A.I. Shastov's Report (1936) on the Preparation of the “Geography of the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic”

An important theme in the history of Soviet science is the preparation of the scientists' collective works such as the unfinished multi-volume project “Geography of the USSR.” This publication presents a report describing the preparation of the Turkmen volume of this project. This report is a valuable source for better understanding how research work was organized in the Soviet regions in the second half of the 1930s. It contains information about arrangements and administrative issues, the specifics of collecting materials in the Turkmen Soviet Socialist Republic and the involvement of local authorities, research and education institutions, and cultural organizations in the preparation of this work.