Russian Geographical Society. Russian Geographical Society

The official website of the Russian Geographical Society is a modern web-publication of the society founded in 1845.

History and modernity, the opportunity to meet all the great, outstanding travelers who have played important role in the life of the country. Loud discoveries, all the climatic diversity of the Earth, and many other questions will allow you to find an answer on the official website of the Russian Geographical Society.

For many admirers of geography, prospectors, researchers and adventurers striving to understand all the wisdom and secrets of the Planet Earth, the Russian geographical society becomes an opportunity to discover riddles and secrets, to learn everything that is hidden from human eyes. The site of the society has turned into a source of knowledge and communication, offering the most interesting materials of history and modern geography.

The availability of information and news, the opportunity to use the materials of the library, to become one of the honorary members are offered on the website of the Geographical Society. The materials offered by the official site can be used in scientific research, for independent study.

The "Road of Discovery" project is a joint project of the Russian Geographical Society and Russian railways(), dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the completion of the construction of the Transsib.

Projects, lectures, archives and library

If schoolchildren are interested in the online dictation offered on the website, which is designed for the 2017 curriculum, then students can use archives, a library and scientific materials to write coursework and theses... For everyone interested in the materials of the Geographical Society, access is open simply online.

The site is of particular importance for those who are really fond of geography. The information on the official website becomes a real source of knowledge and detailed study. Any information is of scientific interest and can be used for further study.

Geography is a science that remains one of the most demanded. The number of geographers and those simply interested in science is constantly growing. To get the opportunity to use unique materials, just go to the official website, where all the information is open and accessible.

Site of the Russian Geographical Society for all

Those who want to know how the photo competition went, or visit interesting lectures, find out at what stage they are interesting projects, or to join members of the Geographical Society, the official website suggests.

A detailed study of the site is simply fascinating. This is a world for those who wish to know the most intimate secrets of the Earth.
The Geographical Society website suggests:

Interesting and exciting information.
Scientific research and development.
Detailed study of each region of the country.
Scientific grants and awards.
The richest library of the society.
Youth cognitive club.
You can register and join the members of the Russian society.

How to use the materials of the site www.rgo.ru/ru, each visitor can decide independently. Familiarization or detailed study, the use of material to write your own work, or just a journey into the world of geography.
Only reliable information and only best materials, offers the official website of the Russian Geographical Society for all visitors and permanent members of the unique club.

Celebrated its 170th anniversary. Founded in the first half of the century before last, it is a unique phenomenon, since it has never stopped its functions during all this time. Thus, it is a kind of connecting link between Tsarist Russia, The Soviet Union and modern Russia.

The Society's Objective

Since its founding in 1845, the Russian Geographical Society, which, by the way, anyone can join, has as its task "to collect and direct the best young forces of the country to the comprehensive study of their native land." Therefore, any adult person who has such an aspiration as the goal of his life can join the ranks of this worthy organization. We will talk about the conditions for joining in the article, but a little later.

History

To begin with, let us consider the historical perspective that has led the Society to a solid anniversary. Right at the base, it unfolded a stormy research activities throughout the territory of our vast country. This was accompanied by numerous expeditions to the most remote corners. Russian Empire extensive educational activities, since its members were from that time. Among them are such pillars as Przhevalsky, Semyonov-Tien-Shansky, Obruchev, Miklukho-Maclay, Berg and many others.

Another important part of the Society's activities was cooperation with the Russian Navy. By the way, it included many famous admirals of that time. Not to mention such creators as Aivazovsky and Vereshchagin. As a result, the Society began to have subdivisions in many remote areas, for example, the Caucasian department, Siberian, Amur, North-West and many others were formed. Each of them was active in the assigned regions. This is how the Russian Geographical Society developed and grew steadily.

The festival

It is impossible not to say a few words about an interesting phenomenon associated with the fact that in 2014 a festival of the Russian Geographical Society was held in Moscow. His main task was to show all the facets of the Society's activities. Considering that there are branches of the Russian Geographical Society in eighty-five subjects Russian Federation, and each of them is engaged in various projects dedicated to the preservation of the cultural and natural heritage of the regions in which it is presented, it should be said that there was a lot of information at the festival. Modern technologies allowed to show the public such interesting aspects of work as traveling on North Pole, diving to the bottom of the famous Baikal, studying the remains of mammoths and many other activities for which the Russian Geographical Society is responsible. In the end, the festival was a success.

And finally, back to the issue raised by the title of the article. Obviously, it is not necessary to be a professional traveler or geographer if someone is thinking about how to join the Russian Geographical Society.

How to join

In fact, as already mentioned, you don't need to be out of the ordinary to do this. must attain 18 years of age, he can be a citizen of any country, regardless of nationality or religion. The most important thing is to study and recognize its charter, as well as to promote the implementation of tasks. This, in fact, is all that the Russian Geographical Society requires. How to enter, by the way, is described in detail in the corresponding section of the Russian Geographical Society website.

Entry order

Let's consider the order of entry in general terms. After familiarizing yourself with the charter and regulations of the Society, you should choose a regional branch, contact its chairman or a person who represents the Russian Geographical Society. How to join it? You can also get answers to questions related to this by calling the all-Russian number 8-800-700-1845.

Next, you need to fill out an application to which you should attach color photo 3 by 4 centimeters. It is submitted to the selected regional office. After that, the future member of the Society becomes a candidate. Now you need to wait six months to receive confirmation of admission. Finally, when a person is accepted into the Society, he must pay a membership fee in the amount of one thousand rubles, for which he is issued a ticket of the established form.

Subsequently, it must be extended by paying three hundred rubles a year. This procedure is proposed by the Russian Geographical Society. How to join, we figured it out. This completes the acquaintance with the Russian Geographical Society. Next, apparently, you should think about how you can prove yourself, being a member of this unusual and for so long a community. We wish our dear readers success in this!

The Russian Geographical Society is public organization, aimed at a deep and comprehensive study of the geographical, environmental and cultural aspects in the history of Russia. This organization unites not only specialists in the field of geography, travelers, ecologists, but also people who strive to gain new knowledge about Russia and are ready to help preserve it. Natural resources and wealth.

The Russian Geographical Society (abbreviated as RGO) was founded in 1845 by the decree of Emperor Nicholas I.

From 1845 to the present time, the Russian Geographical Society has been conducting active work... It should be noted that the name of the Society changed several times: first it was called the Imperial Geographical Society, then it became the State Geographical Society, then the Geographical Society of the USSR (All-Union Geographical Society), and finally, it became the Russian Geographical Society.

The founder of the Russian Geographical Society is Admiral Fedor Petrovich Litke. He created the Society in order to master Russia and study it comprehensively.

Among the founders of the Russian Geographical Society, one can single out famous navigators such as Ivan Fedorovich Kruzenshtern, Ferdinand Petrovich Wrangel. Members of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences took part in the creation of the Society, for example, the naturalist Karl Maksimovich Baer, ​​the statistician Peter Ivanovich Keppen. Military leaders also contributed to the development of the Russian Geographical Society: geodesist Mikhail Pavlovich Vronchenko, statesman Mikhail Nikolaevich Muravyov. Among the Russian intelligentsia, who took Active participation in the creation of the Society, one can single out the linguist Vladimir Ivanovich Dahl, the philanthropist Vladimir Petrovich Odoevsky.

The leaders of the Society were members of the Russian Imperial House, travelers, researchers and statesmen. These are representatives of the Imperial House of Romanovs, and presidents of the Society, such as the Russian and Soviet geneticist and geographer Nikolai Ivanovich Vavilov, who participated in dozens of expeditions and created the doctrine of world centers of origin of cultivated plants. The head of the Russian Geographical Society was also the Soviet zoologist and geographer Lev Semenovich Berg, who made a huge contribution to science. He collected materials about the nature of different regions, in addition, he created a textbook entitled "The Nature of the USSR". L.S. Berg can be considered the creator of modern physical geography, since he is the founder of landscape science. By the way, the landscape division proposed by Lev Semenovich has survived to this day.

For 7 years (since 2009), the post of President of the Russian Geographical Society has been held by the Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation Sergei Kuzhugetovich Shoigu. And in 2010, the Board of Trustees was formed, headed by the President of the country Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin. At the meetings of the Council, the results of the work of the Russian Geographical Society for the year are summed up, as well as plans for the future are discussed. In addition, various grants from the Russian Geographical Society are awarded at the meetings.

The Russian Geographical Society has its own charter. The first came out on December 28, 1849 under Nicholas I. And the charter that exists today was approved on December 11, 2010 during the 14th Congress of the All-Russian public organization "Russian Geographical Society". In accordance with this, the society received the status of an “all-Russian public organization”.

The main goal of the Russian Geographical Society is a comprehensive knowledge of Russia and the world in all its diversity. To achieve this goal, it is necessary:

1. active participation of society in its activities;

2. collection, processing and dissemination of various information about Russia in the field of geography, ecology, culture, ethnography.

3. drawing attention to the historical and cultural sites of Russia for the development of tourism.

The Russian Geographical Society is trying to attract representatives of the youth environment to its activities in order to reveal their creative potential for organizing various competitions, as well as foster a respect for nature.

The society works closely with ecological, geographic, conservation and charitable organizations, educational institutions(including with federal universities), research and scientific centers, with commercial organizations working in the field of tourism, education. The Russian Geographical Society also cooperates with the media.

Today the Society has about 13,000 members in Russia and abroad. The RGS is a non-profit organization and therefore does not receive government funding.

The RGS is covered in a variety of media. For example, in the magazine "Argumenty i Fakty", in the newspapers "Kommersant", " Russian newspaper", On the TV channels" St. Petersburg "," Channel 5 "," NTV "

There is a website of the Russian Geographical Society, which contains all necessary information about the Society, as well as the library, grants and projects. One of the most important projects is the youth movement, which was created in 2013. Today, about 80 thousand schoolchildren and students from all regions of Russia, as well as about 1 thousand specialists in the field of geographical and environmental education, are participants in the movement. The youth movement was created in order to organize all-Russian youth projects, with the help of which the participants could show their activity, creativity and initiative.

The Russian Geographical Society awards special awards for achievements in the field of geography or for assistance to the Russian Geographical Society.

This award is received by members of the Russian Geographical Society for their successes and usefulness in geography. The Constantine Medal was awarded to Vladimir Ivanovich Dal for “ Explanatory dictionary Russian language "(1863), Vladimir Afanasevich Obruchev for works on the geology of Asia (1900) and many others.

2. Big gold medal:

The award is presented for works in the field of science every 2 or 3 years. Only those scientists who have accomplished a brave feat can get it. Another criterion is successful expeditions that have resulted in an important discovery. Nikolai Vasilyevich Slyunin received a large gold medal for his essay "Okhotsk-Kamchatka Territory" (1901), Grigory Nikolaevich Potanin for his work entitled "Sketches of Northwestern Mongolia" (1881).

3. Large silver medal:

The award is presented for works in the field of science once every 1 or 2 years for a contribution to the Russian Geographical Society, or for achievements in the field of geography.

4. Gold medal to them. Fedor Petrovich Litke:

Only scientists who have made the most important discoveries in the World Ocean and polar countries... For the first time a medal was awarded to Konstantin Stepanovich Staritsky for hydrographic research in Pacific(1874) In different years, the medal was received by Mikhail Vasilyevich Pevtsov for his work "Essay on a journey through Mongolia" (1885), Leonid Ludvigovich Breitfus for the study of the Barents Sea (1907) and others.

5. Gold medal to them. Peter Petrovich Semyonov:

For the study of security issues environment, scientific works on the geography of soils and the description of vast parts of Russia and other countries this medal is awarded. It was established in 1899, it was received by Pyotr Yulievich Schmidt for studying water conditions in the Far East (1906), Lev Semenovich Berg for studying The aral sea(1909) and other scientists.

6. Gold medal to them. Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky:

The medal is awarded for discoveries in deserts and mountainous countries, for expeditions to study the peoples of Russia and other countries. It was established on August 29, 1946 and was awarded once every 2 years. One of those who received this award is Alexander Mikhailovich Berlyant.

7. Gold medal to them. Alexander Fedorovich Treshnikov:

The medal is awarded to participants in expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, dedicated to the study of climatic conditions, as a result of which scientific discoveries, as well as for the development of the polar regions.

8. Gold medal to them. Nikolai Nikolaevich Miklukho-Maclay:

Awarded for research in ethnography, historical geography, cultural heritage.

9. Small gold and silver medals:

They can be obtained once a year. Small gold was awarded to the authors of scientific papers in one of the directions of the Russian Geographical Society, which systematize the results of research done on any subject. Silver is awarded for disinterested assistance to the Society. Both medals were established in 1858. Small gold medals were awarded to Petr Petrovich Semyonov for the work and services rendered to the Society (1866), Venedikt Ivanovich Dybovsky and Viktor Alexandrovich Godlevsky for the exploration of Lake Baikal (1870) and others. Small silver medals were awarded to Nikolai Mikhailovich Przhevalsky for his article "Nonresident population of the southern part of Primorskaya Oblast" (1869), Alexander Andreevich Dostoevsky for his help in compiling the "History of the Society" (1895) and many other scientists.

In addition to medals, the Society annually awards the following awards:

1. Prize to them. Semyon Ivanovich Dezhnev:

2. Honorary Diploma:

Awarded to scientists for research in geography and related sciences. The decision to award the diploma is published on the Russian Geographical Society website.

3. Certificate of honor:

The diploma is awarded for the contribution to the development of the Society. As a rule, the presentation takes place on an anniversary or is associated with an important date.

4. Personal scholarship:

Awarded at least 10 times a year. It is awarded to young scientists in the field of geography for the best scientific works.

The Russian Geographical Society provides grants in priority areas - cash to finance research and educational projects aimed at achieving the goal and solving the problems of the Company.

Grant projects should be of great public importance and focus on achieving practical results in the interests of Russia.

Grants are awarded every year since 2010 on a competitive basis. The competition is organized at the end of the year and lasts a month. For example, in 2010 the Russian Geographical Society provided financial assistance to 13 projects in the amount of 42 million rubles, a year later the number of projects increased greatly - to 56. More than 180 million rubles were allocated for them. In 2012, almost 200 million rubles were allocated for 52 projects. And in 2013, grant support in the amount of more than 100 million rubles was provided to 114 projects.

The Russian Geographical Society has many periodicals. For example, "Bulletin of the Imperial Geographical Society", "Living Antiquity", "Questions of Geography", "Geographic News", etc.

The RGS has 85 regional branches in the Russian Federation. Their activity is to increase the level of knowledge of citizens about their region, increase the number of activists of the Russian Geographical Society, and draw attention to the environmental protection.

All-Russian public organization "Russian Geographical Society"(abbreviated VOO "RGO") is a geographical public organization of Russia, founded on August 18, 1845. One of the oldest geographical societies in the world after Paris (1821), Berlin (1828) and London (1830).

The main task of the Russian Geographical Society is the collection and dissemination of reliable geographical information. Expeditions of the Russian Geographical Society played a large role in the development of Siberia, the Far East, Central and Central Asia, the World Ocean, in the development of navigation, the discovery and study of new lands, in the formation of meteorology and climatology. Since 1956, the RGS has been a member of the International Geographical Union.

Official titles

During its existence, the society has repeatedly changed its name:

History

Establishment of a company

Among the founding members of the Society were also the geographer and statistician K.I. Arseniev, the director of the Department of Agriculture of the Ministry of Internal Affairs A.I. Levshin, the traveler P.A. V. I. Dal, Orenburg Governor-General V. A. Perovsky, writer and philanthropist Prince V. F. Odoevsky.

Start of activity

The Russian Geographical Society was conceived as a geographic and statistical society, under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, but by the order of the emperor it was named Geographic. The initial financing of the Society was state-owned and amounted to 10 thousand rubles a year; subsequently, patrons of art made a significant contribution to financing the enterprises of the Russian Geographical Society.

The society quickly covered the whole of Russia with its subdivisions. In 1851, the first two regional departments were opened - Caucasian in Tiflis and Siberian in Irkutsk, then departments were created: Orenburg, North-West in Vilna, South-West in Kiev, West-Siberian in Omsk, Priamursky in Khabarovsk, Turkestan in Tashkent. They conducted extensive research into their regions.

During the imperial period of its activity, the Society played the role of a platform for an informal dialogue between the departments that carried out cartographic, statistical and research work: “In his (Society) environment, the heads of various government agencies who were engaged in cartography of Russia, converged to discuss the subjects of their occupation. "

Structure

• Department of Physical Geography
• Department of Mathematical Geography
• Department of Statistics
• Department of Ethnography
• Political and Economic Committee
• Arctic Research Commission
• Seismic commission

The creation of a permanent commission of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society (IRGO) for the study of the Arctic made it possible to systematize expeditionary activities and generalize the unique information obtained about the nature, geology and ethnography of the Far North. The world famous Chukotka, Yakutsk and Kola expeditions were carried out. The report on one of the Arctic expeditions of the society interested the great scientist D.I.Mendeleev, who developed several projects for the development and research of the Arctic.

The Russian Geographical Society became one of the organizers and participants of the First International Polar Year, during which the Society established autonomous polar stations at the mouth of the Lena River and on Novaya Zemlya.

The Seismic Commission of the Russian Geographical Society was created in 1887, after a strong earthquake in the city of Verny (Alma-Ata). The commission was created on the initiative and with the active participation of IV Mushketov.

On March 5, 1912, the Council of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society approved the regulation on the Permanent Environmental Commission.

Honorary Members of the Society

During the imperial period, members of foreign royal families were elected honorary members of the society (for example, the personal friend of P.P.Semenov-Tyan-Shansk, the Belgian king Leopold I, Turkish Sultan Abdul Hamid II, British Prince Albert), famous foreign researchers and geographers (Baron Ferdinand von Richthofen, Roald Amudsen, Fridtjof Nansen, etc.).

In addition to the immediate leaders of the Russian Empire and members royal family active members of the Geographical Society in different years were more than 100 ministers, governors, members of the State Council and the Senate. It was their fruitful work in the Geographical Society that helped many of them to achieve such high results: it was D.A. P. Bezobrazov and many others. dr.

Public opinion in those years was formed by members of the Russian Geographical Society, Metropolitan Philaret of Moscow and Bishop Jacob of Nizhny Novgorod, book publishers Alfred Devrien and Adolf Marks, editors of the largest Russian and foreign newspapers E.E. Ukhtomsky and Mackenzie Wallace (Donald Mackenzie Wallace).

Philanthropists of the Society

The Russian Geographical Society also laid the foundations of the national reserve management, the ideas of the first Russian specially protected natural areas(PAs) were born within the framework of the Permanent Environmental Commission of the IRGO, the creator of which was Academician I.P. Borodin.

With the assistance of the Russian Geographical Society in 1918, the world's first higher educational institution geographic profile - Geographical Institute.

In 1919, one of the most famous members of the Society, V.P.Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, founded the first geographical museum in Russia.

V soviet period The society actively developed new areas of activity related to the promotion of geographical knowledge: a commission of the corresponding orientation was established, an Advisory Bureau under the leadership of L. S. Berg was opened, the famous lecture hall named after L. Yu.M. Shokalsky.

In the post-war period, a rapid increase in the number of members of the Society was recorded, if in 1940 it consisted of 745 people, then in 1987 the number of members reached 30 thousand, that is, it increased almost 40 times.

Patrons and trustees of the society

Society charter

The Russian Geographical Society is the only public organization in Russia that has continuously existed since its inception in 1845. The Charters of the Russian Geographical Society convincingly demonstrate the legally irreproachable legal succession of society throughout its 170-year history. The first charter of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society was approved by Nicholas I on December 28, 1849.

The current charter, according to which the Russian Geographical Society received the status of an "All-Russian public organization", was approved by the XIV Congress of the All-Russian Public Organization "Russian Geographical Society", minutes of December 11, 2010.

Society management

Over the years, the Russian Geographical Society was led by representatives of the Russian Imperial House, famous travelers, researchers and statesmen.

Chairmen and Presidents

From 1845 to the present, 12 leaders of the society have been replaced:

Honorary Presidents

• 1931-1940 - Yu.M. Shokalsky
• 1940-1945 - V. L. Komarov
• 2000-n. v. - V. M. Kotlyakov

Vice Presidents (Vice Presidents)

• 1850-1856 - M. N. Muravyov (vice-chairman)
• 1857-1873 - F.P. Litke (vice-chairman)
• 1873-1914 - P. P. Semyonov (vice-chairman)
• 1914-1917 - Yu.M. Shokalsky (vice-chairman)
• 1917-1920 - N. D. Artamonov (vice-chairman)
• 1920-1931 - G. E. Grumm-Grzhimailo (vice-chairman)
• 1931-1932 - N. Ya.Marr (since 1931, deputy heads became known as vice presidents)
• 1932-1938 - the post remained vacant
• 1938-1945 - I. Yu. Krachkovsky
• 1942-19 ?? - Z. Yu. Shokalskaya (Acting Vice President)
• 19??-1952
• 1952-1964 - S. V. Kalesnik
• 1964-1977 - A.F.Treshnikov
• 1977-1992 - S. B. Lavrov
• 1992-2000 - Yu. P. Seliverstov
• 2000-2002 - A. A. Komaritsyn
• 2002-2005 - ?
• 2005-2009 - ?
• 2009-2010 - ?
• 2010-present v. - A. N. Chilingarov (first vice president); NS Kasimov (first vice president); A. A. Chibilev; P. Ya.Baklanov; K. V. Chistyakov;

Chiefs of staff

Chiefs of staff (assistants to the chairman, academic secretaries, executive directors)

Governing bodies

According to the current Charter (section 5), the structure of the governing bodies of the Society includes: the Congress, the Board of Trustees, the Media Council, the Managing Council, the Academic Council, the Council of Elders, the Council of Regions, the President of the Society, the Executive Directorate and the Audit Commission.

Headquarters function in Moscow and St. Petersburg

Congresses of the Media Council

In 2010, the My Planet TV channel won the Golden Ray award in the Best Educational TV Channel of the Year nomination.

There is a program of the Russian Geographical Society on Radio Mayak.

Governing Council Academic Council Council of Elders Council of Regions Executive Directorate Revision Commission

Regional offices

The first "peripheral departments" of the society were created in:

• 1850 - Caucasian in Tiflis
• 1851 - Siberian in Irkutsk

Other branches of the society were created in Vilnius (1867), Orenburg (1867), Kiev (1873), Omsk (1877), Khabarovsk (1894), Tashkent (1897) and other cities. Some organizations were completely autonomous - for example, the Society for the Study of the Amur Region, created in Vladivostok in 1884 and only formally included in the IRGO in 1894. In 1876, the departments in Vilnius and Kiev ceased their activities.

Awards of the Russian Geographical Society

The RGS awards system includes a number of medals of various denominations (large gold medals, personalized gold medals, small gold, silver and bronze medals); various awards; honorary reviews and diplomas. In the period from 1930 to 1945, no awards were given.

• Big gold medals
  • The Constantine medal existed as the highest award of the Russian Geographical Society until 1929 (from 1924 to 1929 it was called the "Highest award of society"). In 2010 and 2011, remake medals were presented without award status as a commemorative medal.
  • Big Gold Medal of the Geographical Society of the USSR (1946-1998), Big Gold Medal of the Russian Geographical Society (since 1998).
  • Great gold medal of the departments of ethnography and statistics (1879-1930).
• Personalized gold medals
  • P.P.Semenov Gold Medal (1899-1930, since 1946).
  • Medal named after Count F.P. Litke (1873-1930, since 1946).
  • Gold Medal named after N.M. Przhevalsky (since 1946).
• Small gold and similar medals
  • Small gold medal (1858-1930, since 1998) - was awarded for useful geographic research not suitable for the conditions of the Konstantinov medal (S. V. Maksimov in 1861; B. Ya. Schweitzer; N. A. Korguev; A. N. Afanasyev; P. N. Rybnikov; P. O. Bobrovsky)
  • Medal named after N.M. Przhevalsky (silver; 1895-1930).
• Unnumbered Minor Medals
  • Small Silver Medal (1858-1930, since 2012).
  • Small bronze medal (1858-1930).
• Prizes
  • Prize named after N.M. Przhevalsky
  • Tillo Prize
  • Honorary reviews and diplomas

Library of the Russian Geographical Society

In 1845, simultaneously with the Russian Geographical Society, its library was created. The book collection began with books donated by members of the Society and personally sent by authors. The acquisition of the fund provided for the purchase of books and the exchange of publications with Russian and foreign scientific institutions. The creation and operation of such a library is of great cultural importance for Russia. Realizing this, 4 years after its foundation, the leadership of the Society entrusted the first work to put the library in order to Peter Semyonov (later - Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky, the most famous Russian geographer and statesman).

The collection of the Library of the Russian Geographical Society (490,000 copies) includes publications on the entire spectrum of geographical sciences and related disciplines - from physical geography to medical geography and geography of art. Foreign publications make up a significant part of the collection, which underlines the scientific nature of the library.

As part of the fund rare book XVI-XVIII centuries there are editions Rossica(reports of foreigners about Russia), publications of the era of Peter I, classic descriptions of travel and discoveries.

The cartographic collection, numbering 42,000 copies, contains rare and single copies of handwritten maps and atlases.

The richest reference fund is represented by encyclopedias, dictionaries, guidebooks, bibliographic publications.

The collection of publications of the Russian Geographical Society contained copies of all publications published under the heading "Russian Geographical Society". Unfortunately, the lack of funding for regional offices in the 1990s broke this tradition. Today the collection of publications of the Russian Geographical Society can no longer be characterized by maximum completeness.

The fund includes books from the personal libraries of the members of the Russian Geographical Society, who stood at its origins - the Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky and other prominent Russian geographers - Shokalsky, Pavlovsky, Shnitnikov, Kondratyev.

From 1938 to the present day, the Library of the Russian Academy of Sciences (BAN) has been involved in the acquisition of publications for the Library of the Russian Geographical Society. Since the middle of the 20th century, the library of the Russian Geographical Society has been a department of the BAN.

The history of the RGS Library is inseparable from the history of Russia. In years civil war The Society's library was a kind of "club" of the geographers of Petrograd. During the Great Patriotic War, the library was not intended for evacuation from besieged Leningrad, providing its funds to the soldiers and commanders of the Soviet Army even at night, when time was freed up to study literature. Materials on the hydrometeorological regime of Lake Ladoga were used to build the Road of Life.

The uniqueness of the RGS Library fund is emphasized by books inscribed by famous travelers and researchers of the 2nd half of the 20th century - T. Heyerdahl, Y. Senkevich, Soviet cosmonauts, L. Gumilev.

The constant task of the Library is Information Support professional and social activities of members of the Russian Geographical Society and employees of academic institutions in Russia.

Library Leaders

Publications of the Russian Geographical Society

• Izvestia of the Russian Geographical Society - the oldest Russian geographical Science Magazine published by the Society since 1865. It comes out in a very small circulation (about 130 copies), it is known mainly to specialists. Editorial office in St. Petersburg.
• Questions of geography - a series of scientific thematic collections on geography, published since 1946. By 2016, more than 140 collections were published in all branches of geographical science.
• Ice and Snow is a scientific journal covering issues of glaciology and cryolithology.

At present, the RGS publication includes the popular science magazine Around the World, published since 1861, with an editorial office in Moscow.

Scientific archive of the Russian Geographical Society

Simultaneously with the foundation of the Society (1845), the Scientific Archive began to form - the oldest and only specially geographic archive in the country. The first manuscripts that entered the archive were private donations. Somewhat later, the archive began to be systematically replenished with the personal funds of members of the Russian Geographical Society.

Especially many manuscripts were received from members of the Society, lovers of geography from the broad masses of rural intelligentsia: teachers, doctors, clergy in response to the Society's ethnographic program, published in 1848 and sent out in an amount of seven thousand copies to all corners of Russia. The program included six sections: about appearance, about language, about home life, about the peculiarities of social life, about mental and moral abilities and education, about folk legends and monuments.

Their a large number programs developed by the Department of Ethnography, it is worth mentioning some that had a noticeable impact on the replenishment of the manuscripts of the archive, these are: "A program for collecting information on folk superstitions and beliefs in Southern Russia" (1866), "A program for collecting folk legal customs" (1877 g.), "A program for collecting information about wedding ceremonies from the Great Russians and foreigners of Eastern Russia" (1858). The manuscripts are distributed among the provinces. The collections of the Caucasus, Central Asian Russia, Siberia, the Baltic region, Belarus, Poland, and Finland are especially highlighted. Highlighted the manuscripts of entire groups of nationalities - Slavs (eastern, western, southern), the nationalities of Central Asian Russia, Siberia, European Russia. Materials related to foreign countries, classified by parts of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, America, Australia and Oceania.

In total, there are 115 ethnographic collections in the archive, which is more than 13,000 items.

Among the documentary materials of the archive, the fund of the Chancellery of the Russian Geographical Society, numbering more than 5000 storage units, stands out for the richness and diversity. These are manuscripts on organization and creation. Societies, materials on scientific and organizational activities, materials on organizing numerous expeditions equipped by the Society, correspondence on international relations of the Society, and so on.

A unique collection of documents is the personal funds of the great Russian geographers and travelers: P.P.Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, N.M. Przhevalsky, N.N. Miklukho-Maklai, P.K. Kozlov, G.E. A. I. Voeikova, L. S. Berga, V. L. Komarov, V. A. Obruchev, N. I. Vavilov, Yu. M. Shokalsky, B. A. Vilkitsky and others. As great scientists and travelers, they left interesting descriptions natural conditions, economy, everyday life, folk art places visited. For example, the personal fund of N.M. Przhevalsky - 766 items, including manuscripts and field diaries of all five travels to Central Asia.

Currently, there are 144 personal funds in the archives of the Society - this is more than 50,000 items.

The photo archive is rich and varied, numbering over 3000 items.

These are photographs from expeditionary research, photographic landscapes, types of population, everyday subjects, types of cities and villages, and so on. Photos of the Resettlement Office.

The collection of drawings - 227 items of storage - is especially highlighted.

As historical relics, medals are stored in the archive - these are 120 storage units.

The archive contains 98 items that are of historical value - these are items of Buddhist worship, unique vases made of bronze and porcelain of Japanese and Chinese work, and so on.

The archive of the Russian Geographical Society is a scientific department where representatives of various specialties study its materials.

The Society's archive participates in various international exhibitions and is engaged in publishing activities. Archive staff advise and select documents for documentaries and feature films and so on.

Leaders scientific archive

A significant contribution to the development of the scientific archive of the Geographical Society was made by E.I.Gleiber, who was in charge of it from 1936 to 1942. During the blockade of Leningrad, on January 14, 1942, he died of exhaustion in the archive building.

• After the death of E.I.Gleiber, B.A. Valskaya was appointed head of the archive.
• After B.A.Valskaya, the archive was headed by T.P. Matveeva for several decades.
• 1995 - present - Maria Fedorovna Matveeva.

Museum of the Russian Geographical Society

In 1860, Academician K.M.Bair headed a commission for the scientific selection of exhibits that were to be included in the fund of the Museum of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. But only 100 years later, in 1970, the 5th Congress of the USSR Civil Society adopted a Resolution on the organization of the museum, approved and financed by the Museum Council under the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences. The Museum of the Geographical Society of the USSR was included in the list of museums of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

The museum was opened on December 9, 1986 in the mansion of the Society, built in 1907-1908 by the architect G.V. Baranovsky, where the rich and bright history activities of the Russian Geographical Society.

The exposition of the museum clearly showed the original documents and exhibits, paintings and old tomes, which arouse the sincere interest of visitors to this intimate and very cozy corner of the building.

During the construction of the RGS house, there were no halls for the museum, but the interiors of the building itself - the vestibule, staircase, library, archive, offices and assembly halls - are museum premises, one of which houses the Museum.

Small in area, but large in documentary content, the museum did not become an exhibition of documents or an "iconostasis" of portraits. Artistic techniques the planar material in showcases is decorated, not monotonously, but lively and interesting. Indeed, as early as 1891, the IRGO was transferred to the museums of St. Petersburg: the Hermitage, the Russian Museum, the Botanical and Zoological Museums, the museum Mining Institute(for lack of space for their placement in the IRGO).

The exposition contains many historical photographs, letters and maps of famous explorers-travelers: A.I. Voeikov, N.M. Knipovich, R.E.Kols, G.Ya. Sedov, I.V. V.K. Arsenyev, B.P. Orlov, Yu.M. Shokalsky, I.D. Papanin, S.V. Kalesnik, A.F. Treshnikov. But there are also voluminous objects. Among the materials of V.A. Next to the diary, kept during the expedition to the Pamirs in 1885-1886, written in the amazing handwriting of G. Ye. Grumm-Grzhimailo, a barometer and a box for feathers; perfectly preserved drawings of butterflies, which he collected together with the Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich (later chairman of the IRGO). Immediately there is a "correspondence" of these researchers who are fond of entomology. And next to " business card»Of the Grand Duke Nikolai Mikhailovich Romanov - Chairman of the IRGO, with his request to withdraw from himself the powers of Chairman of the IRGO in connection with the change of power in the country.

TASS-DOSSIER. On April 24, a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society will take place in St. Petersburg with the participation of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian Geographical Society (RGO) is an All-Russian public organization. It brings together specialists in the field of geography and related sciences (geology, biology, history, archeology, ethnography), as well as enthusiastic travelers, ecologists, public figures, etc. The main idea of ​​the society was formulated in late XIX century Russian geographer, statesman Peter Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky - "To attract all the best forces of the Russian land to the study of the native land and the people inhabiting it."

History

The Russian Geographical Society was founded on August 18 (August 6, old style), 1845 in St. Petersburg. On this day, Emperor Nicholas I approved the first provisional charter of the Society presented by the founders. Among the founders of the Russian Geographical Society were navigators and admirals of the Russian fleet Fedor Litke, Ivan Kruzenshtern, Ferdinand Wrangel; members of the Imperial St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (now - RAS) naturalist Karl Baer, ​​astronomer Vasily Struve; Quartermaster General Fyodor Berg; Senator Mikhail Muravyov; linguist Vladimir Dal; Prince Vladimir Odoevsky and others - only 17 people (they received honorary titles of members - founders of the Society).

The first chairman of the Russian Geographical Society was appointed the son of Nicholas I - Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, who at that time was 17 years old.

During its existence, the Society has repeatedly changed its name. In 1849, a permanent charter of the organization was adopted and it was renamed the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. In 1917 it lost the name "Imperial", since 1925 it was called the State Russian Geographical Society of the RSFSR, since 1932 - the State Geographical Society (GGO) of the RSFSR. In 1938 it was renamed the Geographical Society of the USSR (or the All-Union Geographical Society) and entered the system of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR.

With the assistance of the Russian Geographical Society, the first reserves in Russia were created, and the world's first higher educational institution of a geographical profile, the Geographic Institute (1918), was founded. The Committee of the North, created at the Russian Geographical Society in 1920, coordinated work on the development of the North and North sea ​​route(subsequently ceased to exist, its functions were transferred to the Arctic Institute and the Main Directorate of the Northern Sea Route).

On March 21, 1992, by the decision of the Academic Council of the organization, its historical name was returned to it - the Russian Geographical Society. The Russian Geographical Society was registered with the Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation on February 10, 2003 as a non-profit organization.

Activity

The main activities of the Russian Geographical Society are the collection and dissemination of geographical information about Russia, the organization of practical field research, expeditions to different parts of the Russian Federation and the world, education and enlightenment, nature protection.

From 1849 to 2015, the Company conducted over 3 thousand expeditions in Russia (as well as the USSR) and in more than 30 countries of the world. Among them are expeditions for the exploration and development of the Arctic (Chukotka, Yakutsk, Kola), the Urals (to the North Polar Urals), Siberia and the Far East (Vilyui, Sibiryakovskaya), Central and Central Asia (Mongolian-Tibetan), the World Ocean.

The Russian Geographical Society was one of the organizers of the first International Polar Year (2007/2008) and the International Forum on Tiger Conservation on Earth (2010). Since 2010, the Russian Geographical Society has been holding the International Arctic Forum "The Arctic - Territory of Dialogue". RGS is one of the organizers of the International Geography Olympiad and All-Russian Olympiad in geography, All-Russian geographical dictation(since 2015), the All-Russian Congress of Geography Teachers (since 2011).

The Russian Geographical Society participated in the publication of the Great Atlas of the World (since 1934), the Marine Atlas (1944-1946), the Atlas of Antarctica (1972), the monograph "Geography of the World Ocean" in six volumes (1980-1987), the Atlas of the World's Snow and Ice Resources ( 1997), Atlas of Birds of the Russian Arctic (2012), etc.

Since 2015, the Russian Geographical Society has been holding a photo contest "The Most Beautiful Country".

Governing bodies, structure

The supreme governing body of the Company is the congress, which is convened every six years (until 2014 - once every five years; if necessary, an extraordinary one can be held). There were 16 congresses in total. In 1933, the All-Union Congress of Geographers was convened in Leningrad. However, the numbering of the congresses began to be assigned in 1947, when they received the status of the highest governing body of the Society. The first congress (the second actually) was held in 1947 also in Leningrad. At the XV Congress on November 7, 2014 in Moscow, the current version of the Charter of the Russian Geographical Society was approved.

In the period between congresses, the Society's governing council (a permanent elective collegial governing body) operates, it includes the president (the sole executive body; elected by the congress for a period of six years), the honorary president, and the executive director. The governing bodies also include the Executive Directorate, the Academic Council, the Audit Commission, the Council of Elders (formed in 2012), and the Council of Regions (2013).

All 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation have regional branches of the Russian Geographical Society. The largest is in the Republic of Bashkortostan; it has a network of 65 local branches. In total, at the end of 2016, there were 137 local branches, which function at 20 regional branches.

Leaders

In 1945-1917. The Russian Geographical Society was headed by the chairmen: Grand Dukes Konstantin Nikolaevich (1845-1892) and Nikolai Mikhailovich (1892-1917). The actual leadership was carried out by the vice-chairmen: Fedor Litke (1845-1850; 1856-1873), Mikhail Muravyov (1850-1856), Peter Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky (1873-1914), Julius Shokalsky (1914-1917). Starting in 1918, the head of the Society began to be elected. The first elected chairman was Shokalsky (1918-1931).

Since 1931, the post of president was introduced, it was occupied by Nikolai Vavilov (1931-1940), Lev Berg (1940-1950), Evgeny Pavlovsky (1952-1964), Stanislav Kalesnik (1964-1977), Alexey Treshnikov (1977-1991) , Sergey Lavrov (1991-2000), Yuri Seliverstov (2000-2002), Anatoly Komaritsyn (2002-2009).

Honorary Presidents

The honorary presidents of the Society were: Julius Shokalsky (1931-1940), members of the USSR Academy of Sciences Vladimir Komarov (1940-1945), Vladimir Obruchev (1947-1956). In 2000, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences Vladimir Kotlyakov became Honorary President.

Membership

Members of the Society on a voluntary basis can be adults of various nationalities, religions and places of residence - citizens of the Russian Federation, foreigners and stateless persons, as well as public associations. The admission fee for individuals is 1,000 rubles, the annual membership fee is 300 rubles.

At the end of 2016, 20,457 people were members of the Russian Geographical Society, of which 3,441 joined in 2016.

The Board of Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society, created in 2010, operates on a voluntary basis. It is headed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. The council includes the president of the Society Sergei Shoigu, the reigning prince of Monaco Albert II, the speaker of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation Valentina Matvienko, the chairman high council party " United Russia"Boris Gryzlov, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin, Moscow State University rector Viktor Sadovnichy, entrepreneurs Vagit Alekperov, Viktor Vekselberg, Oleg Deripaska, Alexey Miller, Vladimir Potanin, Mikhail Prokhorov and others.

Council meetings are held as needed, but at least once a year. The first took place on April 15, 2011 in Moscow. In total, seven meetings were held: two in Moscow, four in St. Petersburg and one offsite on Valaam Island in Lake Ladoga in Karelia (August 6, 2012). The previous meeting was held on April 29, 2016 in St. Petersburg.

In addition, 38 regional boards of trustees operate at the branches of the Russian Geographical Society in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation (at the end of 2016).

Subdivisions, publications

The Scientific Archive of the Russian Geographical Society, located in St. Petersburg, is the oldest and only specialized geographical archive in Russia (formed simultaneously with the Society in 1845). It has 63.2 thousand storage units: documents, ethnographic collections (more than 13 thousand units), a photo archive (more than 3 thousand), 144 personal funds of geographers and travelers, etc.

The library funds of St. Petersburg and Moscow store 480.7 thousand domestic and foreign publications on geography and related sciences. There are 40.7 thousand storage units in the cartographic funds. The Museum of the History of the Russian Geographical Society in St. Petersburg (opened in 1986) is included in the list of academic museums.

The Russian Geographical Society is one of the founders of the scientific publication Izvestia of the Russian Geographical Society (published since 1865). In 2012, the journal Vokrug Sveta (founded in 1861) received the status of the Society's publication.

RGS grants

Since 2010, the RGS Board of Trustees has been organizing the issuance of grants to research, environmental and expeditionary projects on a competitive basis. The money for them is allocated by patrons of the arts. In addition, since 2013 the Russian Geographical Society and the Russian Foundation basic research(RFBR) awards joint grants.

In total, in the period from 2010 to 2015, the Company allocated 604 grants (including 66 - jointly with the RFBR) for a total amount of 1 billion 28 million 140 thousand rubles. In 2016, the RGS directly supported 105 projects, which were allocated 170 million 705 thousand rubles. grant funds.

The projects "Baikal through the prism of sustainable development", "Ecological rating and ecological map of Russia", the expedition "Kyzyl - Kuragino" (2011-2015), "Gogland" (since 2013), the multimedia ethnographic project "Faces of Russia", cycles of documentary films about the history of the Turks in Russia, "Reserved Russia" (2011-2013), international festival non-fiction films "Arctic", etc.

The Russian Geographical Society has supported programs to clean up the Arctic (since 2010) and to preserve rare species of animals: since 2010 - the Amur tiger, snow leopard, beluga whale, polar bear, since 2011 - the Far Eastern leopard, Przewalski's horse, since 2012 - - lynx, since 2013 - manul, walrus.

Headquarters

The society has two headquarters. The main (historical) one is located in St. Petersburg. From 1862 it was located in the house of the Ministry of Public Education on the Fontanka, in 1907-1908 its own building of the Russian Geographical Society was built by the architect Gabriel Baranovsky in Demidov Lane (now - Grivtsov Lane).

In January 2013, the headquarters was opened in Moscow in a building on New Square, where in the 19th century. was Tenement house Moscow Merchant Society (in the 1920s - a hostel of the ethnological faculty of Moscow State University).

Financing

Since its inception, the Russian Geographical Society has been part of the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Initially, on the instructions of Nicholas I, 10 thousand rubles were allocated for its maintenance. silver a year. By 1896, the state allowance had increased to 30 thousand rubles. Since 1909, an additional 10 thousand rubles were allocated to him annually. for the maintenance of the house of the Russian Geographical Society. Until 1917, government subsidies accounted for 50% of the Society's funding. In addition, funds came from private donations (20%), targeted contributions (10%), membership fees (10%), etc.

V Soviet time the organization was publicly funded. In the 1990s. The RGS lost most of the state's support, and employees were often not paid their salaries. The main source of funds was membership fees - mainly from organizations. The formation of the Board of Trustees of the Society made it possible to fully ensure the activities of the Russian Geographical Society at the expense of extra-budgetary funds. Currently, the RGS does not receive government funding.

Society Awards

The society has its own awards - medals, prizes, honorary diplomas and certificates, personal scholarships, which are awarded for special merits and achievements in the field of geography and related sciences, environmental protection, contribution to the popularization of the natural, historical and cultural heritage of Russia.

First and the main award RGS is the Constantine Medal, awarded to members of the Society for great services in geographical science and an exceptional contribution to the organization. It was founded in 1846-1847. the first chairman of the Society. It was awarded from 1949 to 1929 (in 1924-1929 it was called "The highest award of society"). The awarding of this medal was resumed in 2010. The second most important is the Great Gold Medal for scientific works. Awarded since 1947 for scientific expeditions, outstanding research in the theory of geography and many years of work in the field of geographical sciences.

Among the nominal medals are the gold medals named after F.P. Litke (established in 1873), P.P.Semenov (1899), N.M. Przhevalsky (1895; received gold medal status since 1946), gold and the silver medal named after P.P.Semenov (1899, in memory of the merits of the vice-chairman of the Society, Peter Semyonov-Tyan-Shansky; the award was discontinued after 1930, resumed after 1946), etc.

In total, in the period from 1849 to 2015, the Company awarded 1,736 gold and silver medals of various denominations.

In the Russian Empire, the prize was awarded to them. N.M. Przhevalsky and the Tillot Prize. In the Soviet period and now - the prize to them. S.I.Dezhneva. In 2014, the Prize of the Russian Geographical Society was established, which received international status.