The purpose of the study is to create and approbation of the author's methodology for assessing the tourism and recreational potential of components included in the natural block, on the example of the Republic of Mordovia and North Kazakhstan region. Materials and Methods: The results of field research and analysis of available scientific materials, previously conducted studies, cartographic materials, and publications were used in the work. Comparative geographical and historical geographical methods and the method of GIS technologies were used in the analysis. The method of mapping allowed visualising the components of the natural resource potential included in the natural block, including relief, rivers, lakes, and objects with the status of specially protected natural areas. To create a methodology for assessing the naturalresource potential, a four-point scale was used, which included the following indicators: Unfavourable (U), Relatively favourable (RF), Favourable (F), Most favourable (MF), which made it possible to give a qualitative and point assessment of the studied territories. Results and discussions: The potential of natural block resources used in tourism and recreational activities is the sum of the results of an assessment of a number of indicators: relief, climatic conditions, flora and fauna and specially protected natural areas, water resources. The assessment of the tourist and recreational potential of the natural block for the compared administrative territories based on the developed methodology is given in points reflecting the level of attractiveness based on the developed methodology. It was 17 points for the Republic of Mordovia, and 15 points for the North Kazakhstan region. There is no critical difference in the total score of the natural block, which perhaps suggests a sufficiently high and favorable level of potential for both territories. The methodology adapts well and, if necessary, can be modified by changing the evaluation criteria, supplementing, reducing or replacing them. The presented methodology for assessing the tourism and recreational potential of the components of the natural block is developed on the basis of analysing existing methods. The proposed methodology can be used to assess the tourism and recreational potential not only for the studied territories, but also for regions characterised by similar conditions for the development of tourism and recreational activities.
DMITRIYEV et al. (Wed,) studied this question.