Informative book, addressed to young people, it contains 140 biographical essays devoted to the brave men who studied the expanse of the earth since 2300 BC until the twentieth century, inclusive. Among the book"s characters and Magellan, Columbus, Marco Polo and Herodotus, Baffin and Hudson Livingstone and Stanley, Humboldt and Darwin and many other great pioneers of our planet. Particular attention is paid to the exploits of Russian travelers and explorers. More than fifty essays tell of the heroic deeds of the intrepid explorers, merchants, scientists and captains, flag of Russia swept across continents and oceans of the Earth and become a model for the world of courage and heroism. More than 150 illustrations included in the book allow the reader to visualize the difficult circumstances of a unique journey of the great discoverers. 3rd edition, revised and enlarged.