Central regions of the Russian Plain

Vladimir region - an area in the central part of the Russian Plain with a surface in the form of a slightly hilly plain. The Vladimir region is entirely located in the Volga basin. The area is 29 thousand km². Population - 1472.6 thousand people (2006; 1487.2 - 2005). Population density - 50.8 people / km² (2006). The proportion of the urban population is 77.5% (2006; 78.5% - 2005). The most densely populated are the northwestern and eastern regions adjacent to the Klyazma in the north and to the Oka in the west. The areas of the Meshcherskaya lowland and other lowlands are sparsely populated.

Precipitation - 480 - 580 mm per year. The duration of the growing season is 160 - 180 days.

The lower course of the Oka runs along the eastern outskirts, the Klyazma flows from west to east with tributaries of the Sherna, Peksha, Nerl, etc.
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The total expanse of surface waters is 32.9 thousand hectares. Total large and small rivers reaches 560, and the total length is more than 8.6 thousand km. There are about 300 lakes in the Meshchera lowland with a total area of ​​5,000 hectares.
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There are lakes of ancient alluvial valleys: Isihry, Svyatoye, etc.
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Lakes of karst origin, located in the lower reaches of the Klyazma and in the center of the Vyazniki district (north-east of the region), are connected with themselves by underground watercourses. The largest and deepest of them is Lake Kshara. There are lakes of glacial origin. The main arrays of swamps have a total area of ​​37.4 thousand hectares and are found in the Meshcherskaya and Balakhna lowlands.

Light sandy loamy soils of various textures predominate. On the Meshcherskaya lowland and in other lowlands, soddy-weakly podzolic sandy and bog soils are developed. In the Vladimir Opol'e, there are gray forest and soddy-dark-colored soils on mantle loams. In the valleys of the Oka and Klyazma - turf alluvial soil.

Woodiness is high. Mixed deciduous-coniferous forests are typical. The Meshcherskaya lowland is the most forested, where forests cover 50-65% of the territory. The predominant species are pine (51%), birch (31%), aspen (11%), spruce (4%). In the floodplains of the rivers, especially the Oka and Klyazma, flood plains, on the watersheds - upland and lowland meadows.

Bryansk region- an area in the western part of the Russian Plain, southwest of Moscow, on the border with Ukraine and Belarus. The Bryansk region occupies the middle part of the Desna basin and the wooded watershed between the Desna and the Oka. Extreme points: northern 54 ° with. latitude, south 52° 10" N, west 31° 10" E east, 35 ° 20 "E. The surface is a plain, combined with elevated, strongly dissected erosional plains 200 - 250 m high ( West Side Central Russian and the southern part of the Smolensk Uplands) and flat moraine-outwash plains of the Dnieper Lowland. The area is 34.9 thousand km². The most densely populated are the northeastern regions, as well as the opolye with fertile soils. Relatively sparse population in wooded and marshy areas of outwash plains. Population - 1346.5 thousand people (2005). Population density - 38.6 people / km² (2005). The proportion of the urban population is 68.0% (2005).

The climate is temperate continental. Winters are mild and snowy, summers are warm. The average temperature in January is from -7.4 to -9°C, in July 18.1 - 19.1°C. The average annual rainfall is 560 - 600 mm. The duration of the growing season is 180 - 200 days.

Podzolic, soddy-podzolic and gray forest soils predominate in the Bryansk region. Podzolic soils of light mechanical composition are distributed mainly on outwash plains. There are also soddy-podzolic-gley soils. In the fields (Prisudostsky, Trubchevsky, Bryansk), located on the right banks of the Sudost and Desna, the most fertile loamy gray forest soils are common, on the western outskirts of the Central Russian Upland - dark gray and gray forest soils, as well as podzolized chernozems. In the valleys of the Desna, Sudost, Inuti - soddy alluvial soil.

The Bryansk region is located in the forest zone. Most of the territory is occupied by agricultural land. Forests - pine (42% of the forested area), birch (23%) and aspen (15%). In the floodplains of the rivers - flood plains, on the interfluves - upland and lowland meadows.

Agriculture of the grain and potato direction with dairy and meat animal husbandry. Agricultural lands (1.9 million hectares) occupy 56% of the territory of the region; arable land predominates (1.4 million hectares), with the highest plowing in the southern part and in the open fields.

Moscow region- an area in the central part of the Russian Plain, in the interfluve of the Volga and Oka, between 54 ° and 57 ° north latitude and between 35 ° and 40 ° east longitude, at the turn of mixed and broad-leaved forests. The surface is a plain with alternating hilly uplands and flat lowlands. The area is 46 thousand km². Population - 6628.1 thousand people (2006, excluding the population of Moscow). The most densely populated areas are those adjacent to Moscow, as well as to other industrial centers, agricultural and especially wooded areas of Meshcherskaya and others are relatively sparsely populated.
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lowlands.

The rivers of the Moscow region entirely belong to the Volga basin. The river network is dense.

The climate is temperate continental with moderately cold winters and warm summers. The average January temperature is -10 - -11°С, July 17 - 18°С. The average annual rainfall is 450 - 650 mm. The duration of the growing season is 130 - 140 days.

Soddy-podzolic soils of various textures predominate, with low natural fertility, requiring fertilization, as well as liming. On the Meshcherskaya and Upper Volga lowlands, podzolic-marsh and bog soils of light composition are in need of reclamation. In the south - light gray strongly podzolized soils, in the extreme south - gray forest and chernozem podzolized soils, along the valleys of the Oka, Moscow, etc.
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rivers - alluvial soil. In the floodplains of the rivers Oka, Moskva, Klyazma, Yakhroma, flood plains, on the watersheds - upland meadows.

The Moscow region is characterized by a significant area of ​​forests and high forest cover (about 40%).

Tula region- an area in the north of the Central Russian Upland. The area is 25.7 thousand km². Population - 1580.5 thousand people in 2006 (1932 thousand people in 1975). The climate is temperate continental. The average January temperature is from -9.5 to -10.3°С; cf.
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July temperature 19 - 20°С. Precipitation varies from 575 mm in the northwest to 470 mm in the southeast (maximum in July). Vegetation period 136 - 148 days.

About 80% of the territory of the Moscow region belongs to the Oka basin. In the Tula region - the sources and part of the upper reaches of the Don and its tributaries - the Nepryadva and the Beautiful Sword.

The soils are gray podzolized and leached chernozems. Agricultural lands occupy 1740 thousand hectares (2001), or 68% of the total area of ​​the region. Arable land occupies 1465 thousand hectares (84% of agricultural land). In the structure of sown areas, 54% falls on cereals.

The forest cover of the region is about 13%; oak, birch, and aspen forests predominate. Within the Tula region is concentrated about? deposits of the Moscow region coal basin. There are deposits of iron ore and various building materials.

Kursk region- an area in the center of the Russian Plain, on the southwestern slopes of the Central Russian Upland. The area is 29.8 thousand km². Population - 1183.9 thousand people. (2006). Population density - 39.7 people / km² (2006). The proportion of the urban population is 62.6% (2006). In terms of rural population density in the middle of the 20th century, the region occupied one of the first places in the country. Until 1917, the Kursk province belonged to the agrarian regions.

The climate is temperate continental. The average temperature in January is from -7.7°С to -9.4°С, in July from 18.8°С to 19.4°С. Precipitation - in the southwest 550 - 600 mm per year, in the east and southeast 480 - 500 mm, 70% of the annual amount falls from April to October. Vegetation period for 182 - 193 days.

The rivers are numerous. The Dnieper basin includes 97% of the surface of the Kursk region - ϶ᴛᴏ Seim and its tributaries - Svapa, Tuskar, Reut, Rat, etc.
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The other part - to the Don basin (Pine, Tim, Kshen, Olym, Oskol).

The Kursk region is located in the forest-steppe zone.

Soils are varieties of chernozems, and in the northwestern part - gray forest. In terms of plowing land (about 69%), the Kursk region in the middle of the 20th century occupied one of the first places in the country.

Along the river valleys, especially the Seim, Svapa and Psyola, broad-leaved forests of oak, ash, elm, linden, and maple predominate in gullies and ravines.

Voronezh region- an area in the central part of the Russian Plain, in the basin of the middle reaches of the Don. The western part of the region (the Donskoy right bank) lies on the Central Russian upland, the eastern part (the Donskoy left bank) lies on the flat Oka-Don plain and the Kalachskaya upland. Territory - 52.4 thousand km². Population - 2.3 million people, population density - 44.5 people. per km², the proportion of the urban population is 62.5% (2005).

The climate is temperate continental. The average temperature in January is from -10.5°С to -8.5°С, in July from 19.6°С to 21.8°С. The average annual rainfall is 550 - 560 mm in the northwest and 425 - 435 mm in the southeast (maximum in the spring-summer period). The duration of the growing season (with temperatures above 5°C) is from 190 days in the north to 200 days in the south.

The density of the river network is 268 m per 1 km². There are 738 lakes and 2408 ponds on the territory of the region, 1343 rivers with a length of more than 10 km flow. Main river- Don. All rivers of the region belong to its basin. 530 of its 1870 km. The Don flows through the territory of the region, forming a basin with an area of ​​422 thousand km².

The northern part of the region is leached and typical chernozems, the southern part is ordinary and southern chernozems. The Voronezh region is an area of ​​intensive agriculture. The Voronezh region produces grain (mainly wheat), sugar beet, sunflower and other industrial crops, potatoes and vegetables.

About 10% of the area is covered by forests: oak forests on the right upland river banks, pine forests on the left bank terraces.

In the Voronezh region there are deposits of building materials (sands, clays, chalk, granites, cement raw materials, ocher, limestone, sandstone), practically unlimited chalk reserves.

Ryazan Oblast- an area in the center of the Russian Plain, in the basin of the middle and partly lower reaches of the Oka. The surface is a plain: the northern part (along the left bank of the Oka) is the territory of the Meshcherskaya lowland, the eastern part (along the right bank of the Oka) is the Oka-Don Plain, the western part is the spurs of the Central Russian Upland. The area is 39.6 thousand km². Population - 1182.0 thousand people. (2006).

The climate is continental, with moderately cold winters and warm summers. The average temperature in July is 19.2°C, in January - 11.5°C. The average annual rainfall is 450 - 500 mm.

The most important river is the Oka.

The soils are podzolic, gray forest and chernozem. Until 1917, the Ryazan region was an agricultural region.

In the humid flat north of the region and east of the Moksha and Tsna rivers, there are significant reserves of high-quality peat. 1062 deposits have been explored with total reserves of 222 million tons. In the bowels of the southwestern part of the region there are deposits of brown coal from the coal basin near Moscow (23 deposits of brown coal with total reserves of 301.6 million tons have been explored). The region has explored deposits of phosphorites, gypsum, brown iron ore, 25 deposits of clay and loam, 4 deposits of carbonate rocks for building lime, cement limestone, marl.

Forests occupy 24% of the area.

Lipetsk region- an area in the central part of the Russian Plain, in the basin of the upper reaches of the river.
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Don. Most of the territory is occupied Central Russian Upland- an undulating plain, strongly dissected by ravines and gullies. The area is 24.1 thousand km². Population - population 1190 thousand people. (2005).

The climate is temperate continental. The average January temperature is from -10 to -11°C, July 19 - 20°C. The average annual rainfall is 450 - 500 mm ( maximum in summer). The duration of the growing season is 180 - 185 days.

Soils - chernozems: in the north - leached, in the southeast and southwest - powerful chernozems. Until 1917, the Lipetsk region was an agricultural region.

Under forests - 8.3% of the territory, mainly birch and pine on the sands.

Conclusion– on the Russian Plain there are all the necessary conditions for the implementation of agricultural relations, namely:

• All these areas 1.5 - 2 centuries ago were listed as agricultural;
• Dense network of rivers;
• Many ʼʼprivateʼʼ interfluves - large and small;
• In the central part of the Russian Plain, the maximum precipitation occurs in the summer period and in July itself, when the fruit and vegetable body of agricultural crops is actively forming;
• The growing season is sufficient for the production of most crops;
• The large plowing (60 - 70%) of the lands of these regions speaks of their original ability to produce crops;
• The plowing of upland lands and opolies is high;
• Low population of forest areas;
• The lowland lands are poorly populated, apparently because the rainy season falls precisely in the summer, which increases the humidity of these lands, turning them into swamps;
• Sufficient amount of construction timber;
• Sufficient amount of arable land;
• A sufficient number of reservoirs with fish;
• Sufficient drinking water for people and livestock.

It is in connection with this that the density of discovered archaeological sites on the territory of the Russian Plain is so high - more than 20,000 villages in these eight regions. The average population of the territories of the Russian Plain is 1 village per 1.7 km². That is, the neighboring village is only 1.7 kilometers in any direction. This figure was obtained as follows: the average area of ​​one region is 30,000 km², divided by 2,500 thousand - the number of archaeological sites indicated in the reference books of the Institute of Archeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences of the ʼʼArchaeological Map of Russiaʼʼ series within one region, multiplied by 4 (given that only a quarter of the monuments are open). These monuments are dated from 730 thousand BC. (See paragraph 6.2. Ch. IV) and at the beginning of ʼʼourʼʼ era.

We also note that the distribution of settlements on the Russian Plain is evenly distributed over the entire territory. This is determined both by the quality of soils suitable for cultivation in any place, and by the widespread and even distribution water resources. It is this factor (in contrast to the high concentration of agriculture in Egypt and Mesopotamia exclusively near single large rivers) that in the past ensured an even distribution of food resources over the territory of Rus' and excluded negative concentrations of people in certain areas with accompanying starvation in this case. This state of affairs had a beneficial effect on the population of Rus' by its multiple increase - starting from 50 thousand years BC, for each subsequent 5 thousand years, the population steadily doubled (see paragraph 5.1. Chapter IV) .

The central regions of the Russian Plain - the concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Central regions of the Russian Plain" 2017, 2018.

The Russian Plain served for centuries as a territory connecting western and eastern civilizations by trade routes. Historically, two busy trade arteries ran through these lands. The first is known as "the path from the Varangians to the Greeks." According to it, as is known from school history, the medieval trade in goods of the peoples of the East and Rus' with the states of Western Europe was carried out.

The second is the route along the Volga, which made it possible to transport goods by ship to Southern Europe from China, India and Central Asia and vice versa. The first Russian cities were built along the trade routes - Kyiv, Smolensk, Rostov. Velikiy Novgorod became the northern gate of the way from the "Varangians", guarding the safety of trade.

Now the Russian Plain is still a territory of strategic importance. The capital of the country was located on its lands and Largest cities. The most important administrative centers for the life of the state are concentrated here.

The geographical position of the plain

The East European Plain, or Russian, occupies territories in the east of Europe. In Russia, these are its extreme western lands. In the northwest and west, it is bounded by the Scandinavian Mountains, the Barents and White Seas, the Baltic coast and the Vistula River. Adjacent to the east and southeast Ural mountains and the Caucasus. In the south, the plain is bounded by the shores of the Black, Azov and Caspian Seas.

Relief features and landscape

The East European Plain is represented by a gently sloping flat relief formed as a result of faults in tectonic rocks. According to relief features, the massif can be divided into three bands: central, southern and northern. The center of the plain consists of vast uplands and lowlands alternating with each other. The north and south are mostly represented by lowlands with occasional low elevations.

Although the relief is formed in a tectonic way and minor shocks are possible on the territory, there are no tangible earthquakes here.

Natural areas and regions

(The plain has planes with characteristic smooth drops.)

The East European Plain includes all natural areas found on the territory of Russia:

• Tundra and forest-tundra are represented by the nature of the north of the Kola Peninsula and occupy a small part of the territory, slightly expanding towards the east. The vegetation of the tundra, namely, shrubs, mosses and lichens, is replaced by birch forests of the forest tundra.
• The taiga, with its pine and spruce forests, occupies the north and center of the plain. On the borders with mixed broad-leaved forests, places are often swampy. A typical Eastern European landscape - coniferous and mixed forests and swamps are replaced by small rivers and lakes.
• In the forest-steppe zone, one can see alternating uplands and lowlands. Oak and ash forests are typical for this zone. Often you can find birch-aspen forests.
• The steppe is represented by valleys, where oak forests and groves, alder and elm forests grow along the banks of the rivers, and tulips and sage blossom in the fields.
• Semi-deserts and deserts are located on the Caspian lowland, where the climate is harsh and the soil is saline, but even there you can find vegetation in the form of various varieties of cacti, wormwood and plants that adapt well to a sharp change in daily temperatures.

Rivers and lakes of the plains

(A river on a flat area of ​​the Ryazan region)

The rivers of the "Russian Valley" are majestic and slowly carry their waters in one of two directions - north or south, to the Arctic and Atlantic oceans, or to the southern inland seas of the mainland. Rivers of the northern direction flow into the Barents, White or Baltic Seas. The rivers of the southern direction - to the Black, Azov or Caspian Sea. The largest river in Europe, the Volga, also "flows lazily" through the lands of the East European Plain.

The Russian Plain is the realm of natural water in all its manifestations. The glacier, which passed through the plain millennia ago, formed many lakes on its territory. Especially a lot of them in Karelia. The consequences of the stay of the glacier were the emergence in the North-West of such large lakes as Ladoga, Onega, Pskov-Peipsi reservoir.

Under the thickness of the earth in the localization of the Russian Plain, reserves of artesian water are stored in the amount of three underground basins of huge volumes and many located at a shallower depth.

Climate of the East European Plain

(Flat terrain with slight drops near Pskov)

The Atlantic dictates the weather regime on the Russian Plain. Western winds, air masses that move moisture, make summer on the plain warm and humid, winter cold and windy. During the cold season, winds from the Atlantic bring about ten cyclones, contributing to changeable heat and cold. But the air masses from the Arctic Ocean are still striving for the plain.

Therefore, the climate becomes continental only in the depths of the massif, closer to the south and southeast. The East European Plain has two climatic zones - subarctic and temperate, increasing continentality towards the east.

East European (aka Russian) has the second largest area in the world, second only to the Amazonian lowland. It is classified as a low plain. From the north, the area is washed by the Barents and White Seas, in the south - by the Azov, Caspian and Black. In the west and southwest, the plain is adjacent to the mountains of Central Europe (Carpathians, Sudetes, etc.), in the northwest - with the Scandinavian mountains, in the east - with the Urals and Mugodzhary, and in the southeast - with the Crimean mountains and Caucasus.

The length of the East European Plain from west to east is approximately 2500 km, from north to south - about 2750 km, the area is 5.5 million km². The average height is 170 m, the maximum was recorded in the Khibiny (Mount Yudychvumchorr) on the Kola Peninsula - 1191 m, the minimum height was noted on the coast of the Caspian Sea, it has a minus value of -27 m. The following countries are completely or partially located on the territory of the plain: Belarus, Kazakhstan , Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Russia, Ukraine and Estonia.

The Russian Plain almost completely coincides with the East European Platform, which explains its relief with a predominance of planes. This geographical location is characterized by very rare manifestations of volcanic activity.

A similar relief was formed due to tectonic movements and faults. Platform deposits on this plain lie almost horizontally, but in some places they exceed 20 km. Elevations in this area are quite rare and are mainly ridges (Donetsk, Timan, etc.), in these areas the folded foundation protrudes to the surface.

Hydrographic characteristics of the East European Plain

In terms of hydrography, the East European Plain can be divided into two parts. Most of the waters of the plain have access to the ocean. The western and southern rivers belong to the Atlantic Ocean basin, and the northern ones belong to the Arctic Ocean. Of the northern rivers on the Russian Plain are: Mezen, Onega, Pechora and Northern Dvina. Western and southern water flows flow into the Baltic Sea (Vistula, Western Dvina, Neva, Neman, etc.), as well as into the Black (Dnieper, Dniester and Southern Bug) and Azov (Don).

Climatic characteristics of the East European Plain

The East European Plain is dominated by a temperate continental climate. Summer average recorded temperatures range from 12 (near the Barents Sea) to 25 degrees (near the Caspian lowland). The highest winter average temperatures are observed in the west, where in winter about -

A plain is a type of relief, which is a flat, vast area. More than two-thirds of Russia's territory is occupied by plains. They are characterized by a slight slope and slight fluctuations in the heights of the terrain. A similar relief is also found at the bottom of marine areas. The territory of the plains can be occupied by any: deserts, steppes, mixed forests, etc.

Map of the largest plains of Russia

Most of the country is located on a relatively flat type of terrain. Favorable allowed a person to engage in cattle breeding, build large settlements and roads. On the plains, it is easiest to conduct construction activities. Many minerals and others are concentrated on them, including, and.

Below are maps, characteristics and photos of landscapes of the largest plains in Russia.

the East European Plain

East European Plain on the map of Russia

The territory of the East European Plain is approximately 4 million km². The natural northern border is the White and Barents Seas, in the south of the land they are washed by the Azov and Caspian Seas. The Vistula River is considered the western border, and the Ural Mountains - the eastern.

At the base of the plain lies the Russian platform and the Scythian plate, the foundation is covered with sedimentary rocks. Where the base is raised, uplands were formed: Pridneprovskaya, Central Russian, Volga. In places where the foundation is deeply lowered, lowlands lie: Pechora, Black Sea, Caspian.

The territory is located in moderate latitude. Atlantic air masses penetrate the plain, bringing with them precipitation. The western part is warmer than the east. The minimum temperature in January is -14˚C. In summer, the air from the Arctic gives coolness. The largest rivers flow south. Short rivers, Onega, Northern Dvina, Pechora, are directed to the north. The Neman, Neva and Zapadnaya Dvina carry waters to the west. They all freeze over in the winter. Spring floods begin.

Half of the country's population lives on the East European Plain. Almost all forests are secondary forest, there are a lot of fields and arable lands. There are many minerals on the territory.

West Siberian Plain

West Siberian Plain on the map of Russia

The area of ​​the plain is about 2.6 million km². The Ural Mountains are the western border, in the east the plain ends with the Central Siberian Plateau. The Kara Sea washes the northern part. The southern border is considered to be the Kazakh small sandbox.

At the base lies the West Siberian plate, sedimentary rocks lie on the surface. The southern part is higher than the northern and central. The maximum height is 300 m. The edges of the plain are represented by the Ket-Tym, Kulunda, Ishim and Turin plains. In addition, there is the Nizhneeniseyskaya, Verkhnetazovskaya and North Sosvinskaya uplands. Siberian ridges - a complex of hills in the west of the plain.

The West Siberian Plain lies in three: arctic, subarctic and temperate. Due to the low pressure, arctic air penetrates the territory, cyclones are actively developing in the north. Precipitation is unevenly distributed, the maximum number falls on the middle part. Most precipitation falls between May and October. Thunderstorms often occur in the southern strip in summer.

The rivers flow slowly, and many swamps have formed on the plain. All reservoirs have a flat character, they have a small slope. Tobol, Irtysh and Ob originate in mountainous areas, so their regime depends on the melting of ice in the mountains. Most of the reservoirs have a north-western direction. In the spring comes a long flood.

Oil and gas are the main wealth of the plain. In total, there are more than five hundred deposits of combustible minerals. In addition to them, there are deposits of coal, ore and mercury in the bowels.

The steppe zone, located in the south of the plain, is almost completely plowed up. On the black soil there are fields of spring wheat. Plowing, which lasted for many years, led to the formation of erosion and dust storms. There are many salt lakes in the steppes, from which table salt and soda are extracted.

Central Siberian Plateau

Central Siberian Plateau on the map of Russia

The area of ​​the plateau is 3.5 million km². In the north it borders on the North Siberian Lowland. The Eastern Sayans are a natural border in the south. In the west, the lands originate from the Yenisei River, in the east they end at the Lena River valley.

At the heart of the plateau lies the Pacific lithospheric plate. Because of it, the earth's crust has risen significantly. The average heights are 500 m. The Putorana Plateau in the northwest reaches 1701 m in height. The Byrranga Mountains are located in Taimyr, their height exceeds a thousand meters. There are only two lowlands in Central Siberia: North Siberian and Central Yakut. There are many lakes here.

Most of the territories are located in the arctic and subarctic zones. The plateau is fenced off from the warm seas. Because of the high mountains, precipitation is unevenly distributed. They fall in large numbers in the summer. The earth is very cold in winter. The minimum January mark is -40˚C. Dry air and lack of winds help to endure such difficult conditions. Powerful anticyclones form during the cold season. There is little rainfall in winter. In summer, a cyclonic type of weather sets in. The average temperature during this period is +19˚C.

The largest rivers Yenisei, Angara, Lena, Khatanga flow through the lowland. They cross the faults of the earth's crust, so they have many thresholds and gorges. All rivers are navigable. Central Siberia has colossal hydropower resources. Most of the major rivers are located in the north.

Almost the entire territory is located in the zone. Forests are represented by larch species that shed their needles for the winter. Pine forests grow along the Lena and Angara valleys. In the tundra there are shrubs, lichens and mosses.

There are a lot of minerals in Siberia. There are deposits of ore, coal, oil. In the southeast are deposits of platinum. There are salt deposits in the Central Yakut lowland. Graphite deposits are found on the Nizhnyaya Tunguska and Kureika rivers. Diamond deposits are located in the northeast.

Due to difficult climatic conditions, large settlements are located only in the south. Human economic activity is focused on the mining and logging industries.

Azov-Kuban Plain

Azov-Kuban plain (Kuban-Azov lowland) on the map of Russia

The Azov-Kuban Plain is a continuation of the East European Plain, its area is 50 thousand km². The Kuban River is the southern border, and the northern one is the Yegorlyk River. In the east, the lowland ends with the Kumo-Manych depression, the western part goes to the Sea of ​​Azov.

The plain lies on the Scythian plate and is a virgin steppe. The maximum height is 150 m. major rivers Chelbas, Beisug, Kuban, there is a group of karst lakes. The plain is located in the continental belt. Warm weather softens the local climate. In winter, the temperature rarely drops below -5˚C. In summer, the thermometer shows +25˚C.

The plain includes three lowlands: Prikubanskaya, Priazovskaya and Kuban-Priazovskaya. Rivers often flood settlements. There are gas deposits on the territory. The region is famous for its black earth fertile soils. Almost the entire territory is developed by man. People grow cereals. The diversity of flora is preserved only along the rivers and in the forests.

The Russian Plain is otherwise called the East European Plain. This is its physical and geographical name. The total area of ​​this land area is 4 million km2. Larger is only the Amazonian lowland.

The East European Plain occupies a significant part of the territory of Russia. It starts off the coast of the Baltic Sea and ends near the Ural Mountains. From the north and from the south, the plain is immediately limited by 2 seas. In the first case, these are the Barents and White Seas, in the second, the Caspian and Azov. From different sides the plain is limited by mountain ranges. The situation is this:

• Northwestern border - Scandinavian mountains;
• Western and southwestern borders - the mountains of Central Europe and the Carpathians;
• Southern border - the Caucasus Mountains;
• The eastern border is the Ural Mountains.

In addition, Crimea is located on the territory of the Russian Plain. In this case, the northern one from the foothills of the Crimean Mountains acts as a border.

Scientists attributed the East European Plain to the rank of physiographic countries due to the fact that it is characterized by the following features:

1. Placement on one of the plates of the platform of the same name, which, unlike the others, is slightly elevated;
2. Being in a temperate climate zone, as well as a small amount of precipitation. This is a consequence of the influence of two oceans, the first of which is the Atlantic, the second is the Arctic;
3. The presence of a clear natural zonality, which is explained by the flatness of the relief.

The described plain is divided into two other plains, namely:

1. Socle-denudation, occupying the Baltic crystalline shield;
2. East European, located on two plates at once: Scythian and Russian.

The crystalline shield has a unique relief. It was formed during a continental denudation that lasted more than one thousand years. Certain features were obtained by relief as a result of tectonic movements that occurred in recent times. As for the past, in the Quaternary period, the center of the glacier was located on the site of the modern Baltic crystalline shield. It is for this reason that the local relief is glacial.

Platform deposits, which are part of the Russian Plain, are a kind of cover that is in a horizontal position. Thanks to them, the formation of two types of uplands and lowlands occurred. The first of them are reservoir-denudation, and the second are accumulative. In some areas of the plain there are ledges of a folded basement. They are represented by socle-denudation hills and ridges: Donetsk, Timan, etc.

If we take into account the average indicator, then the height of the East European Plain above sea level is 170 meters. This indicator is the lowest on the coast of the Caspian Sea, and the highest - on the hills. For example, the Podolsk Upland is located 417 meters above sea level.

Settlement of the East European Plain

Some scientists are of the opinion that Eastern Europe was inhabited by Slavs, but some researchers are convinced of the opposite. It is known for certain that about 30 thousand years BC Cro-Magnons settled on the Russian Plain. Outwardly, they slightly resembled Caucasians, and over time they became similar to modern people. The process of adaptation of the Cro-Magnons proceeded in the conditions of the glacier. In the 10th millennium BC, the climate became milder, so the descendants of the Cro-Magnons, called the Indo-Europeans, began to explore the territories located in the southeast of modern Europe. Where they were before is unknown, but there is reliable evidence that the settlement of this territory by the Indo-Europeans occurred 6 thousand years before our era.

The first Slavs appeared on European territory much later than the Indo-Europeans. Historians claim that their active resettlement falls on the 5th-6th centuries AD. For example, the Balkan Peninsula and the territories adjacent to it were occupied by the southern Slavs. Western Slavs moved in a direction from north to west. Many of them became the ancestors of modern Germans and Poles. Some settled on the coast of the Baltic Sea, while others settled in the Czech Republic. At the same time, serious changes took place in primitive society. In particular, the community became obsolete, the tribal hierarchy faded into the background, and associations began to replace them, which became the first states.

The Slavs, without apparent difficulties, settled the eastern lands of a large territory called Europe. At first, their relations with each other were based on the primitive communal system, and then on the tribal system. The number of settlers was small, so their tribes did not lack free lands.

In the process of settlement, the assimilation of the Slavs with representatives of the Finno-Ugric tribes took place. Their tribal unions are considered the first similarities of states. In parallel with this, the climate of Europe became warmer. This led to the development of agriculture and animal husbandry, but at the same time an important role in economic activity primitive people fishing and hunting continued.

A favorable set of circumstances for the colonists explains that East Slavs became the largest group of peoples, including Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians. If in the early Middle Ages the settlement of the Slavs only originates, but in the VIII century its "flourishing" falls. Simply put, it was at this time that the Slavic tribes were able to take a dominant position. Their neighbors were representatives of other nations. This has its pros and cons.

Speaking about the settlement of the Slavs, it should be noted that the main feature of this historical process is unevenness. First, the territories that were located near the route “from the Varangians to the Greeks” were mastered, and only then the eastern, western and southwestern lands were colonized.

The settlement of the Slavs on the territory of the Russian Plain has a number of features. Among them it is necessary to highlight:

1. Significant influence of climate on the duration of colonization;
2. Dependence of population density on natural and climatic conditions. This means that the southern territories were more densely populated than the northern ones;
3. Absence of military conflicts caused by lack of land;
4. Imposing tribute on other peoples;
5. Complete assimilation of representatives of small tribes.

After the Slavic tribes occupied the East European Plain, they began to develop new types of economic activity, made adjustments to the existing social order and created the prerequisites for the creation of the first states.

Modern exploration of the East European Plain

Many well-known scientists were engaged in the study of the East European Plain. In particular, a huge contribution to the development of science was made by the mineralogist V.M. Severgin.

In the early spring of 1803, Severgin was studying the Baltic. While conducting research, he noticed that in the southwestern direction from Lake Peipsi, the relief becomes more hilly. Subsequently, Vasily Mikhailovich made a multi-stage transition. First, he went from the Gauja River to the Neman, and then to the Bug. This allowed him to establish that the area is either hilly or elevated. Realizing that such an alternation is a regularity, Severgin accurately determined its direction, going from the southwest to the northeast.

The territory of Polissya was studied by scientists no less closely. In particular, numerous studies began after the lands on the right bank of the Dnieper “opened up”, which led to a decrease in the number of meadows. So, in 1873 the Western Expedition was organized. A group of scientists led by topographer I.I. Zhilinsky planned to study the features of local swamps and determine the best ways to drain them. Over time, the expedition members were able to map Polissya, studied the land with a total area of ​​more than 100 thousand km2 and measured about 600 heights. The information received by Zhilinsky allowed A.A. Tillo to continue the undertakings of a colleague. This led to the appearance of the hypsometric map. It served as a clear proof that Polissya is a plain with raised borders. In addition, it was found that the region is rich in rivers and lakes. There are about 500 of the first here, and 300 of the second. The total length of both of them exceeds 9 thousand kilometers.

Later, G.I. Tanfiliev. He established that the destruction of the swamps would not cause the shallowing of the Dnieper. P.A. also came to the same conclusion. Tutkovsky. The same scientist finalized the map created by Tillo by adding several hills to it, among which the Ovruch ridge should be distinguished.

E.P. Kovalevsky, being an engineer at one of the factories in Luhansk, devoted himself to the study of the Donetsk Ridge. He conducted a lot of research and determined that the ridge is a pool of enormous size. Later, Kovalevsky was recognized as the discoverer of Donbass, because. it was he who created the first geological map and suggested that the region is rich in minerals.

In 1840, the famous geologist R. Murchison came to Russia. Together with domestic scientists, he explored the coast of the White Sea. As a result of the work carried out, many rivers and hills were studied, which were then mapped.

The study of the southern part of the Russian Plain was carried out by V.V. Dokuchaev, who was later recognized as the "father" of domestic soil science. This scientist found that a part of Eastern Europe is occupied by a unique zone, which is a mixture of black soil and steppe. In addition, in 1900, Dokuchaev compiled a map on which he divided the plain into 5 natural zones.

Over time, the interest of scientists in the East European Plain has not weakened. This led to the organization of many expeditions and various studies. Both those and others allowed to do a lot scientific discoveries and also create new maps.