Small district centers and the surrounding areas in Central Russia (1970– 2010): dynamics and distribution of population

Abstract

The paper studies administrative districts of Central Russia with their centers population less than 50 000 people. Regional features of modern structure of district centers by type of settlements (urban, rural, urban-type settlements) and their population size are defined. The reasons of status changes of settlements in the 20 century (economic and administrative development) to date (largely voluntaristic municipal transformations) are revealed. Population dynamics of districts and centers is analyzed from 1970 to 2010, regional combinations of types of dynamics are identifi ed. The role of the zonal (Non-Chernozem and Chernozem), positional (location against regional center) and institutional (centers status and population size) factors of district population dynamics is appraised. It is revealed that the closer the district to the regional center and the bigger population size of the district center (in Non-Chernozem Zone – the higher the status of the settlement with population less than 10000 inhabitants), the lower the loss of the district population. In Central Russia positional factor affects stronger than institutional; each factor manifests itself stronger in Non-Chernozem Zone. The center-periphery gradient sharply differentiates only the nearest to regional centers areas, and the cities positively differentiating the district population dynamics are only those with population over 50 000 people. Concentration of districts population in their centers, even the smallest, due to depopulation of periphery led to the formation of extremely centralized and dispersed settlement pattern in Central Russia, very small centers are surrounded by areas with low population density.