Nikolay Baransky was born in Tomsk into the family of a teacher. In 1898 he joined Russian Social Democratic Labour Party. In 1899 he graduated from grammar school with a gold medal and entered law department of Tomsk University. During his studies he continued to be engaged in public work. In 1901 he was excluded from university for participation in a student demonstration. Soon after that he wrote his first geographical work, concerning the property stratification of immigrants in the villages of the Barnaul district. In 1902 joined Siberian social-democratic group, which later joined the Siberian Social-Democratic Union–RSDLP Committee. In 1906-08 he was engaged in revolutionary activity, has been three times arrested, long time was in custody. After release from prison, he left party and lived in Ufa. In years 1910-1914 Baranskiy studied at economic branch of Moscow commercial institute. After graduation he worked in the Zemgor committee. In 1917 he joined the ranks of Mensheviks-internationalists. In 1919-20 he worked in Supreme Soviet of the National Economy. Baransky led research in areas of regional economic geography and geography of cities. Baransky is the author of several textbooks on economic geography of the USSR for high schools, works on social and economic geography and economic cartography. Nikolay Baransky was awarded three Orders of Lenin, two other orders and medals. He died in Moscow, and is buried on Novodevichy Cemetery. In Tomsk, memorial plaque is placed on the house where he lived. Volcano on Iturup island and street in Alma-Ata are named in his honour.
Teaching and scientific activity
In 1920-21 taught at the Siberian higher party school, in 1921 has moved to Moscow where taught in a number of educational institutions:
1921-29 — the Higher party school
1927-30 — 2nd Moscow university, professor, chair of economic geography founded by S. V.Bernstein-Koganom
In 1939 Baranskiy was elected corresponding member of Soviet Academy of Sciences. In 1946 he was nominated for election to full member of Soviet Academy of Sciences, but refused the nomination and supported Lev Berg. Under the direction of Baransky Soviet regional school became dominating field in the Soviet economic geography. Baransky authored several textbooks on economic geography of the USSR for high schools, works on social and economic geography and economic cartography.
Honours and awards
Hero of Socialist Labour, the Order of Lenin and the gold medal "Hammer and Sickle" - for outstanding achievements in the development of economic geography
