Development of regional atlas of environmental and geographical data on the example of the Mari El Republic

Abstract

At present, there is an increase in publications of various geographical atlases: national atlases, atlases of macroregions and administrative-territorial formations of a general geographical, thematic and integrated nature are being developed and published. Specialists from Volga State University of Technology developed a comprehensive ecological and geographical atlas of the region for the Mari El Republic for the first time. An electronic version is available on the Internet. The article is devoted to the development algorithm, methodological approaches and content of the Ecological and Geographical Atlas of the Mari El Republic. The atlas includes 6 sections and 119 thematic maps and corresponds to the experience of Russian and foreign mapping. The first section provides a brief description of the physical and geographical position of the republic. Further, there are information on natural resources and conditions (geology, topography, climate, surface and groundwater, vegetation and soil cover, wildlife and landscapes), history of the development of the territory, location and demographic indicators of the population, social infrastructure, territorial structure of the distribution of industries (mechanical engineering, chemical and light industry, construction, agro-industrial and timber industry, transport infrastructure). The final section summarizes information on the use of environmental monitoring components (minerals, groundwater and surface water, soil cover, atmospheric air, and forest vegetation). The sources for creating the Atlas were stock, literary, cartographic, and statistical and monitoring materials from scientific institutions, universities, executive authorities of the subject of the Russian Federation, as well as the results of own research by the development team. The publication is intended for a wide range of readers and can be used in of managerial, economic, scientific and educational activities.