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Men's Hemispheres II GORE-TEX® Bibs

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Product Details

The Hemispheres II Bibs utilize stretchy GORE-TEX® technology to offer lightweight, elite weather protection and high-mobility comfort for backcountry and resort riding in all conditions.

Infinite Guarantee®

Outdoor Research® gear is guaranteed to perform throughout the lifetime of the product.

Shipping and Returns

Free standard shipping on orders over $99 + easy returns.* Final sale products are non-returnable. 

Waterproofing 5

Breathability 4, durability 4, email me when men's hemispheres ii gore-tex® bibs in is back in stock., elite mobility and gore-tex® weather protection.

The Hemispheres Bibs' GORE-TEX® technology delivers superior lightweight waterproof coverage for resort, side-country, and backcountry skiing and riding. These bibs feature strategically placed GORE-TEX® C-Knit Technology, a waterproof, stretchy fabric that allows for more freedom of movement. GORE-TEX® Stretch Panels at the Crotch Gusset and Back Yoke allow maximum mobility, and adjustable suspenders with quick-release buckles deliver a custom fit. In addition, two zip-secure bib pockets keep essentials close by, and seam-taped construction and movement-mirroring stretch provide ultimate performance. The Hemispheres II Bibs are your go-to shell for lightweight, breathable waterproof protection with functional stretch for maximum mobility.

• bluesign® approved Gore-Tex C-Knit Technology 3L
• 100% Nylon 70D
• Gore-Tex With Stretch Technology 2L
• 37% Nylon, 44% Polyester, 19% Elastane Panels
• 85% Nylon, 15% Kevlar Scuff Guard
• Fully Seam-Taped
• Movement-Mirroring Stretch
• Gore-Tex Stretch Panels at Crotch Gusset and Back Yoke
• Adjustable Suspenders With Quick Release Buckles
• Zip Secure Center Bib Pocket
• Zip Secure Left Side Bib Pocket with Avalanche Beacon Clip
• Zip Hand Pockets
• Avalanche Beacon Pocket With Clip in Right Hand Pocket
• Zippered Outer Thigh Vents
• YKK® Aquaguard® Zips at Cargo Pockets and Thigh Vents
• Internal Gaiter With Power Strap Slot
• Scuff Guard with added Reinforcement
• Articulated Knees
• Swing Hatch for Answering Nature's Call

Beacon Pocket

Keep your avalanche beacon secure with this specially-designed pocket for comfort, closeness, and safety.

Suspender Clips

Scuff guard.

Reinforced for exceptional durability against crampon punctures, rocks, ice, and other debris that might threaten to tear your pant legs.

Powerstrap Slot

Secure the power strap of your ski boots through this specially-designed slot in the gaiter, tightening your boot without having to adjust the gaiter.

Stretch Panel

Move uninhibited with strategically-placed stretch panels, designed to mirror your body's natural movements.

Side Zip Entry

Easily slip on your bibs using a side entry that ensures a comfortable fit while skiing and riding.

Customer Reviews

Related items, recently viewed, size & fit guide.

*All sizing is based on your body measurement. We adjust the garment for intended fit and intended use.

Classic fit for comfort and ease of movement.

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Outdoor Research Hemispheres Bib Review

Or’s premium bib checks all the boxes for rough and rowdy backcountry use, including excellent protection, mobility, and comfort for long days in the mountains.

Brian McCurdy Photography

We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Read more about us . 

Outdoor Research Hemispheres Bib

Price: $599 Weight: 1 lb. 5 oz. (men’s large) Insulated: No What we like: Excellent protection, mobility, and comfort for backcountry touring. What we don’t: Pricey and low on storage. See the Men's OR Hemispheres Bib    See the Women's OR Hemispheres Bib

Outdoor Research Hemispheres’ kit garnered a lot of attention at its release in 2018 due to its claimed balance of weather protection and freedom of movement. To put it to the test, we hit the skin track and resort with the Hemispheres Bib, where it encountered everything from fresh powder to heavy, wet snow typical of the Pacific Northwest. In the end, it proved just as capable in the backcountry as it was on lift-assisted terrain and impressed us with its comfort, weatherproofing ability, and stretchiness. Below we outline our experiences with the Hemispheres Bib. To see how it stacks up, see our articles on the best ski pants  and best ski bibs . To complete your kit, we've also tested and reviewed the OR Hemispheres Jacket .  

Table of Contents

• Weather Protection

Breathability

Build quality and durability, key features.

• Fit and Sizing
• What We Like/What We Don't

Comparison Table

The competition, performance, weather protection .

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• United States
• Open media 1 in modal Mason is 6'1` wearing a size Medium
• Open media 2 in modal

• Open media 4 in modal Mason is 6'1` wearing a size Medium
• Open media 5 in modal Mason is 6'1` wearing a size Medium
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Men's Hemispheres II GORE-TEX® Bibs

you're only $20 away from earning Free Shipping on this order

Couldn't load pickup availability

Product Details

The Hemispheres II Bibs utilize stretchy GORE-TEX® technology to offer lightweight, elite weather protection and high-mobility comfort for backcountry and resort riding in all conditions.

Infinite Guarantee®

Outdoor Research® gear is guaranteed to perform throughout the lifetime of the product.

Shipping and Returns

Free standard shipping on orders over $99 + easy returns.* Final sale products are non-returnable. 

Waterproofing 5

Breathability 4, durability 4, email me when men's hemispheres ii gore-tex® bibs in is back in stock., elite mobility and gore-tex® weather protection.

The Hemispheres Bibs' GORE-TEX® technology delivers superior lightweight waterproof coverage for resort, side-country, and backcountry skiing and riding. These bibs feature strategically placed GORE-TEX® C-Knit Technology, a waterproof, stretchy fabric that allows for more freedom of movement. GORE-TEX® Stretch Panels at the Crotch Gusset and Back Yoke allow maximum mobility, and adjustable suspenders with quick-release buckles deliver a custom fit. In addition, two zip-secure bib pockets keep essentials close by, and seam-taped construction and movement-mirroring stretch provide ultimate performance. The Hemispheres II Bibs are your go-to shell for lightweight, breathable waterproof protection with functional stretch for maximum mobility.

• bluesign® approved Gore-Tex C-Knit Technology 3L
• 100% Nylon 70D
• Gore-Tex With Stretch Technology 2L
• 37% Nylon, 44% Polyester, 19% Elastane Panels
• 85% Nylon, 15% Kevlar Scuff Guard
• Fully Seam-Taped
• Movement-Mirroring Stretch
• Gore-Tex Stretch Panels at Crotch Gusset and Back Yoke
• Adjustable Suspenders With Quick Release Buckles
• Zip Secure Center Bib Pocket
• Zip Secure Left Side Bib Pocket with Avalanche Beacon Clip
• Zip Hand Pockets
• Avalanche Beacon Pocket With Clip in Right Hand Pocket
• Zippered Outer Thigh Vents
• YKK® Aquaguard® Zips at Cargo Pockets and Thigh Vents
• Internal Gaiter With Power Strap Slot
• Scuff Guard with added Reinforcement
• Articulated Knees
• Swing Hatch for Answering Nature's Call

Beacon Pocket

Keep your avalanche beacon secure with this specially-designed pocket for comfort, closeness, and safety.

Suspender Clips

Scuff guard.

Reinforced for exceptional durability against crampon punctures, rocks, ice, and other debris that might threaten to tear your pant legs.

Powerstrap Slot

Secure the power strap of your ski boots through this specially-designed slot in the gaiter, tightening your boot without having to adjust the gaiter.

Stretch Panel

Move uninhibited with strategically-placed stretch panels, designed to mirror your body's natural movements.

Side Zip Entry

Easily slip on your bibs using a side entry that ensures a comfortable fit while skiing and riding.

Customer Reviews

Related items, recently viewed, size & fit guide.

*All sizing is based on your body measurement. We adjust the garment for intended fit and intended use.

Classic fit for comfort and ease of movement.

• New Arrivals
• Choosing a selection results in a full page refresh.
• Opens in a new window.

Please SAVE to make app work

Review: Outdoor Research Hemispheres II Bib

Ski bibs are one of those things you don’t realize that you’re missing until you try them. They prevent snow from falling down the back of your pants, while still ventilating sweat and retaining full-body warmth.

And as far as bibs go, the Hemispheres II Gore-Tex Bib from Outdoor Research hits the sweet spot between versatility, warmth, and freedom-of-movement. I tested the bib on resort laps and early-season touring this winter, and was impressed with its performance in both environments. Here’s a detailed rundown of what I noticed.

The Hemispheres II is a ski-touring specific bib, and it’s got all the features and design elements to flourish in the backcountry.

Sizing Bibs are a tough garment to fit. Every company’s size guide is a little different, and it’s worth trying on clothes in-person or reading reviews to get a sense for a brand’s sizing. Based on Outdoor Research’s size chart, and my experience with their clothing, OR apparel seems designed for folks who have a stockier build.

I’m 6’2”, 185 lbs, and relatively lanky. I wear a size L Hemispheres bib, and the fit is okay . The inseam, at 33”, is identical to my jean sizing, but feels shorter in these bibs. And the chest, while quite wide and spacious, just isn’t quite tall enough to pull up above my sternum. I could’ve bumped up to a size XL for a longer inseam, but I’d have been swimming in them. Fortunately, Outdoor Research included belt loops on this version of the Hemispheres, so I can make the size L work by shimmying some material down and wearing a nylon belt. Overall, folks who are on the taller, skinnier side of things might not fit into these bibs as well as burlier people do.

Materials The entire bib has a Gore-Tex membrane, but with some strategic flourishes. The crotch and back yoke are made of Gore-Tex “Stretch Panels”—elastic pieces of fabric that are still completely waterproof. They give the bib an extra inch or two of wiggle room, and are convenient for bending, sitting, squatting, or any other odd position I might need to use on the mountain. Overall, the bib is thinner and lighter than the typical snowpant, making it ideal for backcountry ski-touring. And while also great for warmer resort days, it just doesn’t have the wind resistance for brutally cold chairlift rides when the temperatures really plummet.

For general use in southwest Montana, the Hemispheres II have set the bar high.

Moving down the bib, the inside cuffs are reinforced with a heavy nylon to protect against boot-rubbing. The interior “inner” cuffs also have straps that cinch around ski boots, preventing any snow from falling into my boots. The bottom seam is reinforced as well, so fraying isn’t an issue. All in all, the materials and placement were thoughtfully designed in the Hemispheres.

Ventilation The first thing I noticed on an early-season Lick Creek tour was the full-length zipper on the right side of the bib. It makes getting the garment on and off a breeze, and provides serious air flow when on the skin track. Two zipper mechanisms also make it easy to open the vent in the location of my choice, and of the size of my choosing. A smaller zipper on the right side of the pants allows additional air flow over my legs. When both side-vents are open, there’s quite a bit of air movement through the bibs—enough to wick out any moisture or sweat as it’s produced. Finally, a pit zip makes it convenient to pee without peeling off my gloves, jacket, and bibs.

Pockets Pockets are a critical component on any ski pant. And not just to hold stuff like drinks, candy bars, and extra hand warmers, but also for more important safety items like an avalanche beacon. And fear not, for OR took both into consideration. The Hemispheres has two front pockets—one of which is specifically designed for a beacon (but happens to also fit a 12-ounce beer). The pouch has a stitched-in lanyard attachment, so I never have to worry about my beacon coming loose while carving powder turns, or worst-case-scenario, if I’m caught in an avalanche.

Overall Impression The Hemispheres II is a ski-touring specific bib, and it’s got all the features and design elements to flourish in the backcountry. After a handful of early-season ski tours, I can say with certainty that this bib has the versatility, comfort, and ventilation to handle all but the coldest, harshest days in the backcountry. For general use in southwest Montana, the Hemispheres have set the bar high—just mind Outdoor Research’s sizing guide closely if you’re in the market for a new pair of bibs.

Available at outdoorresearch.com ; $650.

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Why We Like The Outdoor Research Hemispheres II Bib Pant

After a fresh powder dump, we kit up with the Outdoor Research Hemispheres II Bib Pant to hunt down the goods. Deep fluff and fresh flakes can't get through the 3-layer waterproof construction, while the integrated gaiters stop it from finding another way in. Articulated knees and strategically placed stretch panels give us full kickturn and trick freedom, while the large outer thigh vents keep us from overheating.

• High-tech, high-comfort bib for shredding backcountry lines
• GORE-TEX membrane provides breathable waterproofing
• Outer-thigh zippers help dump excess heat when needed
• Functional fly and swing hatch to answer nature's call
• Stretch panels at crotch and back increase mobility
• Built-in gaiters and fixed bib keep powder out
• Adjustable suspenders provide a customized fit
• 3 zippered pockets secure your on-mountain essentials
• Item #ODRZ8Q0

Overall Rating

4.5 based on 9 ratings

Review Summary

What do you think about this product?

January 25, 2024

Great bibs with a QC concern

I'm 5'11" 185 with an athletic build and am right between a medium and large. I ended up buying a large for a more relaxed fit/layering and have no regrets on sizing. Overall they feel high quality and are wind/water proof as advertised. Even in cold temps despite being only a shell they hold body heat well with a mid weight base layer. I've got 7 resort days with them so far mostly in the glades and bumps and while they are very comfortable they already have small tears in the reinforced cuffs from my ski edges. Also the button at the top of the side entry zipper broke on the 2nd day simply unbuttoning it. That button isn't necessary, but a little disappointing given the price point. Would be 5 stars without these quality issues out the gate.

Originally reviewed on outdoorresearch.com

January 20, 2024

Hemisphere II GORE-TEX Bibs

Great product. Never had an issue with getting wet. Plenty of pockets and well placed zippers for ventilation.

January 10, 2024

Comfortable all-round bib

I bought this to handle both resort and backcountry skiing after resisting the urge to upgrade my 6-year-old non-venting snow pants. I'm 5'9 155lbs with a slightly athletic build, and the small fits perfect for me. I am really happy about the durability of the scuff guards and overall material. The zippers do not catch either and allow plenty of venting. They're comfy, allows plenty of room to layer, and good flexibility to move. I have about 6 days on them so far (5 resort, 1 backcountry) and my only complaint would be that I would have hoped for an extra pocket or two and maybe a reinforced knee given how expensive they are. Overall, quality is high but a small knock for lack of the previously mentioned features given the price point.

January 6, 2024

Best in class for mobility!

While mamy other bibs come with similar features and specs few pf those make a tangible difference in feel. Having tried several other comparable nibs I move noticebly more freely in these.

December 24, 2023

5'11" 185 lbs and smack dab between a medium and a large. Ended up going Large as things became tight when pockets were filled. Very comfortable and perfect stretch in the right places. Unfortunately after only several uses they've got a hole through one of the legs. Assuming this happened on snowmobile rails but disappointed given the denir rating of the fabric, I wish the black protective cuff wrapped all the way around. Also, OR would you please change your zipper pulls so they don't have plastic pulls; all para-cord type zippers are less noisy and less noticeable flapping in the wind.

November 21, 2023

Almost Perfect for a Splitboarder

I've tried on the best from Patagonia, The North Face, Trew, etc., and these are as good or better than any bib I've used for backcountry touring in the PNW. Having said that, I have two complaints about these bibs: 1) The cuff opening is pretty snug for a snowboarding boot, which makes getting these on and off (or making any boot adjustments) a bit of a pain for snowboarders. 2) I got snagged on a tree last season and have a thin tear in the bibs. Companies like Patagonia make repairs for this sort of thing really, really easy. OR, unfortunately, does not have any sort of repair program or offering for bibs - which, with backcountry skiing and mountaineering would make a huge difference in the lifetime of the product. From a sustainability and brand ethos standpoint, this feels like a bit of a miss from OR, and I'd love to see them roll out any sort of service/solution here in the future. Otherwise, I love these bibs. They have the best stretch and movement patterns of any truly waterproof bib, and I consistently reach for these over anything else in my closet.

August 2, 2023

The perfect bib, all over the mountain

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] I'd borrowed my brother's Hemisphere bib before, which prompted me to get my own. It fits perfectly (I'm 5'8", 175, rock a M) and just covers most of the conditions that I'm skiing in (PNW cement; resort backcountry). I get hot pretty easily so the vents are really ideal, but it also keeps me warm when it drops to 15 at Crystal and I'm sitting on the lift

April 6, 2023

Love the bibs!

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] Worked great until my sent a cliff a little out of my league ending up with a tib/fib compound fracture. Unfortunately the bibs had to be cut off me in the ER Would definitely buy again

February 27, 2023

Great fit, questionable durability

Used for snowboarding but only 4 days before one buckle broke. It was cold, -5.0 deg F to 10 deg F, but considering the intended use this should be more durable. Fit was good - Medium for 5'7" tall, 180lbs, athletic build. Kangaroo pocket was not adquate for iphone 13 max b/c it felt like a steel plate across my chest. Side pocket organizer was appreciated b/c held wallet nicely. The snow gaiters were adequate but were geared toward ski boots more than snowboard boots. I can't see wearing these with just hiking boots at the gaiter was huge, not a deal breaker but makes them less versatile.

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Outdoor Research Hemispheres II Review

• Warmth - 20% 3.0
• Weather Resistance - 20% 9.0
• Comfort and Fit - 20% 8.0
• Ventilation - 20% 9.0
• Style - 10% 6.0
• Features - 10% 5.0

Our Verdict

Compare to similar products, our analysis and test results.

This jacket stands out for its light weight, great weather protection, comfort, and high level of ventilation. It loses some points for style, features, and warmth.

Performance Comparison

The OR Hemispheres II has very little warming power. As a shell-only jacket, there is no insulation to keep body heat from escaping, and all warmth must be achieved by layering underneath. The cut of this jacket allows for both thick and thin layers of insulation underneath, and the hood can cinch down on both helmeted heads and beanies to add some warmth. That said, this jacket isn't designed for cold days on the chairlift, and it is more at home protecting the user from bad weather on the skin track or while bootpacking an exposed ridgeline.

Weather Protection

This jacket is a bomber Gore-Tex hardshell with waterproof seams and zippers. A full coverage hood seals out weather from above, a drawstring hem closes the jacket around the waist, and sturdy hook-and-loop straps seal the wrist openings. The only protective component this jacket lacks is a powder skirt, and it omits this feature in an effort to save weight in the backcountry. There is also a compromise in weather protection in the center of the back, where a stretchy panel allows better ventilation underneath a backpack, and when the backpack is removed, snow, rain, and wind can penetrate this area with relative ease.

Comfort and Fit

The OR Hemispheres II is pretty darn comfortable. The garment has a decent cut, just a tad on the boxy side, but it doesn't fight the user. There are better-cut jackets on the market, but they generally cost more. The fabric is relatively comfortable for a hardshell, and the stretch panel in the center of the back adds some mobility. The jacket is comfortable to wear with both thick and thin layers of insulation underneath.

Ventilation

This jacket has tons of ventilation. The Gore-Tex fabric itself isn't super breathable, but the stretch panel in the center of the back allows perspiration to escape where it would normally be trapped against the back when wearing a backpack. We hate skinning in a hardshell, but in wet climates, this is a necessity at times, and if you are trail breaking through deep powder, it's a nice touch to have a vent in the middle of the back. The armpit vents don't extend from the ribs to the upper arm, like most pit vents, but rather they start at the armpit and run all the way down to the hem, giving you the option to unzip the hem itself. This vent configuration is certainly unique, but it's not preferable.

The Hemispheres II looks okay, but it doesn't stand out. The color options aren't awesome, and the straight cut doesn't scream "refinement." Instead, it blends into a crowd. We neither love nor hate its style.

The OR Hemispheres II has plenty of features for a day in the backcountry. With two handwarmer pockets, one external chest pocket, one internal chest pocket, and one internal mesh stash pocket, there is plenty of room to store trinkets while skiing in the backcountry or at the resort. We also really like the stretchy back panel that allows some perspiration to escape while skinning uphill with a backpack on days when it is actively snowing. There are stretchy panels on the outside of the sleeve cuffs, but we don't really understand their utility.

Should You Buy the Outdoor Research Hemispheres II?

This is a good hardshell jacket that should appeal to many backcountry skiers for its weather resistance. However, it's expensive, and if you are considering the investment in this jacket, you should at least consider the top-of-the-line shell jackets that cost slightly more. There are also lighter options in the market if you are deciding based on weight alone. In the end, we think this jacket could use some more refinement to justify such a high price tag.

What Other Ski Jackets Should You Consider?

Best Ski Jackets for Men of 2024

How to Choose a Ski Jacket for Men

The largest country in the world at 17,075,400 square kilometres (or 6,592,800 sq mi), Russia has accumulated quite an impressive reputation. Covering more than an eight of the Earth's land area, 142 million people live there making it the ninth largest nation by population . Still known for its impressive days as the expansive Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), Russia was the world's first and largest constitutionally socialist state. A recognized superpower, the USSR was known for its excellence in both arts and science winning many awards in both fields.

Russia changed drastically after the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, but it continues to be a powerful and important nation. It has one of the world's fastest growing economies and the world's eight largest GDP by nominal GDP. Russia is also one of the five countries which officially recognized nuclear weapons states. In conjunction with this title, Russia is also a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the G8, APEC and the SCO, and is a leading member of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

A European city in a country that lies over a vast part of Asia, Moscow holds one-tenth of all Russian residents . The city is located in the western region of Russia and is the capital and epicentre of political, economic, cultural, religious, financial, educational, and transportation happenings. "Muscovites" , as residents are known, tend to be cultured and worldly. This may be due to the many scientific, educational, and artistic institutions that are based here. An intoxicating mix of the exotic and the familiar, it is the largest city in Europe with the Moscow metropolitan area ranking among the largest urban areas in the world.

The city is situated on the banks of the Moskva River which flows through much of central Russia. Moscow is actually located in a basin for the Volga, Oka, Klyazma, and Moscow rivers. The city of Moscow is 994 sq. km with 49 bridges spanning the rivers and canals that criss-cross the city.

Forests are another part of Moscow's make-up. They coveer over a third of the territory in the region. A variety of animals like elk, wild boar, deer, foxes, weasels, lynx, martens, and birds make their home here.

Located in the UTC+3 time zone , Moscow has a humid continental climate. The summers tend to be warm and humid and the winters are long, cold, and hard. High temperatures occur during the warm months of June, July and August at about 23 °C (73 °F). Heat waves sometimes grip the city anywhere between May to September with temperatures spiking up to 30 °C (86 °F). Winters are harshly chilly with temperatures dropping to approximately 9 °C (15.8 °F). There is consistent snow cover for 3 to 5 months a year, usually from November to March.

Update 10/07/2009

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The 50 best parks and gardens in Moscow

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1 Gorky Central Park of Culture and Leisure

2 Kolomenskoye

3 Tsaritsyno Museum-Reserve

4 all-russian exhibition center, 5 sokolniki park.

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6 Zaryadye Park

7 moscow zoo, 8 izmailovsky park, 9 muzeon park of arts, 10 neskuchny garden, 11 bauman garden, 12 park krasnaya presnya, 13 moscow state university, 14 vorobyovy gory, 15 family park skazka..

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16 Nebo Trampoline park

17 happylon, 18 the rink, 19 fishpoint, 20 vorob'yevy gory, 21 moscow-850, park attraktsionov i razvlecheniy, 22 gulliver, 23 le parterre, 24 vorob'yevy gory, 25 apothecary garden.

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26 Alexander Garden

27 kuskovo estate museum, 28 patriarch's ponds, 29 hermitage garden, 30 main botanical garden of the russian academy of sciences, 31 nudistskiy plyazh v serebryanom boru, 32 yekaterininskiy park, 33 city farm, 34 pokrovskoye-streshnevo park, 35 park ostankino.

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46 Mitino landscape park

47 park druzhby, 48 lefortovo park, 49 trubetskoy estate, 50 park sadovniki, top searches in moscow, popular road trips from moscow, what's the weather like in moscow.

It depends on when you visit! We've compiled data from NASA on what the weather is like in Moscow for each month of the year: see the links below for more information.

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Explore nearby places

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Chapter 3: Russia

3.3 regions of russia, learning objectives.

• Name the major cities, rivers, and economic base of Russia’s core region.
• Identify the economic base of cities in the Eastern Frontier and the identity of the world’s most voluminous freshwater lake.
• Describe the physical attributes of Siberia and the Far East.
• Explain why Chechnya has been at war with Russia twice since 1994.
• Learn why Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 and discover the role of fossil fuels in the economies of Armenia and Azerbaijan.

The Core Region

Most of Russia’s population and its major industries are located west of the Ural Mountains on the Russian Plain. Known as Russia’s geographic core, this includes the Moscow region, the Volga region, and the Ural Mountain region. Moscow, Russia’s capital city, anchors a central industrial area that is home to more than fifty million people. Moscow alone has more than ten million residents, with about thirteen million in its metropolitan area, making it slightly smaller than the Los Angeles, California, metro area. A ring of industrial cities surrounding Moscow contains vital production centers of Russian manufacturing. During the Communist era, Moscow expanded from its nineteenth-century core (although the city dates from at least the twelfth century) and became an industrial city with planned neighborhoods. This world-class city has an extensive subway and freeway system that is expanding to meet current growth demands. Although rents, commodities, and domestic goods had fixed prices during the Communist era, the Soviet Union’s collapse changed all that. Today Moscow is one of the most expensive places to live in the world, with prices based on supply and demand. Many want to live in Moscow, but it is financially out of reach for many Russians.

Russia’s second-largest city, with a population of about five million, is St. Petersburg. Located on the Baltic Sea , it is western Russia’s leading port city. The city was renamed Petrograd (1914–24) and Leningrad (1924–91) but today is often called Petersburg, or just “Peter” for short. Peter the Great built the city with the help of European architects in the early eighteenth century to rival other European capitals, and he made it the capital of the Russian Empire. Named after St. Peter in the Bible (not Peter the Great), it is a cultural center for Russia and a major tourist destination. It is also known for shipbuilding, oil and gas trade, manufacturing, and finance. Its greatest tragedy took place when it was under siege for twenty-nine months by the German military during World War II. About one million civilians died of starvation or during the bombardment, and hundreds of thousands fled the city, leaving the city nearly empty by the end of the siege.

Figure 3.12 Russia’s Core Region                                                           Source: Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

To the far north of St. Petersburg on the Barents Sea are the cities of Murmansk and Arkhangelsk . Murmansk is a major military port for Russia’s navy and nuclear submarine fleet. Relatively warm water from the North Atlantic drift circles around Norway to keep this northern port city fairly free of ice. Arkhangelsk (which literally means “archangel”), used as a port for lumber exports, has a much shorter ice-free season than Murmansk. Both of these cities are in Russia’s far north, with long winters and exceedingly brief summers.

The Volga River flows through the core region of Russia, providing transportation, fresh water, and fishing. The Volga is the longest river in Europe at 2,293 miles, and it drains most of Russia’s western core region. This river has been a vital link in the transportation system of Russia for centuries and connects major industrial centers from the Moscow region to the south through an extensive network of canals and other waterways. The Volga River flows into the Caspian Sea , and a canal links the Volga with the Black Sea through a connecting canal via the Don River .

At the eastern edge of Russia’s European core lie the Ural Mountains, which act as a natural divide between Europe and Asia. These low-lying mountains have an abundance of minerals and fossil fuels, which make the Ural Mountains ideal for industrial development. The natural resources of the Urals and the surrounding area provide raw materials for manufacturing and export. The eastern location kept these resources out of the hands of the Nazis during World War II, and the resources themselves helped in the war effort. Oil and natural gas exploration and development have been extensive across Russia’s core region and have greatly increased Russia’s export profits.

Figure 3.13 Russia’s Eastern Frontier, the Far East, and Siberia             Source: Map courtesy of the CIA World Factbook.

The Eastern Frontier

East of the Urals, in south-central Russia, is Russia’s Eastern Frontier , a region of planned cities, industrial plants, and raw-material processing centers. The population is centered in two zones here: the Kuznetsk Basin (or Kuzbas, for short) and the Lake Baikal region.

The Kuzbas is a region of coal, iron ore, and bauxite mining; timber processing; and steel and aluminum production industries. Central industrial cities were created across the Eastern Frontier to take advantage of these resource opportunities. The most important of these is Novosibirsk , the third-largest city in Russia after Moscow and St. Petersburg and home to about 1.4 million people. The city is not only noted for its industries but it is also the region’s center for the arts, music, and theater. It is host to a music conservatory and a philharmonic orchestra, a division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and three major universities.

Agriculture, timber, and mining are the main economic activities in the eastern Lake Baikal region, which is more sparsely settled than the Kuzbas. Lake Baikal (400 miles long, 50 miles wide) holds more fresh water than all the US Great Lakes together and about 20 percent of all the liquid fresh water on the earth’s surface. Its depth has been recently measured at 5,370 feet (more than a mile). Some of the longest river systems in the world flow through the Eastern Frontier . The Irtysh , Ob , Yenisey , and Lena are the main rivers that flow north through the region into Siberia and on to the Arctic Ocean. To the east, the Amur River creates the border between Russia and China until it flows north into the Sea of Okhotsk . In addition to waterways, the Trans-Siberian Railway is the major transportation link through the Eastern Frontier, connecting Moscow with the port city of Vladivostok in the Far East.

Siberia , as a place name, actually refers to all of Asian Russia east of the Ural Mountains, including the Eastern Frontier and the Russian Far East. However, in this and some other geography textbooks, the term Siberia more specifically describes only the region north of the Eastern Frontier that extends to the Kamchatka Peninsula . The word Siberia conjures up visions of a cold and isolated place, which is true. Stretching from the northern Ural Mountains to the Bering Strait , Siberia is larger than the entire United States but is home to only about fifteen million people. Its cities are located on strategic rivers with few overland highways connecting them.

Type D (continental) climates dominate the southern portion of this region, and the territory consists mainly of coniferous forests in a biome called the taiga . This is one of the world’s largest taiga regions. Type E (polar) climates can be found north of the taiga along the coast of the Arctic Sea, where the tundra is the main physical landscape. No trees grow in the tundra because of the semifrozen ground. Permafrost may thaw near the surface during the short summer season but is permanently frozen beneath the surface. On the eastern edge of the continent, the mountainous Kamchatka Peninsula has twenty active volcanoes and more than one hundred inactive volcanoes. It is one of the most active geological regions on the Pacific Rim.

Figure 3.14 Mount Koryasky, an Active Volcano, and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a Town on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula                  Wikimedia Commons – public domain.  

The vast northern region of Russia is sparsely inhabited but holds enormous quantities of natural resources such as oil, timber, diamonds, natural gas, gold, and silver. There are vast resources in Siberia waiting to be extracted, and this treasure trove will play an important role in Russia’s economic future.

The Far East

Figure 3.15 Vladivostok Tram Opposite the Admiral’s Club on Its Way to the Railway Station, Vladivostok                                                  Wikimedia Commons – CC BY 3.0.

Across the strait from Japan is Russia’s Far East region, with the port of Vladivostok (population about 578,000) as its primary city. Bordering North Korea and China, this Far East region is linked to Moscow by the Trans-Siberian Railway. Before 1991, Vladivostok was closed to outsiders and was an important army and naval base for the Russian military. Goods and raw materials from Siberia and nearby Sakhalin Island were processed here and shipped west by train. Sakhalin Island and its coastal waters have oil and mineral resources. Industrial and business enterprises declined with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Today, the Far East is finding itself on the periphery of Russia’s hierarchy of productivity. However, it has the potential to emerge again as an important link to the Pacific Rim markets.

Southern Russia

In the southern portion of the Russian core lies a land bridge between Europe and Southwest Asia: a region dominated by the Caucasus Mountains. To the west is the Black Sea, and to the east is the landlocked Caspian Sea. The Caucasus Mountains, higher than the European Alps, were formed by the Arabian tectonic plate moving northward into the Eurasian plate. The highest peak is Mt. Elbrus at 18,510 feet. Located on the border between Georgia and Russia, Mt. Elbrus is the highest peak on the European continent as well as the highest peak in Russia.

Most of this region was conquered by the Russian Empire during the nineteenth century and held as part of the Soviet Union in the twentieth. However, only a minority of its population is ethnic Russian, and its people consist of a constellation of at least fifty ethnic groups speaking a variety of languages.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Caucasus region has been the main location of unrest within Russia. Wars between Russia and groups in the Caucasus have claimed thousands of lives. Some of the non-Russian territories of the Caucasus would like to become independent, but Russia fears an unraveling of its country if their secession is allowed to proceed. To understand why the Russians have fought the independence of places such as Chechnya but did not fight against the independence of other former Soviet states in the Caucasus such as Armenia , it is necessary to study the administrative structure of Russia itself.

Figure 3.16 Republics of Southern Russia, Including Chechnya                Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0.

Of the twenty-one republics, eight are located in southern Russia in the Caucasus region. One of these, the Chechen Republic (or Chechnya), has never signed the Federation Treaty to join the Russian Federation; in fact, Chechnya proposed independence after the breakup of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Although other territories to the south of Chechnya, such as Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan, also declared their independence from Russia after 1991, they were never administratively part of Russia. During the Soviet era, those countries were classified as Soviet Socialist Republics, so it was easy for them to become independent countries when all the other republics (e.g., Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan) did so after 1991. However, Chechnya was administratively part of the USSR with no right to secession. After 1991, Russia decided that it would not allow territories that had been administratively governed by Russia to secede and has fought wars to prevent that from happening. It feared the consequences if all twenty-one republics within the Russian Federation were declared independent countries.

Chechnya has fought against Russia for independence twice since the USSR’s collapse. The First Chechen War (1994–96) ended in a stalemate, and Russia allowed the Chechens to have de facto independence for several years. But in 1999, Russia resumed military action, and by 2009 the war was essentially over and Chechnya was once more under Russia’s control. Between twenty-five thousand and fifty thousand Chechens were killed in the war, and between five thousand and eleven thousand Russian soldiers were also killed (Wikipedia). In 2003, the United Nations called Grozny , Chechnya’s capital, the most destroyed city on Earth. Reconstruction of Grozny has slowly begun.

Even before the recent wars, Chechnya had a difficult past. Over the course of its history, it has been at the boundary between the Ottoman Empire, the Persian Empire, and the Russian Empire. Most of the people converted to Sunni Islam in the 1700s to curry favor with the Ottomans and seek their protection against Russian encroachment. Nevertheless, Chechnya was annexed by the Russian Empire. During Soviet leader Josef Stalin’s reign of terror, more than five hundred thousand Chechens were loaded on train cars and shipped to Kazakhstan, where as many as half died.

• Transcaucasia

The independent countries of Georgia , Armenia , and Azerbaijan make up the region of Transcaucasia . Although they are independent countries, they are included in this chapter because they have more ties to Russia than to the region of Southwest Asia to their south. They have been inextricably connected to Russia ever since they were annexed by the Russian Empire in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, and they were all former republics within the Soviet Union. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, these three small republics declared independence and separated from the rest of what became Russia.

Geographically, these three countries are located on the border between the European and Asian continents. The Caucasus Mountain range is considered the dividing line. The region known as Transcaucasia is generally designated as the southern portion of the Caucasus Mountain area.

Figure 3.17 Southern Russia and Transcaucasia                                         Wikimedia Commons – CC BY-SA 3.0.

The country of Georgia has a long history of ancient kingdoms and a golden age including invasions by the Mongols, Ottomans, Persians, and Russians. For a brief three years—from 1918 to 1921—Georgia was independent. After fighting an unsuccessful war to remain free after the Russian Revolution, Georgia was absorbed into the Soviet Union. Since it declared independence in 1991, the country has struggled to gain a stable footing within the world community. Unrest in the regions of South Ossetia , Abkhazia , and Adjara (where the populations are generally not ethnic Georgian) has destabilized the country, making it more difficult to engage in the global economy. Russia and Georgia had a military conflict in 2008, when Russian troops entered the South Ossetian region to support its move toward independence from Georgia. Georgia considered South Ossetia to be a part of Georgia and called the Russians an occupying force. Many other countries, including the United States, condemned Russia for their action. Russian troops pulled out of Georgia but supported the independence of South Ossetia and Georgia’s westernmost region of Abkhazia. Neither South Ossetia nor Abkhazia are considered independent states by most of the world’s countries.

A democratic-style central government has emerged in Georgia, and economic support has been provided by international aid and foreign investments. The country has made the switch from the old Soviet command economy to a free-market economy. Agricultural products and tourism have been Georgia’s main economic activities.

In 2010, Armenia, to the south of Georgia, had a population of only about three million in a physical area smaller in size than the US state of Maryland. It is a country with its own distinctive alphabet and language and was the first country in the world to adopt Christianity as a state religion, an event traditionally dated to 301 CE. The Armenian Apostolic Church remains the country’s central religious institution, and the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel has an Armenian Quarter, an indication of Armenia’s early connection with Christianity.

The small landlocked country has experienced invasions from every empire that controlled the region throughout history. The geographic area of the country decreased when the Ottoman Empire took control of western Armenia, and that region remains a part of Turkey to this day. A bitter conflict between Turks and Armenians during World War I resulted in the systematic deaths of as many as a million Armenians. This genocide continues to be commemorated annually on April 24, the traditional date of the Armenian Martyrs’ Day, but Turkey still denies the events were genocide.

Like the other former Soviet republics, Armenia has shifted from a centrally planned economy to a market economy. Before independence in 1991, Armenia’s economy had a manufacturing sector that provided other Soviet republics with industrial goods in exchange for raw materials and energy. Since then, its manufacturing sector has declined and Armenia has fallen back on agriculture and financial remittances from the approximately eight million Armenians living abroad to support its economy. These remittances, along with international aid and direct foreign investments, have helped stabilize Armenia’s economic situation.

Azerbaijan is an independent country to the east of Armenia bordering the Caspian Sea . It is about the same size in area as the US state of Maine. This former Soviet republic has a population of more than eight million in which more than 90 percent follow Islam. Azerbaijan shares a border with the northern province of Iran, which is also called Azerbaijan. Part of Azerbaijan is located on the western side of Armenia and is separated from the rest of the country.

Located on the shores of the Caspian Sea, Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan and is the largest city in the region, with a population approaching two million. During the Cold War era, it was one of the top five largest cities in the Soviet Union. The long history of this vibrant city and the infusion of oil revenues have given rise to a metropolitan center of activity that has attracted global business interests. Wealth has not been evenly distributed in the country, and at least one-fourth of the population still lives below the poverty line.

Azerbaijan is rich with oil reserves. Petroleum was discovered here in the eighth century, and hand-dug oil wells produced oil as early as the fifteenth century. Since the Industrial Revolution, the rising value of petroleum for energy increased the industrial extraction of oil in Azerbaijan. At the end of the nineteenth century, this small country produced half the oil in the world. Oil and natural gas are the country’s main export products and have been a central focus of its economy. Large oil reserves are located beneath the Caspian Sea, and offshore wells with pipelines to shore have expanded throughout the Caspian Basin. As much as the export of oil and natural gas has been an economic support for the country, it has not been without costs to the environment. According to US government sources, local scientists consider parts of Azerbaijan to be some of the most devastated environmental areas in the world. Serious air, soil, and water pollution exist due to uncontrolled oil spills and the heavy use of chemicals in the agricultural sector.

Figure 3.18 Oil Fields of Azerbaijan Wikimedia Commons – CC BY 2.0.

Key Takeaways

• The vast majority of Russia’s population live in the western core area of the country, the region around the capital city of Moscow.
• Most of the cities on the Barents Sea and in the Eastern Frontier were established for manufacturing or for the exploitation of raw materials.
• The Volga River and its tributaries have been an important transportation network for centuries. The Volga is the longest river in Europe.
• Very few people live in Siberia, but the region is rich with natural resources.
• The most contentious region in Russia is the Caucasus Mountain region, especially the area of Chechnya. The Caucasus is characterized by ethnic and religious diversity and by a desire for independence from Russia.
• South of Russia in the Caucasus is the region of Transcaucasia. It is ethnically, religiously, and linguistically diverse. Countries there are independent of Russia, although they have a long history of being part of the Russian and Soviet Empires. Some of the countries are rich in petroleum reserves.

Discussion and Study Questions

• What are Russia’s four main regions and what are the main qualities of each?
• What connects Moscow with Russia’s Far East, and why is this important?
• What are some of the major environmental problems in Russia and Transcaucasia?
• What is the relationship between the countries of Georgia and Russia? Describe their 2008 conflict.
• What happened to Chechnya? Why has Russia fought two wars in Chechnya since the Soviet Union’s collapse?
• What are the three independent countries of Transcaucasia, and when did they gain independence from Russia?
• Which of the three Transcaucasian countries has the least opportunity to gain wealth? What is the largest source of income in this region?
• What physical feature demarcates the boundary between Europe and Asia in southern Russia?
• What is the largest city in Transcaucasia? On what sea is it located?

Geography Exercise

Identify the following key places on a map:

• Arctic Ocean
• Arkhangelsk
• Bering Strait
• Caspian Sea
• Eastern Frontier
• Irtysh River
• Kamchatka Peninsula
• Kuznetsk Basin
• Lake Baikal
• Novosibirsk
• Sakhalin Island
• Sea of Okhotsk
• South Ossetia
• Vladivostok
• Volga River

Wikipedia, “Second Chechen War,” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Chechen_War .

• World Regional Geography: People, Places and Globalization. Provided by : University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing . Located at : http://open.lib.umn.edu/worldgeography/ . License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

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