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Emperors of Russia

Peter the Great.

Catherine I..

Peter II.

Anne Ivan VI.

Elizabeth Peter III ..... 1689 | Catherine II. 1762 1725 Paul .. 1796 .... -1727 Alexander I. 1801 1730 Nicholas 1825 1740 Alexander II. 1855 1741 Alexander III. 1762 1881

Russia in Europe comprises about 1/3 of the vast empire of Russia, the largest connected body of land under one government in either hemisphere. We shall speak here of the European division only, except where treating of matters of government, finance, and the like. European Russia covers more than half the entire continent, and extends from the Arctic Ocean to the Black and Caspian Seas, and from the Baltic Sea and the German frontier to the Ural Mountains. Russia proper is divided by geographers into Great Russia, embracing the central and northern governments, and including the ancient territory of Muscovy; Little Russia, or the Ukraine; South or New Russia, comprising Bessarabia, Kherson, and other Black Sea provinces; West Russia, which includes Lithuania, Podolia, Volhynia, and the provinces formerly known as White and Black Russia; the Ural provinces; the Volga provinces; and the Baltic provinces, which include St. Petersburg, Courland, Livonia, and Esthonia. The 10 provinces of Poland, all of Finland and Lapland, and the immense territory of the Caucasian provinces, are also included in this mighty empire. Russia has a very great water frontage, although the vast bulk of the empire is far removed from the ocean. On the N. is the Arctic Ocean, with the great indentations of the White Sea and Tcheskaia Bay. The Baltic, with the gulfs of Bothnia, Finland, and Riga, afford access from the W. On the S. are the Black Sea and Sea of Azov, and in the S.-E. there are over 700 m. of coast-line on the Caspian. European Russia in general forms part of the immense plain which, beginning in Holland and Northern Germany, extends over all Eastern Europe. There are a few small table-lands of moderate elevation in this great plain, as the Valdai hills in Novgorod. On the N.-W. are some spurs of the Scandinavian Mountains, and in the S.-W. some outlying ranges of the Carpathians. The peninsula of the Crimea contains an isolated range known as the Yaila Mountains, the loftiest summit reaching 5000 ft. The long chain of the Ural Mountains guards the E. as far S. as the 52nd parallel, and near Orenburg is an inferior range known as the Obtchoi Mountains. The Caucasus extends in a S.-E. direction from Kertch to the Caspian Sea, and includes the great peaks of Elbruz and Kasbek, the former of which, 18,514 ft., is the highest peak in Europe. The great watershed is formed by a broad central ridge, commencing on the Polish frontier and stretching in an irregular waving line to the Ural Mountains. The Russian rivers are numerous, and remarkable for their great size and length. Those rising N. of the central ridge fall into the Arctic or Baltic; those S. of it into the Black or Caspian Seas. The Petchora, rising in the Ural Mountains, traverses the extreme N.-W., receives several important tributaries, and enters the Arctic Ocean in long. 52° E. Through the White Sea the Arctic receives the Mezen, Dwina, and Onega. The Tornea, Kemi, Neva, Narva, Duna, Aa, and Niemen are among the chief Russian rivers which reach the Baltic. The Vistula, which rises in Austria, and passes through Prussia to the Baltic, has much of its course in Russian Poland. The Pruth and Dniester, rising in Galicia; the Bog in Podolia; the Dnieper, which has its source in the government of Smolensk and receives the Beresina and other important affluents, all fall into the Black Sea. The Sea of Azov receives the Don and the Kuban, and the Caspian Sea the Volga, the largest river of Europe, and the Ural, which forms part of the eastern boundary. In the N.-E. there are many important lakes, of which the chief are Lake Ladoga, the largest in Europe, and Lakes Onega, Peipus, and Ilmen. Finland also contains a great number of smaller bodies of water, and there are several hundred in the government of Olonetz. The great central plain is, however, destitute of lakes, but is well watered by the numerous rivers. The principal islands are the Aland group at the entrance of the Gulf of Bothnia; Dago and Osel in the Gulf of Riga; Solvetski in the White Sea; and Kolguev and Vaigatch in the Arctic Ocean. The great and unexplored islands of Nova Zembla also belong to Russia, and are subject to the government of Archangel. They are said to have an aggregate area of over 30,000 sq. m.