Russia has always struggled to overcome obstacles such as invasions and poor living conditions. Russia's physical geography has certainly contributed to these challenges. Russian culture finds itself in an unstable situation of existence in which difficulties are inevitable. They are forced to overcome extreme weather conditions, with harsh Siberian winters and distant borders hampering progress in health care and education. This struggle between a culture and the forces of nature is an improbable battle that has resulted in a society unable to meet the needs of its population and has always been a major obstacle to strong programs. However, some influences and challenges change depending on the type of government in charge. Russia's standard of living has deteriorated since the collapse of the Soviet Union. Its health and education systems have suffered greatly since the decline of communism and contributed to Russia's fall from one of the world's greatest powers to a nation stricken by poverty and poverty. economic depression. The lack of healthcare and education in Russia since the fall of the Soviet Union is a sad reality and an unfortunate commentary on life in Russia today. Education flourished under communist control. The literacy rate is a good indicator of the effectiveness of education in Russia. “Before communism, only a quarter of Russians could read and write, but by 1980, literacy rates approached 100%” in urban areas (Corona 71). The Soviet Union placed a very high priority on education, but Soviet control had drawbacks. education. “Under the Soviets, all school textbooks were controlled by the government, so they repeated the 'party line' instead of giving a true account of history” (Rogers 94). Government control of education... middle of paper ...... the government still owns and operates many clinics and hospitals, and these health facilities are often inefficient. Doctors and nurses give up their careers because “they can make more money as taxi drivers or store clerks” (Boehm 379). Improved insurance financing and smarter health care administration are among the many improvements needed to reform health care in Russia. Works Cited Boehm, Richard et al. Glencoe World Geography. Columbus, Ohio: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2003. Print. Corona, Laurel. The Russian Federation. San Diego: Lucent Books Inc., 2001. Print. Glenn, Curtis, ed. Russia: a country study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1996. Internet. February 20, 2011. Montaigne, Fen. “Rising Russia”. National Geographic November 2001: 2-31. Print.Rogers, Stillman. Russia Enchantment of the world. Canada: Children's Press, 2002. Print.