Information on human-induced soil degradation in Russia has now been compiled in a new georeferenced database. It comprises the latast data on the status of soil degradation in Russia, including soil deterioration in non-agricultural regions. The information has been linked to a digital soil database, which has recently been prepared for the FAO by the Dukachaev Soil Institute. Soil degradation attributes were derived from unpublished maps compiled for the State Committee for Land Resources and Land-Use Planning of Russia. 

The Analysis shows that more than 14.5% (243 million ha) of the Russian territory is affected by soil degradation caused by a variety of reasons, including socio-economic changes, and improper management and technology. The assessment reveals that the rate of soil degradation and loss of soil productivity in Russia has been fairly rapid.