Russia is a country just like any other. It has many citizens that rely on the ability to use waterways and seaports for trade and transportation. These waterways allow Russians to import goods such as food and clothing into the country and to export many natural resources that are scarce in other countries. When Russian seaports and rivers close for half of a year, trade and travel becomes very difficult. This can hurt the supply of goods available for Russians to consume. Items that are usually shipped to Russia maybe be scarce for six to nine months, or they may become more expensive because there are less of them or because shippers have to use more expensive means of transportation. Frozen seaports could also prevent Russians from sending goods to other countries. This means that Russians would have to find other ways to get their products to those countries, or they would have to sacrifice the money they could make on those products for half the year. This can hurt the overall economy of the country. These are issues that have made Russians consider different solutions. One way Russians can try to overcome this obsta cle is by planning around the closed ports. They can overstock supplies that they import for the months the waterways and seaports are frozen. They could also just have a six-month shipping season and a six-month production season. Russians may also consider using other means of transportation for imports and exports. They could turn to automobiles, trains, or aircrafts to transport their goods. Another solution could include trying to advance their technology. For example, they could create ships that could cut through the ice and allow the seaports to remain open year-round.