9.2.5
Emerging Powers - Russia
Russia - Economic, Military and Political Characteristics
Russia - Economic, Military and Political Characteristics
Russia has strengths and weaknesses that might inhibit or advance its economic and geopolitical role in the future.
Economic characteristics
Economic characteristics
- Russia is the 9th largest economy in the world.
- However, its economy is very dependent on oil and gas exports. This makes it vulnerable to price fluctuations in those commodities.
- The World Bank has predicted that Russia’s economy will grow slowly at 1.5%-1.8% between 2018-2020 but makes it clear that this is dependent on changing oil prices.
Political characteristics
Political characteristics
- In recent years, Russia’s global influence has once again increased (following a decline after the collapse of the USSR).
- However, its strategy to gain this global influence has sometimes been to step into global situations where the West will not. This has made some of its political actions in recent years controversial.
- It played a major role in Syria between 2012-2017.
- In 2013, Russia became the world’s largest arms exporter- selling the most weapons to other countries.
- Recently, it has sold arms to Nigeria to combat Boko Haram- an example of it trying to expand its global influence.
Politics in Russia
Politics in Russia
- Politically, Russia is a democracy.
- However, having won the last election, Vladimir Putin will have been in power for nearly 25 years.
- Some people report that the election was not a competitive one. Many journalists in Russia have been killed in recent years and political opponents to Putin also seem to be vulnerable to persecution.
Military characteristics
Military characteristics
- Military spending has increased but Russia has far less military strength than China or the USA. However, Russia does have nuclear weapons.
- It has half the number of active personnel of China.
- It does have more aircraft and more tanks than China but many of these are ageing and relicts of the USSR.
- Like China, it has 1 aircraft carrier.
Russia - Cultural, Demographic and Environmental
Russia - Cultural, Demographic and Environmental
Russia has strengths and weaknesses that might inhibit or advance its economic and geopolitical role in the future.
Cultural characteristics
Cultural characteristics
- Russia has a history of global influence, largely from its days as the USSR.
- This means that Russian is still spoken beyond the borders of Russia itself, but only in the region of the old USSR.
- Russia has a large cultural tourist industry with people visiting the country however it has few cultural exports. Western culture dominates internationally.
- In 2018, it hosted the Football World Cup. There were concerted efforts to portray the areas visited by tourists in a positive light.
Demographic characteristics
Demographic characteristics
- Russia’s population is declining. Between 1991 and 2015 it declined for 21 of these 25 years.
- Its fertility rate is now 1.75.
- In 2017 it was announced that the government would spend $8.6billion over 3 years on measures to increase the birth rate. Putin has offered mortgage subsidies and payments to new and growing families.
Environmental characteristics
Environmental characteristics
- Like Brazil, Russia faces deforestation as a large issue. The Taiga or Boreal forest in the North of the country is deforested for pulp and paper production.
- This logging increases CO2 emissions and reduces biodiversity.
- Owing to Russia’s historic nuclear weapons program and nuclear energy sector, nuclear contamination of the countryside is another major environmental concern for the country.
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power
9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry
9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power
9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil
9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia
9.2.6Emerging Powers - India
9.2.7Theories of Development
9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road
9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms
9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
Jump to other topics
1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.1Tectonic Processes & Hazards
1.2Natural Disasters
1.3Natural Disaster Case Studies
1.4Trends & Patterns
2Option 2A: Glaciated Landscapes & Change
2.1Glaciated Landscapes Over Time
2.2Periglacial Landscapes
2.3Glacial Processes
2.4Glacial Landforms
3Option 2B: Coastal Landscapes & Change
3.1Coastal Landscapes
3.2Coastal Erosion & Deposition
3.3Coastal Risks
4Globalisation
4.1Globalisation
4.2Negatives of Globalisation
4.3Global Shift
4.5Culture
4.6Measuring Development
5Option 4A: Regenerating Places
5.1Types of Economies
5.2Function of Places
5.3Regeneration
5.4Regeneration Case Studies
6Option 4B: Diverse Places
6.1Population Structure
6.2Past & Present Connections
6.3Urban & Rural Spaces
6.4Diversity
6.5Urban & Rural Case Studies
6.6Case Study - Tower Hamlets
6.7Case Study - Sturton-le-Steeple
7The Water Cycle & Water Insecurity (A2 only)
7.1Hydrological Processes Global to Local
7.2Influences on the Water Cycle
7.3Water Insecurity
8The Carbon Cycle & Energy Security (A2 only)
8.1The Carbon Cycle
8.2Energy Consumption
8.3Alternative Energy
8.4Growing Demand for Resources
9Superpowers (A2 only)
9.1Superpowers
9.2Hard & Soft Power
9.2.1Hard & Soft Power
9.2.2Emerging Powers - China Rivalry
9.2.3Emerging Powers - Chinese Sources of Power
9.2.4Emerging Powers - Brazil
9.2.5Emerging Powers - Russia
9.2.6Emerging Powers - India
9.2.7Theories of Development
9.2.8Power Case Studies: Chinese One Belt One Road
9.2.9Power Case Studies: Pakistan Nuclear Arms
9.2.10Power Case Studies: OPEC
9.3IGOs, TNCs & Alliances
10Option 8A: Health & Human Rights (A2 only)
10.1Human Development
10.2Role of Governments & IGOs
10.3Human Rights
10.4Interventions
11Option 8B: Migration & Identity (A2 only)
11.1Globalisation & Migration
11.2Consequences of Migration
11.3Nation States
11.4Responses to Global Migration
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