The Western World Daily Readings on Geography Chapter 80 Russian Domain

CHAPTER 80 Russian Domain How do we define this region ?

Created by Nikita from Noun Regional geography studies the people and places of a cohesive region . A region is defined to be an area with multiple shared elements over a range of categories , including both physical and human geographic characteristics . The secret of creating a region , which is a human construct not a naturally begotten unit , is to cluster together as many similarities as possible , while excluding geographic differences . In some cases , the determination of a geographic region is simple . South America obviously is an intact continent , but also possesses many shared features in a variety of geographic categories . In contrast , the region of North Africa and the Middle East ( or Southwest Asia and North Africa ) is very problematic to create , define , and limit . Seen in the map above , Russia presents its own set of challenges to the regional geographer . Its sheer immensity as a land area causes Russia to straddle two continents Europe and Asia . Some people contend that Russia should be a part of Europe . Indeed , Russia to the west of the Ural Mountains is termed European Russia . In this part of the country , Russians have tended to look to Europe for inspiration and for a common outlook . In some cases , Russian leadership , particularly Tsar Peter the Great , intensified this focus , even bringing skilled Europeans to Russia to promote European ideals and culture . Additionally , a dominant majority of population lives west of the Urals . Though the daily life and setting of Soviet cities Moscow and little 393

394 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL resembled that of European cities outside the Eastern bloc , contemporary Moscow and the now renamed Petersburg dramatically do feature much ofthat found in cities throughout Europe . Unfortunately , this European categorization fails to account for the substantial majority of Russia land that is east ofthe Urals and stretches to the Pacific Ocean . Visibly nonsensical to include Pacific coastal areas in Europe , this approach also does not account for a variety of Asiatic peoples in Siberia , including the descendants of the historically significant Mongols who once controlled huge sections of what is now Russia . The option to construct Russia as an Asian region is a poorer choice . While the landmass of Russia mostly is positioned north of areas recognized as Asia , its Asiatic peoples are a distinct minority population . The dominant majority population of Russians clearly is neither racially nor culturally Asian . With this Asian option , it can be noted that over 75 of Russia area is considered to be in Asia . A third option is to split the country in two pieces regionally however , this choice presents an onerous position to . The modern political world is fully patterned in the State model , with specifically delineated international borders . Taking one State and then dividing it into two pieces for separate placement into regional schemes is like compelling a married couple to living separately in cities far distant from each other . There may seem to be some usefulness at the start , but as a lasting choice , it is intrinsically flawed . But , if you want to go with this choice of splitting up Russia , then the common tactic is to divide Russia at the Ural Mountains . Yet another option is the establishment of Russia as a region itself . For some this may seem intuitively wrong . How can a single country be a region ?

Although Russia would be the only such region in the world , other regions do come close to this pattern . Australia dominates the region called , though New Zealand and a host of small Pacific islands also fit in the region . North America , as separate from Latin America ( which includes Mexico ) is a region ofjust two countries the United States and Canada . Additionally , Russia colossal area is larger than many of the world established regions . In fact , Siberia itself is more than twice as large as Europe ( not counting any of Russia as belonging to Europe ) While Russia is a multinational State with dozens of ethnic minorities , one nation , Russians , has dominated these minorities for a long period of history thereby embedding Russian culture as the dominant social element throughout the country . With Russia as the dominant successor State to the USSR in area , population , and clout , there is further logic in defining Russia as a region . In a 2019 survey done by the Center , Russians were asked , TO what extent yOU presently identify yourself with Western culture ?

The data for this study was collected in May and June 2019 from respondents aged . Only twenty percent of the respondents answered in a positive way , choosing either I always remember it or It is quite important to me . The survey also inquired , Do you fully agree , rather agree , rather disagree , or strongly disagree with the statement Russia is a European country ?

Only 36 agreed . Note that young people are the ones who are least connected to Soviet days , being born after or as the Soviet Union dissolved . These young Russians are the people who should be the most likely to connect Russia to the relative prosperity and freedom of Europe . Their limited connection to Europe suggests that the choice of selecting Russia as its own region still remains better than placing part of Russia in Europe . Marker noting the border between Asia and Europe , as looking southward . Photo by .

RUSSIAN DOMAIN 395 Or , Russia could be the core of a slightly larger region that could include ethnic partners Ukraine and historical linked partners Georgia and . Given the dominant Slavic ethnic composition of Ukraine and , this is an easy fit with Russia . Though Georgians and Armenians fit in distinctly separate ethnic groups not connected to Russians , both groups have modern historical connections with Russia . Neither Christian country could fit with southern neighbors in the Islamic Middle East , yet both are separated from Europe by long stretches of land in Russia and Ukraine , as well as by the Black Sea , Given these difficulties , the placement by 10 ) of Georgia and with Russia is not unreasonable , Similarly , sometimes is added to this region , though others will note links with in order to place in Europe . This broader region could be called the Russian Domain . In evaluating these choices , the evidence is weighted to favor ) either of the last two choices Russia as its own region or Russia as the main section of the Russian Domain . During the Soviet period the question of region was more easily answered . Due to its communist format , the USSR often was defined as a single region . The end of the USSR brought the creation of fifteen countries and their placement into Russian Domain . different regions . Europe , Central Asia , Russian Domain Ukraine , Georgia CITED AND ADDITIONAL BIBLIOGRAPHY , Lev , Natalia , and Alexandra . 2019 , GENERATION A AND , 2015 . Border of Europe and Asia near . File , Larry . 2015 . Map . Attribution Generic ( BY ) 2003 . Does Russia Matter ?

Russian Life 46 ( 396 JOEL QUAM AND SCOTT CAMPBELL What Continent Russia In ?

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