The main results of study of the evolution of historical-geographic regionalization of European Russia in the XVI-XVII centuries are regarded. During this period due to colonization in the East and in the South of European Russia the area of the country has increased several times and its internal regional diversity has increased significantly. Main factors of regional differentiation are the diversity of landscape patterns, especially the latitudinal zonation, foreign policy, foreign intervention, ethnic factors and traditional nature management in the newly annexed territories, etc. By the end of the XV century only 7 historical-geographic territories could be recognized, while by the end of the XVII century, there were 17 of them in the European part of Russia. Of great practical importance is the study and use in the public administration system of a certain level of continuity between the evolution of the historical-geographic regionalization and contemporary regional administrative division. 33 centers of contemporary subjects of the Russian Federation (oblast, krai, national republic) already existed in the late XVII century as major trade and handicraft centers or important fortresses.

The characteristics of the economic development process of the territory of the Lena-Angara plateau are considered for the time interval since the late XIX century till the present. Three stages of nature management are identified, during which the economic activity has influenced the spatial structure of geosystems: 1) end of the XIX-beginning of the XX centuries; 2) mid of the XX century; 3) end of the XX - beginning of the XXI centuries. The key area is the territory of the upper reaches of the Kulenga and Ilga rivers (left tributaries of the Lena river). Using socioeconomic analysis the dominant kinds of economic activities are determined, the consequences of which influence the transformation of natural geosystems. For the key area, a series of maps characterizing the specific landscape pattern of the Lena-Angara plateau for each of the selected periods has been compiled. A comparative analysis of the spatial organization of geosystems has been made, resulting in the conclusions about the discreteness of the transformed complexes owing to natural and socioeconomic factors. The area of natural and transformed geosystems has been accounted for each studied period. The permanent extension of the area of transformed geosystems is pointed out, and the causes of this process are determined.

By the example of the study of Novoye Lake sediments we discuss the changes of vegetation and climate in the Onega-Ladoga Isthmus during the Holocene. Conclusions on the environment dynamics are made on the basis of the results of palynological, lithological and radiocarbon study of lake sediments. Modern coniferous forests, including spruce forests, began to spread in the Boreal period. Spruce from this period to the present time was the main dominant of coniferous forests. The human impact in this region has begun since the Atlantic period.

The new digital bathymetric model of Lake Ladoga made it possible to study the regularities of direction of extensive landforms (lineament analysis) on the bottom of the lake with use of high-quality basis. The study found that despite the significant differences in the types of relief within the north-western and south-eastern areas of bottom of Lake Ladoga the general direction of the linear forms of relief are the same for the entire bottom of the lake. The predominance of following direction systems is noted: 140°, 0°, 90°, 40°, which generally correspond to directions of the planetary network of Earth fracturing. Lineaments of the bottom of the lake coincide with known disjunctives and therefore presumably faults network can be extended along the lines of the lineament network.

The article is devoted to the study of complex, large-scale and ambitious in its development form of settlement as megalopolis. Genesis, territorial structure, and dynamics of megalopolis development are still not sufficiently studied by scientists. The criteria for identification and delimitation of these objects are clarified. Of particular interest are the processes of systems development and forms of settlement in Europe. Features and levels of development of megalopolis formations were studied in the developed countries of foreign Europe - in regions possessing the prerequisites for their formation. The regional features of development of the European megalopolises are revealed, the prospects of their development are analyzed. The two types of megalopolis formations are outlined by order of its relative maturity in the foreign Europe: 1) mature formations of the largest European countries: Rhine, English, Po valley (North-Italian) megalopolises; 2) large metropolitan settlement systems - the Parisian and the Roman-Neapolitan, promising the formation of megalopolises, and now being the objects of submegalopolis type. The world and European experience of urban development suggests that at certain stage of economic development the formation of more complex and large-scale megalopolis-level systems compared to agglomerations, performing the most important international functions, is initiated.

Dissipation of Czechoslovakia was the most peaceful of all state divisions in the late twentieth century. Even being a part of one state these countries differed from each other. The comparison of the «geodemographic situation» in these countries allows to reveal and compare their main development trends that attracts the most interest. Following the study, we can affirm that development level and development trends of the Czech Republic and Slovakia also correlate with each other, as in the days of united Czechoslovakia. Centered at Prague unified geocultural space remains unchanged with the Czech Republic as the «leader» and Slovakia as the «follower».