DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTAINANCE OF STATE CATALOGUE OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION

1. UN Group of Experts on Geographical Names BALTIC DIVISION 17th Meeting, Warsaw, June 29 – July 1, 2015 DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTAINANCE OF STATE CATALOGUE OF GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES IN RUSSIAN FEDERATION

2. The State Catalogue of Geographical Names is developed and maintained for the purpose of Providing uniform and stable use of geographical names Satisfying needs of public authorities, organizations, mass media and civic community in official information on geographical names Preserving geographical names as a constituent of historical and cultural heritage of the peoples in Russian Federation The State Catalogue of Geographical Names is developed and maintained in pursuance of : FEDERAL LAW of December 18,1997 №152 “On names of geographical objects” Order of Ministry of Economic Development of Russian Federation of Мarch 27.2014 № 172 “On approval of the Regulations on registration and storage of geographical names, development and maintenance of the State Catalogue of Geographical Names”

3. By the Order of the Government of Russian Federation of February 19,2013 № 220-r, development and maintenance of the State Catalogue of Geographical Names is incumbent on the federal budgetary institution “Federal scientific-research center of geodesy, cartography and infrastructure of spatial data” (State Catalogue Operator)

4. Functions of the Federal Information System Operator: • Optimize operation of the Federal Information System while developing and maintaining the State Catalogue; • Verify completeness and reliability of the data available in the State Catalogue; • Provide interdepartmental information co-operation in maintaining the State Catalogue; - Provide data available in the State Catalogue on users requests; • Ensure safety of the data stored in the State Catalogue and its protection from an unauthorized access.

5. Распоряжением Правительства Российской Федерации от 19.02.2013 № 220-р работы по созданию Государственного каталога географических названий и его ведению возложенына федеральное государственное бюджетное учреждение "Федеральный научно-технический центр геодезии, картографии и инфраструктуры пространственных данных« ( Оператор Госкаталога) Registration and storage of geographical names is provided by inputting appropriate records into the State Catalogue Names of geographical objects are considered registered once they are input into the State Catalogue

6. Data available in the State Catalogue is a state information resourse and is compulsory for use in normative legal documents, official correspondence, on maps, in publications and mass media.

7. According to the Federal Law “On names of geographical objects”, the following data is to be input into the State Catalogue: Names of geographical objects situated on the territory of Russian Federation Names of geo objects situated on continental shelf and in exclusive economic zone of Russian Federation and of geo objects discovered or investigated by Russian explorers in High Seas and Antarctic

8. The State Catalogue is developed in the state language of Russian Federation and is maintained as two constantly updated standalone sections of the computer database which contain geographical names as well as data to identify geographical objects to which it relates. Section II “Names of geo objects situated on continental shelf and in exclusive economic zone of Russian Federation and of geo objects discovered or investigated by Russian explorers in High Seas and Antarctic” р SectionI “Names of geo objects situated on the territory of Russian Federation”

9. Automated information system of the State Catalogue is used to register, store, update, process and output data to users. The System is registered by the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of Russian Federation and included in the Register of Federal State Information Systems.

10. Data available in Section I of State Catalogue

11. Data available in Section II of State Catalogue

12. Stages of development of the database for the territory of Russian Federation On the first stage: Data on large geographical objects was identified and input into the database. The work started in 2002 and was completed in 2011. On the second stage: The database was populated with data on geographical names available on the sheets of the topographic map at scale 1: 100 000. The work started in 2006 and was basically completed by now. As of June 1, 2015, more than 781 000 names of geographical objects of which 27% are names of populated places, on the territory of 85 subjects of Russian Federation are registered in the database. 12

13. Verification of the State Catalogue data completeness and reliability Names of geographical objects registered in the State Catalogue are submitted to the public authorities in the subjects of Russian Federation and to regional offices of the Federal Service for State Registration, Cadastre and Cartography (Rosreestr) to be verified. All discrepancies found are analyzed with more normative and cartographic sources and, if needed, appropriate corrections are made in the database.

14. Updating of the State Catalogue Data With a view to maintain a current level of the State Catalogue, the following official data is specified and input into the database: - new names assigned to geographical objects; - renamed geographical objects, - changes in generic terms, - striking objects off registration, - changes in administrative affiliation of geographical object. Some more information on geographical object found after its registration in the database are also included.

15. Use of date available in State Catalogue • The data registered in the State Catalogue database is used by the Operator to pursue the following tasks: - timely (not later than 3 working days since inputting into the State Catalogue) provide the Operator of the Federal Information Address System (Russian Federal Tax Service) with data on naming and renaming of geographical objects to be included in the State Address Register; • - make examination of proposals on naming and renaming of geographical objects submitted by the subjects of Russian Federation for their compliance to the requirements of the Federal Law “On names of geographical objects”; • - check for spelling of geographical names in drafts of official legal documents and in references of administrative-territorial division of the subjects of Russian Federation to be published ; • - monitoring of official changes of geographical objects on the territory of Russian Federation; • - responding to requests of organizations and citizens concerning names of geographical objects. 15

16. Provision of data registered in the State Catalogue The automated data retrieval system of the State Catalogue allows processing data available in the database and outputting information at users’ requests both in hard copies and electronic media as: - Lists of standardized names of geographical objects situated on the territory of the subjects of Russian Federation; - Alphabetic lists of standardized names of geographical objects sorted by administrative units of the subjects of Russian Federation, by generic terms, by 1:100 000 map sheets as well as by combinations of these criteria; - Alphabetic lists of names of geographical objects which do not exist any longer (struck off registration) for a specified date; - List of homonymous geographical objects on the entire territory of Russian Federation or for any of its subjects; - Alphabetic lists of names assigned to geographical objects within a specified period of time; - Lists of renamed geographical objects compiled in an alphabetical order of new or former names; - Registration forms which contain all the data available for a specified name of a geographical object. Information on more than 400 000 names of geographical objects are provided at the requests of federal and regional authorities, organizations and citizens.

17. Development of Section II of the State Catalogue In 2015, development of Section II of the State Catalogue started.With due regard for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982; Federal Law “On continental shelf of the Russian Federation”,Federal Law “On exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation” and other normative documents as well as information available in native and foreign references and cartographic sources, names of geographical objects situated on continental shelf and in exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation as well as of geographical objects discovered or investigated by Russian explorers in High Seas and Antarctic are being selected and specified. By June 1, 2015, information on naming of 67 geographical objects in the above mentioned region by the Decrees and Orders of the Government of Russian Federation as well as information on naming of 250 geographical objects prior to coming in force of the Federal Law “ On names of geographical objects” was found. The found information was registered in Section II of the database with the developed program module of the automated information system of the State Catalogue. In addition to registration, the program module allows processing the input data by 14 types of queries and outputting resultant forms, including registration form for a name of a specified object that contains all the data input into the database.

18. Thank you for your attention!