The Transformation of the Caspian Sea

The author reviews the problem of the level fluctuations of the Caspian Sea, particularly the steady drop since 1929. The drop in level is affecting many key sectors of the regional economy. Among several remedial schemes is a plan for diverting the rivers of northern European Russia to the Caspian, and a project for a localized regulation of the level of the Caspian Sea.     

Climate Maps in National Atlases

A complete climate section of a national atlas should contain maps, tables and graphs presenting data on climate-forming factors, the temperature regime, moisture supply, climatic regions and typical weather situations. Published national atlases are analyzed and recommendations for the treatment of climate are made. Particular importance is attached to the integrated presentation of several climatic elements on a single map. The value of climatic maps for various segments of the economy (agriculture, construction, transportation) is emphasized.     

International Collaboration in the Compilation of Monographs on the Geography of Individual Socialist Countries

The paper describes an attempt to determine the causes of the development of the present gully network in the steppe and forest-steppe of the European part of the USSR. The authors develop a technique that involves comparing the number of gullies derived from a map of gully density with the number of gullies derived from data on the expansion of the cropland area within the boundaries of the prerevolutionary guberniyas (major civil divisions). The authors conclude from the close correspondence of the two sets of figures that the great majority of gullies could have been formed as a result of the plowing up of the land over the 150 to 300 years of agricultural land use in the study region and can therefore be assumed to have arisen as a result of human activities.     

Geographical Principles of Regional Planning

A plea for greater geographer participation in the field of regional and urban planning, which is concerned with selection of building sites for industry, urban and rural settlements, resorts, and tourist centers, the provision of means of transportation, water supply, and other utilities, and other local planning problems. Regional planning is said to offer an ideal field of application for geographic thinking and methods.     

Geographic Conferences in Havana

Professor Semevskiy, who is visiting professor at the University of Havana lists the proceedings of monthly geographic meetings in the Cuban capital. His previous report on geography at the University of Havana appeared in Soviet Geography, November 1963.     

Basic Principles of Landscape Mapping

This report of the Permanent Commission on Landscape Maps of the Geographical Society USSR defines four groups of landscape maps and their basic mapped objects, ranging from detailed, large-scale facies maps (1:10,000) to small-scale maps of less than 1:1,000,000 showing mainly landscapes (in the sense of a given rank of natural areal unit). The report defines various physical-geographic units, such as facies, urochishche and mestnost' and the Russian terms have been retained where the meaning is ambiguous and there is no clear-cut English equivalent. The report also discusses various ways of formulating map legends. A previous paper on landscape mapping appeared in Soviet Geography, February 1961, pp. 34–47.     

The Defense of V. A. Anuchin's Doctoral Dissertation

A previous report on the discussion at the defense of the dissertation, by Yu. G. Saushkin, appeared in Soviet Geography, January 1963, pp. 53–59.     

Letter of Protest Regarding Yu. G. Saushkin's Article in Economic Geography, 1962, No. 1

An article published in Economic Geography, 1962, No. 1, by Prof. Yu. G. Saushkin of Moscow University in criticized by nine other Soviet economic geographers for alleged failure to give an objective appraisal of the current state of economic geography in the Soviet Union.     

On the Concept of the Unity of Geography

The geography faculties of Moscow and Leningrad universities have, in general, been on opposite sides of the dispute over the Anuchin book, with Moscow geographers supporting the concept of the unity of geography, and the Leningraders opposed. The following letter is designed to show that at one time members of both faculties carried on discussion on that issue in a constructive spirit.