The National Atlas of Russia is the fundamental cartographical product created by the Federal Geodesy and Cartography Agency on the Russian Government's initiative (government regulation №AГ-П9-14991 26.05.2000).
This Atlas is an encyclopedia of information that will significantly improve knowledge about the Russia Federation world-wide. This Atlas was drawn up as a set of subject maps, reference data, and auxiliary materials.
The information Atlas contained can be used by the public authority and local government, scientific, planning and manufacturing (industrial) institutions, commercial and social organizations and movements as well as by private individuals.
The National Atlas of Russia gives detailed description of country's resources, information for their state, protection, reproduction, use efficiency evaluation, and investment attraction of the Russian resort base.
There are 4 (topics) Chapters in the National Atlas of Russia:
Every Chapter contains Russian Gazetteer (geographical index) that is one of the fullest index in Russia.
The National Atlas of Russia will be published in four Chapters. Each edition includes both electronic and paper map products. Electronic form presented on the CD-ROM will be available for order and acquiring on the NAR website.
Chapter 1. General territory description
The first Chapter is designed to provide total geographical map description of the Russia's territory, its regions, and basic information about geographical location, its features, territory's formation and research, its current political structure.
Cartographical information from this Chapter can be used as the base for working out other cartographical editions that describe the territory of Russia and promote the spread of such knowledge.
The Chapter "General territory description" is remarkable for being not only the general atlas of Russia, but the NAR's introductory.
In addition to the unique cartographical content this Chapter includes complementary reference data in the form of schedules and texts.
Chapter 2. Environment (Nature). Ecology
The second Chapter of the NAR "Environment (Nature). Ecology" is intended to spread the complex knowledge about the nature and natural resources of Russia world-wide.
This Chapter is divided into 2 sections: "Natural resources" and "Ecology". 13 subsections of this Chapter contain maps that reflect evolution of the surface on the territory of the Russian Federation, peculiarities of the surface geology, relief, climate, waters, land and seas, soil, flora, fauna and the modern landscape with physiographic division into districts, different natural resources, and ecological state of atmosphere, waters and land.
Some subsections are supplemented with profiles, block-diagrams, space pictures and unique photos.
To simplify work with the maps there is a special index of geographical names, glossary and reference data in the end of this Chapter.
Chapter 3. Population. Economy
The third Chapter of the Atlas "Population. Economy" gives the complex overview of population, economical characters and its state, the moving forces of socio-economic development in Russia.
This Chapter contains different cartographical objects (inhabited locality, industrial points, and other objects of the point and line diffusion); zoning maps, typologies based on generalized information.
There are four sections in this Chapter. The first section reflects the specificity of the Russian's map location, population characteristic. The second section includes maps characterizing population settling and social development. The economy matters are viewed in the third section. The forth section completes the Chapter 4 and is devoted to Russian regions and regional development.
Maps, texts, illustrations and schemes are the essential part of every structure unit of the Chapter. It permits to get more detailed description of chosen subject-matter of the National Atlas.
Chapter 4. History. Culture
The forth Chapter of the Atlas is the code of information about history, culture and national heritage of Russia. Its main task is to reveal the course and results of historical process in Russia in series, namely the formation and development of the Russian state from its origin and up to now.
The regularities and peculiarities of national culture's spread, its correlation and mechanisms, and also the ways of innovation and heritage interactions in different kinds of activity are reflected in this Charter.
This Chapter is divided into 2 big sections, rather independent but at the same time associated: "History" and "Culture and National heritage".
The section "History" consists of 6 subsections (periods):
Every period is accompanied by special maps: state structure, population, social life, economy, wars, national movements, culture.
The section "Culture and National heritage" includes 5 subsections:
Explanatory texts to the maps, plans, space and aerial views, graphical materials, illustrations, facsimile pictures of historical documents and old maps, supplemental information, chronology of main events, different indexes (names, heritage objects, geographical names, etc.) are used in this Chapter as the accessory materials.
The Chapter "History. Culture" is very important because it accumulates research results of many scientists, different research institutes and practical organizations in the field of history, culture and heritage. It is a basis that will be used for further research, understanding of Russian history, cultural development, heritage conservation and its use.