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THE ECONOMIC RESOURCES OF RUSSIA 101
Russia has, although their population is approximately only
one-half of the number of the inhabitants of Russia, and
their territory represents only one-third of the Russian
Empire.
No wonder then that under these conditions the great
natural wealth of Russia has hardly been touched, that her
industrial production is only beginning to tell its tale.
Russia by the shock of the war has been awakened to the
necessity of fully availing herself of her economic
potentialities and of exploiting the great resources with which
she has been endowed. To solve this great problem
satisfactorily she not only relies upon her own strength, but also
looks to her Ally, Great Britain, whom she believes is willing
to assist and uphold her in her creative enterprise,
organisation, and capitalisation. Being one of her creditors, Great
Britain is directly interested in helping Russia to increase
her exports, organise them on a sound basis, and develop
her industries, which are quite able to provide Great Britain
with all she requires from abroad.
Size and Population.—Russia is a land of gigantic economic
possibilities. Extending over half of the continent of
Europe and a third of Asia, she comprised before the war
a continuous area of not less than 8,760,000 square miles.
This area stretched over 163 geographical degrees from West
to East and over 35 degrees from North to South. Russia is
larger than the United States, Canada, and India combined ;
she is more than twice the size of the wrhole continent of
Europe. Her population of 186 million inhabitants is equal
to that of the whole of the American continent (North and
South) and Australia taken together, or that of the combined
population of the United Kingdom, France, Japan, and
Italy. It exceeds the aggregate black and white population
of Africa, also that of the United States and Germany taken
together.
This great Empire was only surpassed in size and
population by the British Empire, which comprised before the war
13 million square miles with a population of over 440 millions
of people. These stupendous figures will be even more
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