"Expressing these government-approved norms in terms of money, we are getting only 30 to 40 percent of what we need from the budget. Hence, maps are becoming obsolete," Borodko said. In his estimate, an average of 50 percent of Russian maps are obsolete.
The state order can provide only 30 percent of the load on the agency's federal unitary enterprises, putting out four billion rubles' worth of products annually (1 dollar equals 29.29 rubles).
To him, the state-allocated sums are not enough for aerial mapping, while buying information from foreign satellites costs too much. He hopes that in late 2004 the Russian remote earth-study satellite Resurs-DK will be launched.
Simultaneously, Borodko did not confirm the information that the military in Chechnya have to use maps of the 1960s. The most accurate maps of Chechnya were drawn in the 1980s and the 1990s were not good years for cartography. However, in 2000 Russian cartographers drew an updated map of Chechnya at a 1:50,000 scale as seen from orbit and passed it to the Defense Ministry, he said.
The first volume of Russia's National Atlas will be published in fall.
"Russia's National Atlas in four volumes is the first edition of its kind in Russian history," he said.
"This thorough publication will represent the history, population, natural features, culture, economy and ecology of Russia," he said.
"Over 100 organizations are involved in work on the atlas," Alexander Borodko said. "The last, fourth volume of Russia's National Atlas is expected to be published in August 2007, when the general assembly of the International Cartographic Association meets in Moscow."
Asked by RIA Novosti, the head of the Federal Geodesy and Cartography Agency said that the first volume will offer general information on our country, as well as space photographs of the earth. The second volume will deal with natural resources, climate and minerals; third with Russian culture and history; fourth with the population.
The atlas will be published in 3,000 copies, Borodko noted.
"In addition, Russia's National Atlas will be brought out in electronic form and posted in the Internet for general use," Borodko said.
