Final answer:
Russian manufacturers located their industries near natural resources despite the geographical challenges, due to the scattered distribution of resources across the vast country. Transportation infrastructure was less developed than in the US leading to manufacturers resorting to shipping raw materials to Europe rather than building their own industries. Russia's late industrialization and serf-based workforce also contributed to this trend.
Step-by-step explanation:
Russian manufacturers, during the period of industrialization, were more likely than American manufacturers to locate near their vast natural resources, despite the geographical challenges presented by the large distances and harsh terrains. This was due to Russia's vast size and the scattered distribution of these resources. The construction of railroads eased transportation to some extent, but compared to America's easier traverse across largely flat plains, it remained a challenge in Russia.
Natural resources in Russia were far from the cities where factories were located. Hence, the infrastructure facilities like roads and railways were necessary to transport these resources from uninhabited forests, across rivers, and over frozen tundras to the factories. Due to the harsh geographical conditions, compared to the US, Russia had fewer railroads, making it more difficult to bring resources to the factories.
Russian manufacturers also found it easier to ship raw materials to the industrializing western European nations rather than building their own manufacturing sector. This also influenced their decision of factory locations. Finally, the lack of urbanization and a nimble workforce, as many Russians remained as serfs bound to the land, contributed to an underdeveloped manufacturing sector compared to the US.
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