Origins of Russia: Moscow Becomes an Empire (Prehistory to 1584)
Moscow is not just a city. It was a fort that became a city, that became a state, that became an empire, that became a…
Read MoreGeoHistories
GeoHistories seek to understand the history of locations from the basis of geography. Geography plays a foundational role in a location’s development by providing the foundations of weather, soil, trade and invasion routes, and demographics. From the basis of these perceivable, quantifiable facts, we can build a solidly practical understanding of a location, its people, government, economy, and culture.
Europe: Divisions and Unifications
The European continent is diverse. Many of its countries, though smaller than many US states, can be further broken into regions that differ from each…
Crimea: Prosperity in Unity or Separatism?
“Prosperity in Unity” is the official motto of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, a parliamentary republic that exists within Ukraine and occupies most of the…
Sochi: Russia’s Summer Capital
Nestled between the Black Sea and the steep Caucasus mountain slopes, the city of Sochi and its surrounding area occupies a critical part of the…
Chechnya: A Difficult Cornerstone in Russian Security
Chechnya is a predominantly Muslim region nestled among many turbulent republics in the Caucasian Mountains. Though the deep ethnic, tribal, and religious divisions of the…
The Russian Far East: Gateway to Asia
Constituting over one-third of Russia’s territory, home to major natural resource deposits, and essential to maintaining increasingly valuable Asian trade routes, the Far East Federal…
Tatarstan: Semiautonomous and Thriving
Tatarstan is a semiautonomous republic within Russia, located about 500 miles east of Moscow. Roughly the size of West Virginia, but with nearly twice the…
Volgograd: History and Myth
A solemn but reverent air of respect hangs over Volgograd. Long a small military garrison, then a rapidly growing center of commerce and transport, Volgograd…
Eastern Siberia: Vast Potential
If Eastern Siberia declared independence, it would be the world’s seventh largest country – just below Australia. Yet, it would be only half as populous…
Moscow: Modern and historic challenges
Moscow’s official population of 10.5 million makes it the world’s seventh most populous city. In addition, the city also contains nearly two million official “guests,”…
Lake Baikal
Often called the Pearl of Siberia, Lake Baikal is a natural wonder that almost defies description. Its 1600 meter (almost 1 mile) depth holds 20%…
Irkutsk: A Fragile Jewel of Siberia
The land of Siberia brims with mystery and silence. Nearly incomprehensible size, it brims with natural resources, diverse ecologies and a myriad of peoples. Near…
Vladivostok: A Short History of Russian Rule in the East
The construction of Vladivostok was the culmination of Russia’s long drive to establish a major naval presence in the Pacific Ocean and help solidify its…
Chukotka: A US Neighbor at the End of the Earth
Writers call Russia’s Chukotka Region “the shore of two oceans.” Indeed, Chukotka stretches from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Pacific Oñean in…
St. Petersburg: Russia’s Vortex of Change
A curious calm presides over the city of St. Petersburg. It is not the calm of a tired city: it’s the deceptive calm of a…
