Culture

a) Population

i) What’s the population of the country?  Compare this to the population of the US.  (Hint: The
US population is 318,860,032 and counting (it gets higher every 8 seconds, but use this number for the assignment.)  

Russia has a population of 143.5 million people compared to the United States' population of 318,860,032. A recent study shows that the US population continues to grow at an exponential rate, while Russia's population remains at a plateau.

ii) Where do the people live in this country?  Rural areas?  Urban areas?  What are the
populations in the two cities you used for Question 2 b)?

The majority of the people living in Russia actually live in the two cities I listed earlier (big cities), Moscow and St. Petersburg. The population of Moscow is 11.5 million, while the population of St. Petersburg is 4.88 million.

b) Agriculture‐

i) What types of agriculture do they have and what type of diet do they have?

After the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the agriculture industry in Russia suffered a huge blow that it is still trying to recover from. Although the industry is not the same, it has made leaps and bounds and continues to grow daily. Russia is primarily an industry-run nation, but the two largest crops are grains and barley.

c) Industry and Tourism

i) Are industry and tourism related to geography and climate?

Most foreign visitors make the trek to Russia in order to visit the major cities such as Moscow and St. Petersburg because of their historical significance and famous monuments. While I believe that the true motive behind their decision to visit these cities is due to these sights, the temperate climate during the summer months would make the the trip much more enjoyable than during the harsh winter weather.

d) Cultural Activities

i) Are there any notable historical events that add to the climate/culture story?

1924: Joseph Stalin takes power and turns Russia into an industrial and military powerhouse.
WWII: Russia initially sides with Germany, but later switches sides to join the US and Britain.
1948: The Cold War breaks out between Russia and the US.
1961: Yuri Gagarin becomes the first man in space.
1991: USSR collapses.
2014: Russia hosts 2014 Winter Olympics.

Information from: http://www.timeforkids.com/destination/russia/history-timeline