Geo-portals as part of spatial data infrastructures: Russian Academy-supported resources and geoservices

Designing and implementation of the retrieval tools for shared spatial data as part of National Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) is among the top priorities of the preparatory stage of the long-term program envisaging the creation of the Russian SDI according to the concept of its creation and further development. This analytical overview of international experience defines the place and role of information resources accumulated in the Russian Academy of Sciences’ institutions during the last 15-year period of active development of geoinformation technologies in the context of spatial data acquisition and processing for geoscience applications. Based on some specific examples, it is shown that it is the Academy's science, even with its dramatic progression during this period, is the most prepared for the embodiment of the idea of integrating information and data using the SDI tools, and of ensuring broad, equitable and free access to them.