About 90% of industry and agriculture are concentrated in this part of our state. The same percentage is allocated to the non-manufacturing sector. The territory of the European part is the Western macro-region. It consists of six major regions. These include the following regions: the territory of the European North, the North-Western and Central regions, the Volga region, the European southern region and the Ural region.

Borders of the European part of Russia.

On the north side, the expanses of the East European Plain are washed by the cold streams of the waters of the White and Barents Seas. On the south side, it is washed by the warm streams of the waters of the Azov and Black Seas. From the southeast side, it is washed by the Caspian Sea. The western border of the European part has access to the Baltic Sea. The eastern border rests on the Ural mountain range. The southern border rests on the Caucasian mountain range.

A significant territorial part is the wide and vast East European Plain. The peaks of the Ural Mountains separate the European part of the world from the Asian part of the world. The territory of European Russia occupies almost 25% of the total territory of our state and 40% of the total European territory.

Regions of the European part of Russia

European Russia includes 8 large regions. Let's take a closer look at each of them:

- North region. It has access to the White and Barents Seas. The largest cities are Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. The area specializes in metallurgical and chemical production, the timber and paper industries, shipbuilding and fishing are developed.

— Northwestern region. It has borders with the Baltic States and Finland. Located on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. It has access to the Baltic Sea. The main cities are St. Petersburg and Kaliningrad. Mechanical engineering and metallurgical production are widely developed.

- Volga-Vyatka region. The area is small, but the network of railways and roads is well developed. Volga plays the main role. The largest cities are Nizhny Novgorod with Yoshkar-Ola. The district specializes in transport engineering and shipbuilding.

- Central Black Earth region. The largest cities are Voronezh with Lipetsk and Tambov. The area is agricultural, ferrous metallurgy, mechanical engineering are developed.

- Central District. Lies at the crossroads of land and water lines. Includes the ancient cities of the "Golden Ring": Yaroslavl with Vladimir and Ryazan. The largest city is the capital of our state - Moscow. The area specializes in electronics, instrumentation and transport engineering.

- The region of the North Caucasus. It is located in the south and has access to the Black, Caspian and Azov Seas. The largest cities are Krasnodar with Rostov-on-Don. Specializes in energy, fuel industry, tourism and recreation.

— Volga region. It is located along the Volga River. Located in the southeast. Out to the Caspian Sea. The largest cities are Volgograd with Kazan, Samara and Saratov. Specializes in the mining and food industries.

Ural region. It occupies an advantageous geographical position, being the border between Europe and Asia. The largest cities are Yekaterinburg with Orenburg and Perm. Specializes in mechanical engineering and metallurgical industry.

Subjects of the European part of Russia.

European Russia has 55 subjects.

The Central Federal District has 17 regions: Belgorod, Vladimir, Kaluga, Kursk, Kostroma, Lipetsk, Oryol, Ryazan, Tambov, Smolensk, Tver, Tula and Yaroslavl regions. The city of Moscow is considered a separate subject of our state.

There are 6 regions in the North-Western District: from Arkhangelsk, Leningrad from Murmansk, Pskov from Novgorod region. 2 republics: Komi with Karelia. A separate entity is the city of St. Petersburg. There is only one Autonomous Okrug in the Okrug - the Nenets Okrug, which is part of the Arkhangelsk Region.

There are 2 republics in the Southern Federal District: with Kalmykia. It also includes three regions: Rostov with Volgograd and Astrakhan regions. Included in the composition and the only one. The newly formed Crimean District contains the only republic - Crimea, and the port city of Sevastopol is a separate entity.

There are 6 republics in the North Caucasian District: Ingushetia with Dagestan, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia and Chechnya. The only one stands out separately. There are no provinces in this district.

There are 6 republics in the Volga region: Mari El with Bashkiria, Mordovia and Tatarstan, Udmurtia with Chuvashia. The same number of regions: Nizhny Novgorod with Kirov, Penza and Saratov and Ulyanovsk regions.

There is a lack of republics in the border Urals. A couple of autonomous okrugs: Khanty-Mansi and Yamal-Nenets okrugs. There are 4 regions in the district: Sverdlovsk with Kurgan, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk regions.

Climate of the European part of Russia.

European Russia is located within the subarctic and temperate climatic zone. The temperate climate zone prevails. Air currents from the Atlantic carry the main precipitation to the flat lands. As you move from the western part to the east and southeast, the amount of precipitation decreases.

The west is characterized by an average annual rainfall in the range of 700-800 mm. To the south, the average annual rainfall decreases to 200 mm. The driest place on the East European Plain is the Caspian Lowland. The area has recorded an annual rainfall of less than 200 mm.

Atlantic air masses affect climatic features both in summer and in winter. They contribute to regular thaws in winter and cyclonic weather in any season. The Arctic air brought in in the summer causes cooling and drought. If he arrives in the winter, then cold frosty and clear weather sets in.

In winter, Arctic air masses cover the entire East European Plain, including the extreme south. Basically, the East European Plain is characterized by a temperate continental climate, which has a beneficial effect on the life and economic activity of the population.

Population and ethnic composition of the European part of Russia.

European Russia is multinational. The Russian nation predominates in the central and northwestern parts. The native Russian population accounts for almost 90% of the total population. The most Russian region is the Lipetsk region, where about 98% of the inhabitants are Russian.

The Ukrainian nation has become widespread throughout. Moscow has a large number of Ukrainians. They also predominate in the border areas with Ukraine: in the Voronezh, Kursk and Belgorod regions. Many representatives of the Jewish nation live in Moscow. The Armenian nation is distributed in Moscow and the Krasnodar Territory and in the Stavropol Territory.

The second place in terms of the number of the nation is occupied by the Tatar nation. They make up about 5% of the total population. They live en masse in the Volga region. The Bashkir nation is ubiquitous in the Urals. In the North Caucasus, the indigenous peoples of the Caucasus are massively distributed: Balkars, Karachays, Ossetians, Chechens, Kabardians. Mari and Mordovians live in the Urals.

Economy of the European part of Russia.

The territory of European Russia has reached a high level in economic development. In this part of Russia, industrial production and the level of agricultural development reaches almost 90%. The number of urban residents reaches almost 80%. Science-intensive production is actively developing in large cities.

In Central Russia, the leading industries are metallurgy and metalworking, mechanical engineering with light industry. The textile industry is also developed. Textile centers are Ivanovo with Moscow. Animal husbandry plays a leading role in agriculture. Potatoes are grown with sugar beet, vegetable crops.

Heavy engineering has become the leading industry in the north. Iron ore, cellulose, cast iron are produced. Fishing is active. Murmansk is home to the country's largest fish factory. Agriculture is dominated by animal husbandry, in particular reindeer and poultry farming. The plowing of fields in the north is insignificant.

In the North Caucasus, mercury is mined with minerals, rock salt. The sphere of tourism and sanatorium treatment has been widely developed due to the mild climate and proximity to the sea.

In the European south, grain production reaches 30%. More than 50% is grown sunflower. Many crops of the subtropics are grown: pomegranate, figs with persimmons, several types of citrus fruits. Coal mining is active. Mechanical engineering for agricultural needs has been developed. Combine harvesters are made in Rostov and Taganrog.

Non-ferrous metals are mined in the Urals: copper, nickel and zinc. Sand is mined with clay and limestone. Ural forest resources account for 40%. The production of forest products is about 15%. Mechanical engineering and the chemical industry are highly developed. In the agricultural sector, winter crops are grown with sugar beets.

Nature of the European part of Russia.

There are several natural zones in Russian Europe. On the coast of the Barents Sea there is a tundra with forest tundra. There is a flat landscape with moist soil cover. There are no forests in the tundra.

Swamps are found everywhere. Mosses grow with lichens and frost-resistant grass. There are foxes with arctic foxes and waterfowl. In the middle lane stretches a zone of mixed forests, alternating with fields. Mixed forests predominate in European territory. Spruce with pine, oak, linden and birch trees grow in the forests. Wild boars live in the forest zone with elks and wolves.

The steppe and forest-steppe zones are located in the south. The soil cover is a fertile layer of chernozem. Here there are the most comfortable conditions for agriculture. In the forest-steppe, birch and oak groves are found everywhere, many cereal crops are grown. There are no trees in the steppe zone. Only feather grass with bluegrass grows. Hares with deer live in the forest-steppe. The steppe has become a home for various rodents.

Rivers of the European part of Russia.

The European Plain is characterized by humid climatic conditions. In this connection, numerous rivers are common here. In the hills, the largest river Volga with the Don and the Dnieper begin their flow. Their course is directed to the south.

To the north flow the full-flowing rivers Northern Dvina with Pechora and Onega. In the western direction, the Neva moves with the Neman from the Western Dvina, flowing into the waters of the Baltic Sea. Plain rivers are freezing in winter. Ice formation is affected by river location. Its terms are shortened in the south. In the spring, when snow melts, a river overflow occurs.

In the summer, from the heat, they become smaller. Hydroelectric power stations with reservoirs are located everywhere on large rivers. Nearby rivers unite canals. The collection of rivers with canals makes up the water system.

Cities of the European part of Russia.

Most millionaire cities are concentrated in the Volga lands. These include: Kazan with Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Ufa. They are a mixture of eastern and western cultures.

The largest central cities are Moscow and Voronezh. The largest southern cities are Volgograd and Rostov. The largest cities of the Northwestern District are St. Petersburg and Murmansk. The northern capital has reached five million inhabitants. About 300 thousand people live in Murmansk. This is the largest settlement in the Arctic and, at the same time, a trading port.

Features of the European part of Russia.

The composition of Russian Europe includes the mountains of the Caucasus and the Urals and the East European Plain. The flat relief is distinguished by the alternation of low-lying and elevated places. The average altitude level of the flat relief is 300-500 m. A temperate continental climate prevails throughout the territory. The area of ​​the territory occupies 40% of the total European and 21% of the total Russian. This part of our state is the most densely populated. The population is almost 79 million inhabitants, which is almost 60% of all inhabitants of the country.