MAPPING OF THE BORDERS OF EUROPE AS A WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF UNIFICATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF A PART OF THE WORLD

Abstract

Peculiarities of the demarcation of Europe relative to other parts of the world have been studied in order to identify it as a territorial-aquatorial subdivision of the regional level of the planet and the basis in the system of hierarchical subordination of spatial-territorial units (elements, subdivisions) of the planetary and regional levels. The research is based on the complex use of general scientific and special scientific methods. In particular, a number of methods (retrospective, chronological, periodization, comparative-geographical, historical-geographical, dialectical and structural-functional) and approaches (geospatial planetary, block-hierarchical, individual, typological, etc.). The identification of integral territorial systems at the level of part of the world is based on the landscape-genetic principle, the method of typological zoning, cartographic modeling, and the principle of natural-anthropogenic compatibility. The experience of drawing the borders of Europe as a kind of territorial-aquatorial space of the Earth is summarized and systematized. The problems of marking the border of Europe were identified and proposals were made for their solution through the highlighting of methodological approaches and the appropriate presentation of the results of demarcation with border landmarks. A border has been established – an outer contour that separates Europe from the rest of the world. Such a cartographic representation of the borders of Europe in general creates an idea of the localization of this part of the world on the planet's amphibious surface and is a collective reproduction of the spatio-temporal organization of earthly realities and the social experience of the development of the geoenvironment. The use of Europe as a geographical projection on the Earth's surface lays the groundwork for an agreed, standard grouping of states by regions with clear territorial and water coverage and characteristics (area, distance, etc.) primarily in the scientific and educational space. Clarification and prospective standardization of European borders will contribute to the harmonization of materials in textbooks and manuals on geography, history, cultural studies, political science, reference literature, encyclopedias, atlas maps, etc.