Transformation of Rural Settlement Pattern and Service Network in Rural Areas

Abstract

The changes in the rural settlement pattern in Russia from 1959 to 2010 are revealed. The major trend is the polarization of the network, the rapid increase in the proportion of tiny settlements, and a small increase in the share of the largest, as well as leaching of small and medium-sized. The effect of the natural, economic and migration factors, and position relative to the big cities is shown. Six types of regions are recognized by the features of rural settlement pattern on the basis of average population size and composition of settlements by population dynamics. It is shown that the destruction of grass-roots social service centers, linked to the centers of agricultural enterprises, and degeneration of rural settlements in many Russian regions makes the adaptation to the new conditions inevitable. The share of the population living in settlements with a population of less than 200 people can serve as an indicator to identify the regions where the existing network of social services (education, healthcare) will be transformed quickly. Calculations show that regional authorities generally take into account specific features of settlement pattern while optimizing social infrastructure, but in some regions, these processes are unnecessarily slowed down or excessively forcing.