APPLICATION OF TERRITORIAL GIS FOR STUDY AND INVENTORY OF 
NATURAL RESOURCES WITH THE SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE DAGESTAN 
REPUBLIC 
Kirsanov A.A., Kolesnikov V I. 
Nikiforova D.D., Vershinin O.B., 
Nikol'skiy IL. Yu. VNIIKAM (Russia) 
Commission IV, Working Group I 
KEY WORDS: GIS, Remote Sensing, Environmental, Natural Resource Database, Mapping 
ABSTRACT: 
At the present time interest to GIS stipulated by economic and political reasons is wided in Russia. The most 
of territorial, administrative units aspire to create own territorial 
scientific, practical, 
GIS for solution of wide spectrum of 
economic and administrative tasks. An organized collection of computer hardware and 
software designed to efficiently create, manipulate, analyze and display all types of geographically or spátially 
referenced data. GIS allows complex spatial operations that are very difficult to do other wise. However, 
practical experience of these GIS application is absent in Russia. There are only special reference to GIS 
using for concrete tasks solution, for example, as compilation of land cadastr, 
not infrequently with more experienced foreign partners. 
forest and urban cadastrs, 
The work under creation of GIS for Dagestan Republic was executed by VNIIKAM with aim of information 
maintenance of management and prospective planning of republican economic development. 
Composed maps will be used to planning and projecting of roads, gas and oil pipelines, exploitation of mineral 
resources, water supply and irrigation systems, agricultural areas (arable lands, vineyards, pastures etc.). Above 
mentioned maps are included into data bank, save there and forming electronic atlas of natural resources and 
environment on a whole. 
I. INTRODUCTION. 
Dagestan Republic occupies area 50.3 thousands sq. 
km with population more than 1.6 millions. 
In accordance with relief peculiarities Dagestan is 
divided into two parts northern plain with absolute marks 
lower 0 meters at the larger part (Pricaspian lowland) 
and mountain southern (eastern slopes of Caucasus). The 
following branches of agriculture and industry are 
developed at republic such as chemical, manufactural, 
glass-work, machine-building, viticulture, gardening, 
poultry forming, cattle-breeding. Various 
mineral resources are prospected and exploited in 
Dagestan Earth's interior. Among them oil and gas 
deposits take the first place. Oil and gas industry 
becomes the most important in economy of Dagestan 
Republic. 
Ore mineral resources such as ferrous, nonferrous, 
rare and generous metals, chemical raw material and 
building materials are prospected and exploited at the 
mountain part of republic. Water supply of population 
points, industrial and agricultural enterprises is provided 
by fresh underground water. 
That is why a successful economic development of 
republic and creation of stable mineral raw mineral 
base needs on intensive improvement of the whole 
natural resource into industrial usage. For this aim 
necessary to conduct prospective estimation of mineral 
resources exploitation and prospecting. This is one of 
the main task which may be solved on the basis of 
detailed investigations of geological structure, history 
of geological development and revelation of regularities 
of mineral resources location. Development of 
main agricultural branches such as cattle-breeding and 
viticulture also is important task. 
Dagestan is seaside republic and last tens an actual 
problem became flooding of plain part, that is 
stipulated by lifting of the Caspian Sea level. This 
phenomena leads toshortening of agricultural areas 
intensification of seashore abrasion and distraction of 
roads and economic objects at the coastal zone. 
2. METHODOLOGY 
In order to integrated solution above and other problems 
as wellas for prospective planning of republic 
development versatile, objective and operative 
information on natural resources, environment and 
economy. For this purpose data banks and 
knowledge base are compiled. 
One of the information sources is remotely sensed 
data including into bank as raster layers of airborne and 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996