The Geography of Russia and Neighboring Countries Essay

The Geography of Russia and Neighboring Countries - Essay Example However, the Russian-speaking group forms more than half of the population followed by Ukrainians, then Uzbeks. There are also other smaller ethnic tribes within the country including Tatar, Bashkir and Chuvash. The country has a population of 142, 470, 272 people with a growth rate of 0.03%. Estimates place the birth rate at 11.8 per 1000 with an infant mortality rate of 7.08 per 1000 infants. The federation has a life expectancy of 70.16 years and 21.5 population densities per square kilometer. According to 2010 estimates, Russia has a 99.70% literacy level. The statistics are almost similar to those of the neighboring countries, especially the Scandinavian countries in east Europe or west of Russia. The federation of Russia recovered from a whole decade of post-Soviet political and economic turmoil to reposition as a world power. The Soviet Union comprised of several countries, precisely fifteen, which included the Russia republic and Scandinavian countries. The religious people of Russia and its neighboring countries can be categorized into Russian orthodox, Christians and Muslims (Kort 30). Russia and neighboring countries are lavishly endowed with natural resources. The federation produces 20% of world’s natural gas. Oil is also available and a valuable commodity in the country. It is self-sufficient in all key industrial raw materials (Blinnikov 60). It also has reserves of less vital, but nevertheless valuable, natural resources, including gold and diamonds. Russia and the neighboring countries are generously furnished with agricultural productive environment. Blinnikov (70) indicates that the neighboring Scandinavian countries provide more than 10% of worlds forest cover. The country encloses all of the vegetation zones in the world except tropical rain forest. The coldest weather is found in the east and north of the country. Extreme weather is nastiest from April