In the article we will give a general description of the Moscow province. You will learn the meaning of the word "province", as well as what its population was for 1895 and the main areas of activity of the zemstvo. In addition, from the article you will get interesting information about the creator of the topographic map of the province described.
What is a province?
The word "province" in translation from the new Latin gubernium (gubernare) means "to govern." The province is an administrative-territorial unit in Russia, which, in turn, was divided into counties. Such entities began to exist in 1708. Their governors headed. By 1917, there were about 78 provinces. Some of them were put together in the governor general. In the period from 1923 to 1929, instead of provinces, territories and regions were organized.
General characteristics of the Moscow province
The space of the Moscow province covers 29263 square meters. versts. The Moscow province is the place where a number of minerals were discovered. Note the following:
- limestones and dolomites;
- sandstones and sands;
- cobblestone;
- refractory white clay;
- phosphorites and peat.
On the territory of the Moscow province there were a large number of mineral springs. However, they were not exploited, as they were considered unreliable. The flora and fauna of the Moscow province were rich enough. In its southern part, along the Oka River, plant communities on chernozems were observed that were not found in other areas. This is due to the nature of the soil. Forests covered up to 40% of the surface. Of the large animals there were a bear and an elk; of the smaller ones - foxes, wolves, badgers; of the small inhabitants - hares, ferrets, moles and squirrels.
The population of the Moscow province
The Moscow province is a place, the settlement of which was accomplished by man in the Stone Age. The evidence is the numerous finds in the soil of a variety of stone tools. Historical data indicate that the Finnish nationality lived here, later mixed with Krivichs and Slavs.
Blondes prevailed in the Moscow district. The language spoken by the entire province is Great Russian. In addition to the Moscow dialect, there was a similarity with Ryazan and Vladimir. The Moscow province is a place whose population by January 1, 1895 was 2,506,000. Of this number, 980,000 lived in Moscow, 153,000 in other cities, and 1,374,000 in counties.
The main industries of the zemstvo of the Moscow province:
- Economic events.
- Folk food.
- Veterinary Medicine
- Insurance business.
- Road business.
- Public health.
- Public school.
- Zemsky income.
- Statistics.
Who is the creator of the topographic map of the Moscow province?
A topographic map of the Moscow province was created by the Russian surveyor and cartographer Fedor Fedorovich Schubert. He was the founder of the Military Surveyors Corps and served as director. Schubert deservedly deserved this place. The Moscow province in 1860 was mapped on a map engraved at the Military Topographic Depot. The triangulation of the Moscow province was made thanks to his extensive work in this area. Schubert led the project from 1833 to 1839. In the past two years, under his strict guidance, instrumental topographic surveys have been conducted . Their scale was 200 fathoms in an inch. Fedor Fedorovich was very demanding on the performers of field work. As a result of the painstaking work of Schubert and his staff in 1848, a topographic map appeared on six sheets with the Moscow environs. Its scale was one mile in an inch. For some period, the shooting was suspended. Work resumed between 1852 and 1853. The filmmakers, whose scale was 500 fathoms in an inch, were led by Major Generals Rennenkampf and Fitingof.

When compiling the map, we used the shooting of all three leaders (Schubert, Rennenkampf and Fitingof). The original topographic map of the Moscow province is presented in the form of a print from an engraving on copper (on 40 sheets). It is worth noting that the borders were painted with watercolor red paint by hand.
Thus, the history of the Moscow province is very interesting and informative. And the mentioned information about the features of nature, population, the main sectors of activity of the zemstvo give a general idea of this administrative-territorial unit.