To date, the vast territory of Altai Krai remains insufficiently studied, and the available literature concerning it is relatively limited. For this reason, in the spring of 1954, the Council for the Study of Productive Forces, acting on instructions from the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, organized a special multidisciplinary expedition to investigate the lands of newly developed agricultural regions. The principal objective of the expedition was to conduct an integrated study of the natural and economic characteristics of Altai Krai (as well as the northern regions of Kazakhstan), in order to determine the regional and zonal differences in the distribution of agricultural production and to develop principles for the rational utilization of both long-cultivated and newly reclaimed lands. In addition to the Council for the Study of Productive Forces, other institutions of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR participated in the expedition during 1954-1956, including the Institute of Soil Science, the Institute of Botany, the Institute of Geography, the F. P. Savarensky Laboratory of Hydrogeological Problems, the Laboratory of Aerial Methods, the Institute of Economics, and the Altai Agricultural Institute. The expedition's work program was coordinated with the administrative authorities of Altai Krai and approved by the Union and republican ministries responsible for agriculture and state farms. The basic method employed by the expedition consisted of the comprehensive analysis of published literature, archival records, and production data, supplemented by field investigations. The results of the work were compiled into a series of thematic volumes devoted to the following subjects: Characteristics of natural conditions (climate, relief, hydrogeology, vegetation, and soils) and the natural regionalization of the krai; Prospects for the development of crop cultivation and animal husbandry; Problems of production structure, specialization, and economics in the collective farms of Altai Krai. The volume Natural Regionalization of Altai Krai is the first publication in this series. Scientific supervision of the integrated natural regionalization of the krai was provided by Professor A. N. Rozanov, Doctor of Geological and Mineralogical Sciences. In the work of A. P. Slyadnev and Ya. I. Feldman, the influence of topographic conditions on the character of atmospheric circulation is examined. Patterns governing the transformation of air masses are identified, with these patterns being dependent upon characteristics of the underlying surface, including relief, water systems, and forest cover. The conditions responsible for the formation of different weather types are analyzed in conjunction with atmospheric circulation patterns. Particular attention is devoted to conditions during the growing season. The ultimate result is a characterization of the variability of weather types in different parts of the krai. The authors then analyze the characteristics of the climatic districts they identified, placing special emphasis on measures for climatic improvement through modification of the underlying surface. They also provide a description of the agroclimatic conditions affecting the growth of the most important agricultural crops of the region. The work of G. V. Zanin contains new information on the geomorphological characteristics of this extensive and diverse territory, which includes both the accumulative plains of the southeastern West Siberian Lowland and the deeply dissected upland regions of the Altai and Sayan foothills. The accompanying geomorphological map is based on genetic geomorphological types. Each landform type is described from the standpoint of its suitability and potential for agricultural use, thereby giving the work considerable practical value. In the studies of S. G. Bairom, I. V. Garmonov, and their colleagues, a brief characterization of the geological structure of Altai Krai is presented. Four major geological-structural regions are distinguished, and within each region aquifers classified according to stratigraphic characteristics are described. The publication also provides general information concerning the water resources of Altai Krai. The authors carried out a hydrogeological regionalization of the krai. A two-level classification system was employed, consisting of regions and subregions. Regions were defined according to structural-geomorphological principles, while subregions were differentiated according to hydrogeological characteristics. In describing both regions and subregions, the authors present factual information concerning groundwater, including depth to groundwater, chemical composition, and the yield of drilled wells and water wells. These data may be used by water-supply organizations in designing water-supply systems for collective and state farms. The article by V. D. Aleksandrova, N. P. Guricheva, and L. I. Ivanina is devoted to the geobotanical regionalization of the territory and to a characterization of the forage lands of Altai Krai. The authors developed a detailed classification of vegetation belts, vegetation regions, and vegetation subregions. In describing each subregion, special attention is given to the characteristics of uncultivated natural vegetation communities, and data are presented on the productivity of pastures and hayfields. The work of V. D. Aleksandrova, N. I. Bazilevich, and their collaborators synthesizes diverse information concerning the region's natural conditions, including climate, relief, hydrogeological setting, vegetation, and soils. In the summary article by I. N. Vasilyev, N. N. Rozov, and N. I. Bazilevich, concise information is presented on the land resources of Altai Krai and their utilization in agriculture. On the basis of this integrated approach, a natural regionalization map of the krai was prepared. The map identifies and describes landform types, bioclimatic zones and subzones, reflects patterns of vertical zonation, and delineates natural regions and subregions. The ultimate purpose of the regionalization was to meet the needs of agricultural production by providing a differentiated approach to the agricultural use of various parts of the krai. Accordingly, the following fundamental principles were formulated for each natural region: a) conservation and enhancement of soil fertility; b) development of differentiated agricultural techniques; c) determination of the spatial organization of agricultural branches; d) implementation of land-improvement measures. The integrated character of the proposed natural regionalization distinguishes it from earlier regionalization schemes developed for Altai Krai. The authors hope that the material presented here will contribute to the formulation and implementation of practical measures in agricultural production aimed at the rational use of local natural resources and the application of differentiated agricultural techniques, ultimately enhancing the fertility of lands within the various natural regions of Altai Krai.