Abstract
As one of the most striking indicators of environmental change,, the Arctic is a region of bifurcated interests of various states. An important role in the process of cognition and development of the Arctic is assigned to the scientific community. The article discusses the experience and scientific tasks of the Swedish-Russian expedition on arc-of-meridian measurement in 1899-1901. The main results of the expedition and its contribution to the further development of research in the Arctic are discussed. The influence on the international scientific community is considered.