SSPE "Kartographia"

SSPE "Kartographia" is Ukraine's national mapping enterprise and a state-owned producer of cartographic, geographic, and educational information products. Based in Kyiv, the organization combines research, editorial, production, and applied mapping functions. Its work supports Ukrainian government institutions, schools and universities, geographic education, public information needs, and, under its statutory mission, the Support Forces of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. It also undertakes research and cooperates with domestic and international organizations involved in cartography, geography, publishing, and public administration. The enterprise traces its institutional origin to 1944, when it was established as the Kyiv State Cartographic Factory within the Main Directorate of Geodesy and Cartography of the Soviet Union. After Ukrainian independence, the organization went through several changes in legal and administrative identity. On 1 November 1991 it became the Kyiv Science-Editorial Mapmaking Enterprise within Ukraine's State Cartographic and Geodesic Service. From April 1993 through January 2001 it operated under the name Scientific-Research and Experimental-Producing Enterprise "Kartographia." It subsequently became a state enterprise and adopted its current designation, SSPE "Kartographia." Its product portfolio spans conventional printed maps and atlases, school wall maps, blank maps, topographic teaching materials, globes, digital educational resources, geographic databases, and GIS-related products. The enterprise has maintained a particular focus on educational cartography. It has developed materials for geography instruction in Ukrainian schools, including digital lessons and interactive resources. Earlier digital work used Macromedia Flash, while more recent activity has moved toward web-based systems. The E-Kartographia service was developed for online and distance education, a need that became more urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption of Ukrainian schooling following Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. Kartographia also produces and updates reference works about Ukraine. Its portfolio includes the Comprehensive Atlas of Ukraine, published in 2005, and the National Atlas of Ukraine, published in 2007. It continued production of the Globe of Ukraine, originally created by the State Enterprise "State Cartographic Factory" in 1997, with a revised souvenir edition appearing from 2006. Its GIS capabilities include digital mapping of Ukrainian cities and towns at approximately 1:10,000 scale and national datasets at a range of smaller scales. The organization has used professional cartographic and geographic-information tools from multiple technology providers and has developed some GIS resources and sample data independently. Kartographia participates in exhibitions, forums, workshops, and professional organizations, including the International Cartographic Association, the Ukrainian Geographical Society, the Ukrainian League of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, the Kyiv Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and international cartographic trade associations. It has also cooperated with foreign mapping and publishing organizations, including partners in Belarus, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, and Italy, and has provided consultation to United Nations and Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights activities. The enterprise has played a visible role in publishing historical and contemporary maps relating to Ukraine's territorial history. In December 2013 it issued Historical-Cartographic Proofs of the Connections of the Crimea with Ukraine. Following Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, the material was republished and later incorporated into the The United Country series. During the war, Kartographia continued producing educational and reference maps covering Ukrainian history, the conflict, national and international commemorations, culture, transport, travel, the natural world, the universe, and space exploration. Its work therefore combines public-sector cartographic service, educational publishing, national cultural representation, and geographic-information production.

SSPE "Kartographia" originated in 1944 as the Kyiv State Cartographic Factory, an institution operating under the Soviet Main Directorate of Geodesy and Cartography. Its original role was connected with the production and editorial preparation of cartographic materials for the Kyiv region and the wider Soviet state system. The organization later became part of the institutional infrastructure inherited and reorganized by independent Ukraine. On 1 November 1991, shortly before the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it was renamed the Kyiv Science-Editorial Mapmaking Enterprise and placed within Ukraine's State Cartographic and Geodesic Service. Between April 1993 and January 2001, it used the name Scientific-Research and Experimental-Producing Enterprise "Kartographia," reflecting a broader combination of research, editorial, and production activities. After this period it became a state enterprise and received its present name, SSPE "Kartographia." In independent Ukraine, Kartographia developed into a national mapping and cartographic publishing institution. Its statutory work includes support for government agencies, educational institutions, geographic research, and the country's defense-related support structures. The enterprise produces printed and digital maps, atlases, globes, topographic teaching materials, geographic databases, and GIS products. Its educational work expanded during the 2000s through digital geography lessons for Ukrainian schools. Early materials used Macromedia Flash, while subsequent projects adopted web technologies and online delivery. Kartographia's reference publishing includes the Comprehensive Atlas of Ukraine, issued in 2005, and the National Atlas of Ukraine, issued in 2007. It also continued the production of the Globe of Ukraine, first developed by the State Enterprise "State Cartographic Factory" in 1997; an updated souvenir version has been produced since 2006. Its geographic-information work includes digital maps of Ukrainian settlements and national datasets at multiple scales. The enterprise has used professional tools from Bentley Systems, Intergraph, Esri, Adobe, and other suppliers, while also developing selected GIS resources and sample data itself. The organization has participated in national and international publishing exhibitions, cartographic forums, workshops, and professional associations. Its external relationships have included cooperation with mapping and publishing organizations such as Belkartografia, HarperCollins, Freytag & Berndt, ExpressMap, Didakta, and Tecnodidattica. It has also consulted for United Nations and OHCHR-related work. These connections position Kartographia between public administration, specialist cartography, educational publishing, and international geographic-information exchange. Questions of Ukrainian territorial history became especially prominent in the enterprise's publishing after 2013. In December of that year, Kartographia published Historical-Cartographic Proofs of the Connections of the Crimea with Ukraine. Following Russia's 2014 annexation of Crimea, the publication was republished and later incorporated into The United Country series. After Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, Kartographia continued to issue materials dealing with war and history, Ukrainian culture, transport, travel, holidays, the natural environment, and space. It also launched or developed digital and interactive resources, including an online education service and an interactive map of Ukraine. Recent work has included revised topographic materials and updated blank maps reflecting changes in Ukraine's physical and administrative geography.

• 2007

  National Atlas of Ukraine published

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  The National Atlas of Ukraine was published as a general national atlas and made available through Ukrainian geographic institutions.

• 2005

  Comprehensive Atlas of Ukraine published

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  Kartographia issued a broad descriptive atlas presenting Ukraine in the twenty-first century.

• 2001

  Present state-enterprise identity adopted

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  After the 1993–2001 research and production period, the organization became a state enterprise and assumed its current name.

• 1997

  Globe of Ukraine developed

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  The predecessor State Enterprise "State Cartographic Factory" created the Globe of Ukraine, later continued and updated by Kartographia.

• 1993

  Research and experimental-production phase begins

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  From April 1993, the institution operated as the Scientific-Research and Experimental-Producing Enterprise "Kartographia."

• 1991

  Renamed Kyiv Science-Editorial Mapmaking Enterprise

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  On 1 November, the organization adopted a new name within Ukraine's State Cartographic and Geodesic Service.

• 1944

  Kyiv State Cartographic Factory established

  [1]SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org

  The organization was founded as the Kyiv State Cartographic Factory under the Soviet Main Directorate of Geodesy and Cartography.

A public-sector national mapping and cartographic publishing institution focused on authoritative geographic information, Ukrainian education, government support, cultural representation, and applied GIS.

• National atlas · 2007

  National Atlas of Ukraine

  A general national atlas presenting Ukraine's territory, population, economy, environment, and geographic characteristics. Published in 2007, it represents Kartographia's role in producing authoritative reference cartography for public, educational, and institutional use.

• Reference atlas · 2005

  Comprehensive Atlas of Ukraine

  A descriptive atlas of Ukraine issued in 2005. The work provides a broad geographic and thematic overview of the country and forms part of Kartographia's reference publishing portfolio.

• Globe · 1997

  Globe of Ukraine

  A physical globe originally developed by the State Enterprise "State Cartographic Factory" in 1997. Kartographia continued the product and has produced a revised souvenir edition since 2006.

• Digital educational service · 2020

  E-Kartographia

  An online geography-learning service for primary and secondary education. It builds on Kartographia's earlier digital lessons and supports classroom, remote, and self-directed study in Ukrainian schools and Ukrainian educational communities abroad.

• Educational cartography

  Educational topographic maps and topography handbooks

  A set of paper topographic maps and accompanying instructional materials designed for secondary-school geography and training applications, including army training. A revised edition was published in 2023, with digital versions also developed for classroom and remote use.

• Geographic information systems

  GIS databases and digital maps of Ukraine

  Digital cartographic datasets covering Ukrainian cities and towns at approximately 1:10,000 scale and Ukraine as a whole at scales ranging from roughly 1:50,000 to 1:1,000,000. These resources support mapping, geographic analysis, institutional work, and educational applications.

• 2014The United Country

  Ukraine

  A publishing initiative that incorporated republished historical-cartographic material concerning Crimea and its historical connections with Ukraine after Russia's annexation of the peninsula.

  Outcome. The material remained part of Kartographia's historical and national cartographic publishing response.

  Source

• 2022

  Continuation of cartographic production during wartimeStrategy

  Background

  Russia's full-scale invasion disrupted Ukrainian education and public life and created demand for updated geographic, historical, and educational information.

  Action taken

  Kartographia continued research, printed educational map production, digital topographic work, and development of an interactive map of Ukraine.

  Aftermath

  Its thematic output expanded to include war and history, Ukrainian culture, transport, travel, holidays, and other educational subjects.

  Source

• 2020

  Launch of E-Kartographia digital educationProduct launch

  Background

  The COVID-19 pandemic increased demand for online and remote educational resources, while later wartime disruption intensified the need for resilient digital schooling tools.

  Action taken

  Kartographia developed a web-based digital geography service for primary and secondary schools, drawing on its previous experience with digital lessons.

  Aftermath

  The service continued to be used and was later examined in a case study concerning primary-school education.

  Source

1. 1SSPE "Kartographia"en.wikipedia.org