World Geography Unit 6 Exam Review

Which factor had the most impact on the creation of the borders shown on the map?

• Ethnic divisions

• Climate zones

• Physical geography

• Mountain barriers

Life in central Asia’s former Soviet republics has never been easy. The larger states – Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan – are dominated by tree-less steppes and arid, sprawling deserts. The terrain of the smaller countries, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, consists of little more than mountains. Throw in the fact that the whole region is landlocked, and has no navigable rivers and little decent agricultural land, and it’s no surprise that the five ‘Stans’ are among the most sparsely populated countries on earth. On average, there are only five people for every square mile in the region. Or to put it another way, a population roughly the size of Britain’s is spread out over a region 17 times as large.Yet despite the harsh geography and sparse population, some of the region’s economies are booming. Why? One reason is the demand-fuelled surge in commodity prices over the last decade. The Stans are host to vast amounts of natural resources, many of which were underexploited during the years of Soviet rule. As a result, the last ten years have seen a horde of Russian, Chinese and Western firms pile into central Asia in a dash to secure the best assets. —“How to profit from the scramble for resources in central Asia,” Money Week, December 2011http://www.moneyweek.com (accessed May 29, 2014)

Based on the information in the excerpt, the level of economic development in Central Asia is best described as —

• improving mostly in service industries

• fully developed with foreign investment

• heavily dependent on primary industries

• slightly developed in the tertiary industries

The Central Asian countries in the Aral Sea Basin―Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan―have some of the largest irrigation schemes in the world. Some 22 million people depend directly or indirectly on irrigated agriculture in these countries. Twenty to forty percent of the [Gross Domestic Product] GDP of these countries is derived from agriculture, almost all of which is irrigated. Entire communities of hundreds of thousands of people came into being solely because of irrigation development and settlement schemes. Without irrigation, much of the land would revert to desert scrub.Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, both government budgets and farm incomes have fallen dramatically, water management institutions have weakened, and infrastructure maintenance has in many places come to a standstill. —“Irrigation in Central Asia Social, Economic and Environmental Considerations,” a report by the World Bank, February 2003

According to the excerpt, irrigation in Central Asia has impacted the region by —

• generating economic growth

• producing vast deforestation

• causing environmental damage

• creating sustainable development

Kremlin-backed forces seized control of the Crimean peninsula, and the territory, which has a Russian-speaking majority, voted to join Russia in a referendum that Ukraine and the West deem illegal. — “Crimea profile,” British Broadcasting Corporation website, April 21, 2016www.bbc.com (accessed November 16, 2016)

Based on the profile, one reason a majority of the people in the Crimea supported Russian annexation was because they —

• disliked Ukrainian government policies

• viewed themselves as culturally Russian

• wished to avoid a long protracted conflict

• desired to be a part of Russia’s economic markets

The Caucasus is culturally diverse. A glance at a political map of the region suggests that simple borders separate the political entities in the Caucasus, but in fact . . . this compact region with its population of around 20 million includes upwards of 50 ethnic groups, and its linguistic variety is second only to that of New Guinea. —

“Five Things Worth Knowing About the Caucasus,” Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting website, May 16, 2013pulitzercenter.org (accessed November 16, 2016)

In what way did the physical geography of the Caucasus region contribute to the pattern described in the excerpt?

• A tropical climate attracted many immigrants to the region.

• Mountains isolated many groups that migrated to the region.

• Dense forest served as a barrier to migration across the region.

• Vast plains facilitated the migration of people across the region.

Which human modification is most responsible for the physical geographic changes to the Aral Sea?

• Over-fishing by commercial enterprises

• Polluting from nearby mining operations

• Redirecting water to grow crops in the desert

• Constructing dams on the rivers feeding the lake

A yurt is a type of housing that has been used by Central Asian nomads since the 1200s. It is easy to move and can be quite comfortable.

The use of this type of housing in Central Asia reflects a culture that is —

• settled and agrarian

• maintaining traditional customs

• transforming because of industrialization

• adopting traditions of neighboring cultures

Where was this image likely taken and how does the character of this place reveal its location?

• This is likely in eastern Siberia because of the wide-open, grassy fields.

• This is likely in Central Asia because of the long history of nomadic life in the area.

• This is likely in the Caucasus because the region has a long history of breeding horses.

• This is likely western Russia because the environment lacks resources for stone or wood buildings.

Industrial and agricultural production broke down in Russia after 1990. The recovery started in 1999, but it will need growth rates for decades to join developmental paths leading to a satisfactory status. Large-scale farms, similar to the Soviet collectivized farms, and private business farms are operating 80% of the agricultural area, but are producing less than 50% of agriculture available for food. Small household plots working on the remaining agricultural land are producing more food. Millions of families are committed to growing their own food from their own farms.

A majority of the agriculture in Russia is produced by —

• companies running large-scale farms

• families operating small subsistence farms

• collectivized farms owned by the government

• public and private cooperatives working farms together

Which geographic factors contribute to the population distribution pattern shown on the map?

• Southern areas have a higher population density due to nearby access to Indian Ocean trade routes.

• Northern regions have a higher population density due to easy access to the sea and better timberland.

• Western areas have a higher population density due to the warmer climate and more arable land than eastern areas.

• Eastern areas have a higher population density due to the flat terrain, allowing for extensive trade routes and the growth of trading cities.