The Russian Geographical Society is 180 years old

The Society brings together specialists in the field of geography and related sciences, as well as travel enthusiasts, environmentalists, and public figures—all those who strive to learn new things about Russia and who are ready to help preserve its natural wealth, historical and cultural heritage.

Today, the Russian Geographical Society has almost 30,000 members in Russia and abroad. Regional branches of the Society are open in all 89 constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

"The history of the Russian Geographical Society, its achievements and great names are inextricably and forever linked to the fate of the Fatherland," said Russian President Vladimir Putin in his address. "The contribution of this legendary organization to the development and strengthening of the Russian state, to its scientific and military triumphs, and to the increase of national wealth is, without any exaggeration, enormous."

"It is largely thanks to the unique research and sometimes truly heroic expeditions of the Russian Geographical Society that humanity has gained unique knowledge about Eurasia and the Pacific region, about the Arctic and Antarctic, and has received answers to the most important questions in the fields of climate, cartography, and the global economy. Russia has become a leader in such areas as the prudent, balanced development and use of natural resources, and the formation of global transport routes."

"I would particularly like to emphasize," stressed Russian President Vladimir Putin, "that it was the Russian Geographical Society that became the originator of the national nature reserve system and environmental protection, the general population census, and the systematic collection of ethnographic data."

"I would like to express my gratitude to all those who are devotedly serving the science of the Earth, engaged in studying and preserving Russia's unique nature, the richest cultural and historical heritage of our multinational country, its distinctive traditions—our scientists and volunteers, researchers and travelers, local historians, ethnographers, search party volunteers," said Vladimir Putin.

Being the oldest and continuously operating public organization all these years is a great honor. But that's the peculiarity of the Russian Geographical Society: despite its venerable age, it retains a youthful curiosity and a young lightness of being. Under its auspices, dozens of expeditions study Russia all year round, continuing the honorable mission and telling us about the amazing country, rich in nature and people, that we live in. Their work has resulted in hundreds of articles, dozens of documentaries, and geographical and historical books. Legendary pilot and member of the Russian Geographical Society Igor Potapkin said on the eve of his beloved organization's anniversary: "I really like flying a paramotor because it has an open cockpit. It's such a tangible flight!" And so, open to all winds, Igor Potapkin made it from St. Petersburg to Vladivostok. Then he made the longest non-stop flight—1036 kilometers—and last summer he flew to the North Pole. "We really love adventure, and nothing stopped us: neither the cold nor the potential dangers," the pilot recalled about his journey with the legendary Fyodor Konyukhov, who has seen the world from the height of Everest, flown around it in a hot air balloon, crossed oceans by rowboat and continents by dog sled. And all these records are inscribed in the history of the Russian Geographical Society. "I am a traveler, I cannot help but be a member of this society. As long as there are people on the globe, they will be discovering and exploring," noted Fyodor Konyukhov, traveler and member of the Russian Geographical Society.

From August 1 to September 30, 2025, an exhibition dedicated to the 180th anniversary of the Russian Geographical Society is being held at the Russian National Library on the platform in front of the Cartography Department hall. The exhibition features maps and atlases created based on materials from the expeditions of the Russian Geographical Society since its foundation. Among them are the "Report Map of N. M. Przhevalsky's Four Journeys through Central Asia," the "Geological Map of the Shoreline of Lake Baikal, compiled based on I. D. Chersky's research in 1877-1880," the "Atlas of European Russia" (1893), the "Geological Map of the Lena Gold-Bearing Region, created from the results of V. A. Obruchev's geological research" (1914), as well as the album "Russia. The Most Beautiful Country. The All-Russian Photo Contest of the Russian Geographical Society" (2022), selected volumes of the multi-volume work "Russia. A Complete Geographical Description of Our Fatherland," and others. The exhibition reflects the diversity of interests and tasks addressed by Russian scientists.