Small Cities of Central Russia: Spatial Growth in the Context of Demographic Shrinkage

Small cities are a popular object of contemporary geographical research, most often focused on demographic and economic aspects of their functioning. This article examines the spatial transformations experienced by small cities in the post-Soviet period. By interpreting satellite imagery for 190 small cities outside the capital region in Central Russia, the study analyzes changes in built-up area between 1989 and 2023, finding that 85 out of 190 towns expanded their built-up footprint by more than 10%. This spatial growth primarily stems from the development of new areas of individual housing, dachas, and industrial facilities. Towns in the southern parts of Central Russia and those situated near major urban agglomerations show the most active expansion. Comparing population dynamics with built-up area growth reveals five spatial development types: (1) towns with both population and spatial growth (classic sprawl), (2) slight population decline with significant spatial growth, (3) severe population loss (more than one-third) with substantial spatial expansion, and two further types featuring stagnating built-up area with either moderate or extreme population loss. A prominent adverse effect of this expansion is falling population density, which increases costs for municipal utilities; this allowed the identification of the most problematic towns in that regard. Spatial growth models identified based on new development locations include perimetral growth (irregular edge expansion), radialaxis growth (along transport corridors), and exclave growth (detached clusters of development). The study also addresses the merging of small cities with adjacent rural settlements, giving rise to new rural–urban landscapes. The investigation yields key insights into the nature of spatial transformations among small cities in Central Russia during the post-Soviet period.

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