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Reading about Russia

Today, the economy of Russia is struggling. The annual GDP is approximately 796 billion dollars, lower than that of either China or Japan. However, many people look at the modern Russian economy as a new beginning. From 1922 to 1991, Russia was part of the Soviet Union. In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev allowed the businesspeople to make more economic decisions at the local level. Not long after (in 1991), Russia became an independent country, adopting the free-enterprise system. The old Soviet Union was split up. Even though goods are sometimes scarce in Russia, and people struggle with the constant increase of product prices, major cities and industries contribute to Russia’s GDP.

  • Moscow is the capital city of Russia and produces a large amount of textiles and automobiles. Many consumer household products are also made there.
  • St. Petersburg lies northwest of Moscow and is the second largest city in Russia. Ship building factories exist in St. Petersburg, and the production and operation of light machinery is common. This area also produces medical equipment.
 

 

Take a Look!

Now that you know something about the Eastern world, visit these Web sites to take a look at three different maps of China, Japan, and Russia.

  • Visit the China Tour Web site to see China!
  • Visit the Chapin Elementary School Web site to see Japan!
  • Visit the Chapin Elementary School Web site to see Russia!