The study of Inner Asia by the Russian geographers (ESORGU) (the second half of the XIXth cent.)

The article is devoted to the geographical study of the territory of the Mongolian peoples’ settling by explorers of the East-Siberian department of the Russian Geographical Society. The main task of the Russian Geographical Society and its departments was the geographic researches of poorly studied areas in Russia, mapping and drawing up the route for further development of these lands. The main interest was the geographical study of border regions and neighboring countries, which was because of priorities of foreign and economic policy of Russia Moveover, the acute issue was the border between Russia and China, part of which was Mongolia. The accurate data, both on Mongolia and the Asian part of Russia were needed to establish the boundaries. The article presents materials characterizing the research of geographers of the ESORGU from the point of view of both public and scientific problems. To accomplish these objectives, the members of the department made programs for the study of geography, offered expeditions which resulted in mapping and projection, studied geology, flora and fauna, made barometric calculations of the studied area. In the article the fruitful activity of some scientists, as well-known and forgotten is revealed, they are: G.N. Potanin, K.F. Budogosky, Y.I. Stubendorf, G.F. Kalmberg, N. Bashkevich and others.