In 2026, 1,460 applications were received for the contest. Photo: press-service of the RGS
The Russian Geographical Society has opened registration for the 2026 Geographical Dictation venues. Organizations in Russia and other countries — schools, universities, libraries, nature reserves, science centers, and unusual locations — can join the international educational event.
The event will be held for the 12th time. Over the years, its venues have appeared in all constituent entities of Russia and on all continents. Participants answered questions on board an airplane, in a train car, on mountain peaks, deep underground, and even in outer space.
The in-person stage will take place on November 22. On that day, venues will open in Russia and other countries around the world. You will also be able to take the Dictation online without leaving home.
In the new season, the structure and number of questions will change. The main version will consist of 30 questions instead of the previous 40. The first 10 tasks will be based on well-known geographical facts and will correspond to the level of the school curriculum. Another 20 will require participants not only to have knowledge but also to demonstrate logic, erudition, and creative thinking.
A separate adapted version with fewer tasks will be prepared for a foreign audience. The questions will be translated into more than 10 languages.
Another innovation will be the additional version «Geographical Dictation: Advanced Level». It will include 20 questions of increased difficulty in Russian and will be automatically unlocked after completing the main stage. Participants who correctly answer at least 18 questions will receive a special award document and additional reward.
The content of the Dictation will again be created by the project participants themselves. Since 2024, 95% of the tasks consist of questions submitted for the «Write Your Question for the Geographical Dictation» contest. Schoolchildren, students, teachers, scientists, travelers, and geography enthusiasts take part in it.
In 2026, 1,460 applications were submitted for the contest. All the options for the upcoming Dictation will be based on questions from authors from all over the world. According to tradition, the specific tasks that participants will receive will only be known on November 22.
Registration of venues has already begun. Organizations that join the event will be able to become new spots on the international map of the Geographical Dictation.
The project is being implemented with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.