# Yuri Astrakhan

> software developer, Wikimedian

**Wikidata**: [Q50554371](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q50554371)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/yuri-astrakhan

## Summary
Yuri Astrakhan is a software developer and Wikimedian from Saint Petersburg, Russia, now a U.S. citizen, known for his work on open-source projects including Sophox and contributions to OpenStreetMap, and has served as a board member for MapLibre.

## Biography
- Born: Place of birth: Saint Petersburg (no birth date provided)
- Nationality: United States
- Education: University of Michigan
- Known for: Software development and contributions to open-source mapping projects
- Employer(s): Not explicitly stated in source material
- Field(s): Software development, open source, geographic information systems

## Contributions
Yuri Astrakhan has contributed to several notable open-source projects. He developed Sophox, a tool for creating and editing maps. He has been an active contributor to OpenStreetMap since 2010, with user ID 339581. He has participated in multiple State of the Map conferences as a speaker. His work on mapping tools and open data has helped improve geographic information accessibility.

## FAQs
### Q: What is Yuri Astrakhan's most notable project?
A: He is known for developing Sophox, a mapping tool, and has been an active contributor to OpenStreetMap since 2010.

### Q: What is his role in the open-source community?
A: He serves as a board member for MapLibre and has participated in multiple State of the Map conferences as a speaker.

### Q: What languages does he work with?
A: He works with English and Russian, as indicated by his language skills.

## Why They Matter
Yuri Astrakhan has significantly contributed to the open-source mapping community by developing tools like Sophox and contributing to OpenStreetMap. His work has helped improve the accessibility and quality of geographic data, influencing many mapping enthusiasts and professionals who rely on open data sources.

## Notable For
- Developed Sophox, a mapping tool
- Served as a board member for MapLibre
- Active contributor to OpenStreetMap since 2010
- Participated as a speaker in multiple State of the Map conferences
- Worked on improving open geographic data accessibility

## Body
### Early Life and Education
Yuri Astrakhan was born in Saint Petersburg, Russia. He later became a U.S. citizen and attended the University of Michigan for his education.

### Career and Work
As a software developer and Wikimedian, Astrakhan has focused on open-source projects. His notable work includes the development of Sophox, a tool for creating and editing maps. He has been an active contributor to OpenStreetMap since 2010, with user ID 339581.

### Community Involvement
Astrakhan has been involved in the open-source community through his participation in State of the Map conferences, where he has served as a speaker in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He also serves as a board member for MapLibre.

### Technical Contributions
He has contributed to mapping tools and geographic information systems, working primarily in English and Russian. His work has helped improve the accessibility of open geographic data.

## References

1. [Source](https://maplibre.org/about/)