The major rivers of.
Russia are the Volga and the Don. An interesting part of Siberia is Lake.
Baikal. It is the deepest freshwater lake in the world. The lake is so deep.
and has such a large surface area that it holds one-fifth of the world's.
supply of fresh water.
Russia's climate is mostly tundra. The temperature in eastern.
Siberia reaches a bone-chilling level of -150 degrees F. The Verkhoyansk.
area averages about -60 degrees F.
Petroleum, natural gas, precious metals, and other valuable.
minerals are found all around. Coal is found in all parts of the country.
Tunguska coalfields are among the largest in the world. The main petroleum-.
producing areas in Russia are in the Urals. Siberia's Tyumen Province has.
rich reserves. Although large oil deposits lie off the Pacific coast near.
Kamchatka and Sakhalin, Russian attempts to locate these offshore fields.
have been held back by climate, technology and transportation. A U.S.-.
Japanese company was given the right to drill for oil off Sakhalin Island.
Russia also has reserves of iron ore as well as gold, silver, platinum,.
lead, molybdenum, manganese, tungsten, apatite, nickel, titanium, and.
cobalt.
81.5% of Russia's population are Russians, another 2.9% are.
Ukrainian. These people are located in eastern Russia and in southern.
Siberia. Almost all speak Russian, even if Ukrainian or others are their.
first language.
Other ethnic groups with sizable populations include the Germans.
with more than 700,000 people. The number of Jews, has fallen, and their.
numbers continue to fall through them moving primarily to Israel and the.
United States.
Russian language courses were and are requirement for all.
schoolchildren.
41% of the Russians are Russian Orthodox believers. Other religious.
information is unavailable.
Today, eight years of schooling are required. Students who wish to.
attend high school for another two years must undergo examination. Russia.
has opened a number of business schools, trade schools, artistic schools.
