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Russia is a huge country even after the disolution of the Soviet Union (1991). The most obvious regional division is European and Asian Russia. Russia is nornmally though of as a European country, but most of the land, but not the population, lies in Asia. The two regions are divided by the north/south oriented Ural Mountains. Russia is the only country consisting of both a European and Asian component. Russia began as an entirely European country, but there were many established states to the west and no real powerful opposition to the east--at least at the time Russia began its expansion. Russian thus expanded east just as America expanded west. Russian history beguns with the medieval era and the Slavs. The expansion east begins with the end of the medieval era (16th century). The significant eastward expansion of Russia began with the reign of Ivan IV--Ivan the Terrible (1547). And Russia came to include various Asian populations. Asian Russia is immense, a much larger area than European Russia, but with a much smaller population. In European Russia it's the other the oposite, smaller area and a larger population. While European Russia has a much smaller area, it has to be noted that it is a huge part of Europe (40 percent). A more detailed regional breakdown implemenbted by the Russian Government (2002) is less based on geographical features. It includes five regiins in European Russua abd two regions in Asian Russia. There are five regiions in European Russia: North-West, Central, Volga area, South, and Ural area. Therea are two areas in Asiatic Russia: Siberia and the Far East. The regions vary somewhat with the historiography. For example, Aner-indians are often said to have origniated from Siberian tribes. But these tribes came from the Far Eastern area of modern Russia, not Siberia.
Russia is nornmally thought of as a European country, even thoughn most of the land, but not the population, lies in Asia. The two regions are divided by the north/south oriented Ural Mountains. Russia is the only country consisting of both a European and Asian component. Russia began as an entirely European country, but there were many established states to the west and no real powerful opposition to the east--at least at the time Russia began its expansion. Russian thus expanded east just as America expanded west. Russian history beguns with the medieval era and the Slavs. The expansion east begins with the end of the medieval era (16th century). While European Russia has a much smaller area, it has to be noted that it is a huge part of Europe (40 percent). A more detailed regional breakdown implemenbted by the Russian Government (2002) is less based on geographical features. It includes five regions in European Russia: North-West, Central, Volga area, South, and Ural area.
The significant eastward expansion of Russia into Asia began with the reign of Ivan IV--Ivan the Terrible (1547). And Russia came to include various Asian populations. Asian Russia is immense, a much larger area than European Russia, but with a much smaller population. In European Russia it's the other the oposite, smaller area and a larger population. herea are two areas in Asiatic Russia: Siberia and the Far East. The regions vary somewhat with the historiography. For example, Aner-indians are often said to have origniated from Siberian tribes. But these tribes came from the Far Eastern area of modern Russia, not Siberia.
Russian history primarily deals with the Russian push east, but actually began with the Mongol hordes pushing west out of the Asian Steppe. The Mongols under Genghis conquered Russia, meaning the Grand Dutch of Moscow (1237). The Mongols probably would have moved even further east had not Genghis died (1227). The Mongol Empire splintered after the death of Genghis. The Golden Horde dominated Russia, but was overthrown(1480). Various Tsars at considerable cost expanded west acquiring Swedish territory, the Baltics, Ukraine, and finally much of Poland (18th century). The significant eastward expansion of Russia into Asia began with the reign of Ivan IV--Ivan the Terrible (1547) and faced much less serious opposition as they conquered the area from the Urals to the Pacific. There were weak Islamic caliphates to the south and only primitive indigenous tribes to the east. Eventually they came into contact with a real power--China. The result was a series of battles. The Chinese defeated the Russians in the Battle of Albazin (1685). The Chinese won control over what is now the Russian Far East and eastern Siberia. This was formally recognized in the Treaty of Nerchinsk (1689). The Industrial Revolution changed the power relationship between Europe and China. While Russia was a backward European state it advanced beyond the ability of China to contain it. More importantly. the Opium War showed China's weakness against Britain an other Europeans (1840). China was unable to contain Russian control of the Far East, This was formalized in treaties (1858 and 1860). Russian began to impinge on China itself, especially Manchuria, in part by railroad construction. Chinese influence in Korea waned. With the Meiji Restoration in Japan, a new actor emerged. Imperial Japan's first asct of aggression was the First Sion-Japanese War (1894-95). Both Russia and Japan vied for control of Manchuria and Korea which China was powerless to prevent. The question was settled by the Russo-Japanese War (1904-05). Japan defeated Tsarist Armies and naval forces. Japan proceeded to seize Korea (1909) and expand its influence in Manchuria. Japan formally seized and colonized Manchuria (1931). And then not content with just Manchuria launched the invasion of China proper the Second Sion-Japanese War (1937). Japan seized large areas of China, but could not defeat the the KMT Government with withdrew into the interior. The United States supported China and the Japanese invasion of China merged into the Pacific War. The War ended no only with the Americans dropping two atomic bombs on Japan, but with the Soviets seizing Manchuria and the northern half of Korea (1945). The Russians alsio regained southern Sakalin as well as Kuril Islands. The southern Kuril Islands (the Japanese call them the Northern Islands) ares still an issue between the Japanese and Soviets. With the Communist victory in China, the Soviets returned Manchuria and other territories to China (1949). While Stalin was alive, the Chinese and Soviets were partners in the Cold war. This changed with Stalin's death. And the two Communist giants were close to War (1960s). And China exploded ts first atomic bomb, entering the Atomic Club. The issues were primarily ideological, but the Chinese were aware if formerly Chinese territories that were part of the Soviet Union, now Russia before the mid-19th century. Outstanding border differences were settled with Sino-Russian Treaty (2001). Communist China was initially dependent on the Soviets for technology, especially high-tech weaponry. This relationship began to change when the Chinese changed from a Communist purist to market reforms, meaning not only allowing, but promoting capitalism (1970s). China quickly became a economic juggernaut leaving the Soviets now the Russians still not willing to embrace free markets in the economic dust. The Chinese have a vast manufacturing sector, exporting a wide array of manufactured goods around the world. Russian is only able to export raw materials, primarily energy. (A minor exception is weaponry, but even that is now in question.) The Russian Chinese border once separated a richer and more developed Russia from poverty-stricken China . Today that situation has completely reversed. It is the Chinese side of the border that is far richer and more developed. And one wonders about the future. The Chinese recall that until the 19th century, the Russian Far East and parts of eastern Siberia was Chinese territory. We currently have the situation that north of the border is a largely unpopulated, resource rich Russian Siberia and Far East. South of the border is densely populated and resource hungry China. And a China that is no longer dependent on the Russians for technology, even advanced weaponry. Now it is the Chinese who not only lead the Russians in weapon quantity and quality, as well as a military that has not been hollowed out by corruption and economic failure. The Russians have even had to seek military support from North Korea and China to conduct its war against a small Ukrainian Army (2022).
Asian Russia is immense, a much larger area than European Russia, but with a much smaller population. In European Russia it's the other the oposite, smaller area and a larger population. herea are two areas in Asiatic Russia: Siberia and the Far East. The regions vary somewhat with the historiography. For example, Aner-indians are often said to have origniated from Siberian tribes. But these tribes came from the Far Eastern area of modern Russia, not Siberia.
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