The formation of economic regions is an objective process, expressed by the development of the territorial division of labor. The main principles of economic zoning in the Russian Federation are:

Economic principle, considering the region as a specialized part of a single national economic complex of the country with a certain composition of auxiliary and service industries. According to this principle, the specialization of the region should be determined by such industries in which the costs of labor, funds for the production of products and their delivery to the consumer will be the smallest in comparison with other regions. The economic efficiency of a region's specialization should be evaluated both from the point of view of establishing the most expedient territorial division of labor throughout the country, and from the point of view of the most productive use of the region's available resources.

National principle, taking into account the ethnic composition of the population of the region, its historically developed features of work and life.

Administrative principle, which determines the unity of economic zoning and the territorial political and administrative structure of the country. This principle creates conditions for the effective independent development of regions and the strengthening of their role in the territorial division of labor in Russia.

These principles are fundamental to the modern theory and practice of Russia's economic zoning. In modern conditions, the allocation of large economic regions is dictated by the development of scientific and technological progress. The contours of the boundaries of economic regions are determined by the area of ​​location of industries of market specialization and the most important auxiliary industries associated with industries of market specialization, technological supplies of raw materials, parts, components, i.e. production cooperation. The area-forming factors of modern economic regions include the presence of large mineral deposits, high population density and labor experience accumulated by them, etc.

Economic zoning is not a frozen process; it can change and improve in the process of the country's economic development, depending on many factors. The formation of program-targeted TPKs in a number of large economic regions may lead to the disaggregation of economic regions. There is a process of development of program-targeted TPK - Timan-Pechora, TPK based on the KMA, West Siberian, Kansk-Achinsk, Sayan, South Yakutsk TPK. They are formed on the basis of unique natural resources.

The modern economic zoning of Russia includes three main links (taxonomic units): the highest link in zoning is large economic regions; mid-level districts - territories, regions, republics; grassroots areas - administrative and economic areas, urban and rural areas.

Each type of economic zoning meets certain tasks of territorial development. The highest level of zoning - large economic regions - is used by the central republican authorities for the nationwide management of the economy in the territorial context. Large economic regions are clearly specialized and relatively complete territorial economic complexes that play an important role in the all-Russian division of labor. Having a large territory, a large population, a diverse natural resource potential, large economic regions have a clearly defined specialization (up to 5-7 industries). The larger the territory of a large economic region, the wider its production profile, the more complex the economic complex.

The middle link of zoning is used to manage some sectors of the economy within the region, territory, republic. Its role in the management of agriculture and the service sector is great.

Regional districts have their own economic features. A peculiar form of integrated development of regions, the unification of agricultural areas around industrial centers provide the city with a leading position.

The lowest level of zoning - urban and rural areas represent the primary links in the taxonomy of economic zoning. On their basis, initial specialized territorial production complexes are formed. The lower regions play an important role in the development and implementation of long-term and annual programs for the development of the regional economy and socio-cultural construction, in the location and specialization of enterprises for the production and processing of agricultural products, local industry, consumer services, trade and public catering.

Economic regions can be combined into macro-regions, or economic zones that differ in general natural conditions, economic features, and trends for further development. In large areas of the zones, common major inter-district problems clearly emerge.

The main principles for the allocation of economic zones are the level of economic development of the territory, the ratio between the most important resources and the degree of their use. There are two economic zones - Western (European part of Russia and the Urals) and Eastern (Siberia and the Far East). In order to fulfill long-term target programs, to balance the production and consumption of important types of products, groups of regions in economic zones are combined into enlarged regions. There are three enlarged regions in the Western zone - the North and the Center of the European part of Russia, the Ural-Volga region and the European South. There are two enlarged regions in the Eastern zone - Siberia and the Far East.

Today, in the context of market development, three types of Russian regions can be distinguished: labor surplus- Republics of the North Caucasus, Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories. Rostov region and Defense industry- St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod region, Ural, industrial centers of the south of Siberia.

Diversified and depressive - a significant part of the zone of the North.

In the regions of the first group, it is recommended to encourage small-scale commodity production in every possible way, both in cities and in villages. For the regions of the second type, it is envisaged to attract foreign capital, in the regions of the third type - to create a particularly favorable regime for entrepreneurial activity due to partial exemption from taxes and other factors.

To improve the financing of the regions, market infrastructures are being created - housing funds, pension funds, insurance funds, stock exchanges, associations. It is recommended to focus associations on the coordinated solution of the most important tasks: the implementation of macroregional development programs, the creation of funds, the increase in the efficiency of the territorial division of labor, the development of production, taking into account privatization, the introduction of new technologies, the expansion of farms and subsidiary plots, the development of regional programs for the revival of villages, the development of small towns, the protection environment, development of relations with other regions.

At present, the regions where heavy industry is developed - especially coal and metallurgical industry, with large monopoly enterprises - Kemerovo, Chelyabinsk, Yekaterinburg, Rostov, Tula, large cities of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, as well as regions where defense complex enterprises are concentrated - Moscow and St. Petersburg, Moscow, Leningrad, Chelyabinsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Sverdlovsk, Perm, Tula regions, Udmurtia and individual industrial centers with a narrow production base, mainly in the north.

During the period of structural adjustment, the threat of a sharp decline in production, mass unemployment and exacerbation of social tension is especially real for the regions. Therefore, the existence of these regions requires benefits on federal and local taxes, loans, tax breaks from the profits of commercial banks, the expansion of the rights of local authorities and social protection of the population. Individual enterprises in these regions will be given loans to maintain production and re-profiling to produce socially oriented products.

All of the above applies to integral economic zoning. In addition, there are sectoral zoning, for example, areas for the location of ferrous metallurgy (metallurgical bases), areas for the location of transport, agricultural engineering and other industries, and agricultural zoning. Thus, it is assumed that in the future, with the development of market relations, it will be possible to distinguish five agricultural regions of Russia:

Farming regions with a significant share of private property - the main part of the Non-Chernozem zone, agricultural regions of the southern part of Eastern Siberia and the Far East;

Regions where large collective farms are combined with farms - the Chernozem Center, the Volga region, the foothills of the North Caucasus, the Southern Urals, the south of Western Siberia;

Mountain regions - the republics of the North Caucasus, the Altai Republic;

Regions of distant pasture animal husbandry - Kalmykia, Tuva, Buryatia, Chita region;

Weakly developed territories with focal development of agriculture and a special land use regime are the main part of the North zone.

The most radical agrarian reforms are planned in the regions of the first type. It provides for the accelerated development of farms through additional state investments and subsidies, as well as the resettlement of the economically active population to these regions - demobilized military personnel, the Russian-speaking population from the countries of the new abroad, as well as immigrants from cities.

Particularly vulnerable are the regions of new development with harsh, extreme conditions - the zones of the North, as well as regions with structural unemployment, agrarian overpopulation (for example, the North Caucasus) and territories with a weak financial and economic base - Transbaikalia, Tuva, Kalmykia, Dagestan. These regions will be supported from republican federal funds.

Currently, there are 11 large economic regions in Russia: Northern, Northwestern, Central, Volga-Vyatka, Central Black Earth, North Caucasus, Volga, Ural, West Siberian, East Siberian and Far East, as well as the Kaliningrad region ( semi-enclave), which is sometimes considered as part of the North-Western region.

Central economic region (Bryansk, Vladimir, Ivanovo, Kaluga, Kostroma, Moscow, Oryol, Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver, Tula, Yaroslavl regions, Moscow). Area 483 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 30 million people. It has a favorable economic and geographical position, being at the intersection (in the "focus") of important transport routes connecting the western and eastern, northern and southern regions of the country, borders, firstly, on the economically developed regions of the country, which contributes to the establishment of cooperative ties between enterprises , secondly, with areas rich in diverse natural resources. A distinctive feature is the high availability of production assets and infrastructure, highly skilled workforce, and scientific and technical potential.

The natural resource potential is relatively small. Here is the Moscow brown coal basin, there are resources of peat (northern and western regions), phosphorites (Moscow and Bryansk regions). The area is well provided with mineral and building resources: sands, incl. glass, clays, gypsum, cement raw materials. Forest resources are concentrated in the northern regions and are largely depleted. Limited and largely involved in the economic use of water and hydropower resources.

The population is 30 million people, or more than 1/5 of the inhabitants of Russia. In the 1990s, the population is declining due to its natural decline (mortality everywhere exceeds the birth rate). The population density exceeds 60 people. per sq. km, the northern and western regions are less populated. CER is one of the highly urbanized regions of Russia. Here is the largest city in the country - Moscow (8.5 million inhabitants), large agglomerations: Moscow, Tula, Yaroslavl, Ivanovskaya. This is the main area of ​​settlement and the formation of the Russian ethnos, Moscow, as the capital of the state, concentrates almost all the nationalities of the former USSR. The area is well endowed with a labor force characterized by a high level of education, skills and training. Highly qualified personnel is one of the important factors contributing to the development of science-intensive industries here.

The district has the most diversified structure of the economy in the country: many industries have received a fairly large-scale development. However, in the territorial division of labor in the Russian Federation, it is distinguished by the branches of machine-building and chemical complexes, and light industry. The rest are mostly of intra-district significance, focusing on the consumer in the face of a powerful economy and a significant population.

The engineering complex is represented here by transport engineering (automotive industry, production of railway locomotives and wagons, river shipbuilding, aircraft building); production of agricultural equipment (flax harvesters, potato harvesters, wheeled tractors); production of household products (watches, televisions, refrigerators, etc.); production of technological equipment for the coal, metallurgical, textile, clothing, chemical, electric power, printing, timber and construction industries. A significant part of the machine-building enterprises of the region works in the military-industrial complex.

The chemical complex was mainly (with the exception of local phosphorites) formed on the basis of imported raw materials. Oil refining, the production of synthetic rubber, chemical fibers, plastics, phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers, and synthetic dyes have been developed.

The oldest and most specialized industry here is light industry. It is represented by all major industries - textile (cotton, wool, silk, linen), clothing, knitwear, leather and footwear, fur.

Of the branches of the agro-industrial complex, some branches of the food industry (confectionery, meat, etc.) and flax growing are of interdistrict importance.

Volga-Vyatka economic region (Nizhny Novgorod and Kirov regions, the Republics of Mari El and Mordovia, the Chuvash Republic). Area 265 thousand square meters. km, population 8.3 million people. Located in the basin of the middle reaches of the river. Volga and r. Vyatka on transit routes connecting the Center of the Russian Federation with the Urals and the eastern regions of the country, surrounded by economically developed regions.

Among all the economic regions of the country, VVER is the least endowed with natural resource potential. Of the mineral resources, one can note the reserves of peat (the left bank of the Volga), phosphorites (Kirov region), building materials: sand, clay, gypsum, building stone, cement raw materials, etc. The main wealth of the region is the forest (left-bank part of the region). As a result of many years of exploitation, forest resources are depleted, and timber harvesting is declining. The region is well supplied with water resources.

The population of the district is 8.3 million people. In the 1990s, the population decreased as a result of natural decline. More than 70% of the population lives in urban areas. The Nizhny Novgorod agglomeration, one of the largest in the country, stands out. The average population density is over 30 people. per sq. km, however, in the left-bank part, the population is twice as low, and in the right-bank part, on the contrary, it is twice as high as the average district. The national composition is diverse: the Russian population prevails, the Chuvash, Mordovians, Mari, Tatars live in the republics.

VVER is a large industrial complex with a developed diversified industry. In the territorial division of labor, the region is distinguished by branches of machine-building, chemical and forestry complexes. Mechanical engineering plays a major role in the region's economy. The greatest development here was received by transport engineering, namely, the automotive industry (production of cars, trucks, buses), shipbuilding (the district ranks first in the country in the production of river vessels), and aircraft manufacturing (production of aircraft for the military-industrial complex). The district occupies one of the first places in the country in terms of the production of electrical equipment (electric lamps, cable equipment, etc.). Machine tool building (milling and woodworking machines) and tool production are of interdistrict importance. Equipment for the chemical, food and forestry industries is produced.

The chemical industry is represented by the production of synthetic resins and plastics, ammonia, soda, tires, rubber products, nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers. Oil refineries operate in the Nizhny Novgorod industrial hub.

The forest complex of the district includes all its main branches - from logging to wood chemistry. Almost all timber industry enterprises are located on the left bank, focusing on resources. Due to their depletion, timber harvesting in the region is declining. Sawmilling, wooden housing construction, plywood, match and furniture industries, as well as wood chemistry, have been developed. There is a pulp and paper industry: in terms of paper production, the region ranks third in the country, second only to the Northern and Ural economic regions.

The specialized sectors of the region's economy include flax growing and well-developed leather and fur production.

Central Black Earth economic region (Voronezh, Belgorod, Kursk, Lipetsk and Tambov regions). Area 168 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 8 million people. It has a favorable economic and geographical position, adjoining economically developed regions of the country, located in a zone of the country that is comfortable in terms of natural conditions. The area is crossed by important transit highways connecting the central and southern regions of the country, providing transport access to foreign countries (in particular, to Ukraine). The "neighbors" of the CBEER have significant reserves of various natural resources.

The natural resource potential of the region is quite large, but it is characterized by a limited set of natural resources, although large reserves. A distinctive feature of the CBEER is the absence of its own fuel and energy resources. The largest iron ore reserves in the world are concentrated here (the basin of the Kursk magnetic anomaly). One of the main riches is chernozem soils. Resources of mineral building raw materials - cement, refractory clays, chalk are noticeable. Forests are mainly field-protective, there is a shortage of water resources.

The population of the region is about 8 million people. In recent years, its number has been declining, which is mainly due to the natural population decline. The average population density is high - 46 people. per sq. km, and the population is distributed relatively evenly throughout the region. TsChER is one of the least urbanized regions of Russia: the proportion of the urban population here is slightly above 60%. Finally, the district is characterized by a rather homogeneous ethnic composition: the overwhelming majority of the inhabitants are Russians.

In the structure of the economy of the CBEER, both industry and agriculture stand out. Ferrous metallurgy, certain branches of mechanical engineering, the chemical complex and the building materials industry, as well as the diversified agro-industrial complex, are of special importance. Ferrous metallurgy occupies the leading place in the composition of industry. Here, on a large scale, iron ore is mined, which is supplied to other regions of the country and abroad. In terms of the production of ferrous metals, the region is second only to the Ural economic region.

Of the branches of mechanical engineering, aircraft manufacturing (production of IL-96 airbuses), radio electronics, instrumentation, the production of excavators, forging and pressing equipment, tractors, chemical and petrochemical equipment have been developed. The chemical complex is represented by the production of synthetic rubbers and tires, synthetic fibers, synthetic detergents, dyes. The building materials industry supplies cement and refractory materials to other parts of the country.

The agro-industrial complex provides almost a third of the products produced in the region. Most of its branches are of national and interregional importance. Agriculture is well developed, represented by the cultivation of grain crops (wheat, corn, buckwheat, millet) and industrial crops (sugar beet, sunflower, hemp). This area is the country's largest producer of essential oil crops - anise and coriander. Vegetable growing and horticulture are of commercial importance. Of the branches of animal husbandry, meat and dairy cattle breeding, pig breeding and poultry farming are of special importance. On the basis of agriculture, the food industry was well developed: flour-grinding, butter-making, sugar, fruit and vegetable canning, dairy, meat-packing, etc.

North-Western economic region (Leningrad, Novgorod and Pskov regions, St. Petersburg). Area 197 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 8 million people. It occupies an advantageous economic and geographical position, being on the most important transit routes connecting Russia with foreign countries (through the Baltic Sea). "Neighbors" with the economically developed Central and rich in diverse natural resources of the Northern economic regions.

The natural resource potential is rather limited. There are reserves of peat (everywhere), oil shale (used in neighboring Estonia), bauxite (raw aluminum), phosphorites, various building materials (limestone, refractory clay, granite, sand). Forest resources have been significantly depleted as a result of many years of exploitation. The region is well supplied with water resources.

The population of the region is less than 8 million people. In the 1990s, as a result of natural decline, the number of inhabitants decreased. This is the most urbanized region of the country: due to the location of the second largest city in Russia, St. Petersburg, the share of the urban population in the total number of the district reaches 87%. Rural areas are characterized by small settlements. The average population density is more than 40 people. per sq. km. The composition of the inhabitants is dominated by the Russian population. It is characterized by a good supply of highly skilled labor force.

The region's economy is characterized by a diversified composition. Science-intensive and high-tech industries, concentrated mainly in the St. Petersburg industrial hub, are of great importance. In the territorial division of labor within the country, the SZER is distinguished by machine-building, chemical, timber complexes, individual industries of building materials, light industry and non-ferrous metallurgy. A significant role in the economy of the region is played by enterprises working for the needs of the military-industrial complex. Finally, the district performs important recreational functions: many of its cities have become centers of domestic and international tourism.

A highly diversified machine-building complex occupies a leading place in the industrial structure of the region. It includes such industries as marine shipbuilding (the region ranks first in the country in the production of sea vessels of various types, including nuclear icebreakers, most types of military vessels), optical and mechanical industry (one of the first places in Russia), power engineering (first place in the country in the production of nuclear reactors for nuclear power plants, steam, hydraulic and gas turbines), electrical engineering, tractor engineering, instrument making, machine tool building and the electronics industry.

An important role in the economy of the region is played by the chemical complex, represented by the production of rubber products, tires, synthetic resins, plastics, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers, paint and varnish products, chemical and pharmaceutical preparations.

The timber complex includes sawmill, plywood, furniture and pulp and paper industries. Of interdistrict importance is the textile (cotton, silk, woolen and linen), leather and footwear and porcelain and faience industries. Certain branches of the building materials industry (glass industry, production of refractory materials, etc.) are of the same importance. Of the non-ferrous metallurgy industries, the aluminum industry stands out, working on local raw materials.

Transport infrastructure is of national importance, in particular, transit roads and railways, pipelines to Finland and the Baltic countries. There are large export-import seaports in St. Petersburg, Primorsk (oil terminal), Ust-Luga (dry cargo port).

Northern economic region (Arkhangelsk region with the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Vologda and Murmansk regions, the Republic of Komi and the Republic of Karelia). Area 1.5 million sq. km, population 5.7 million people. The region is located in the north of the European part of the country, having the longest maritime border in the western economic zone, bordering on the economically developed regions of the country, in particular the Central and North-West, which stimulates the development of its territories. Important ports are located here, through which the country's foreign economic relations are carried out - Murmansk and Arkhangelsk.

One of the largest natural resource potentials of the European part of the country is concentrated here, which contributed to the formation of a large number of mining industrial hubs and centers. Of the fuel and energy resources, the largest (in terms of reserves) in the western zone, the Pechora coal basin (coking and thermal coals), should be noted. The Timan-Pechora oil and gas province is located in the east of the region. Large gas reserves have been explored on the shelf of the Barents Sea (the giant Shtokman gas condensate field), oil - on the shelf of the Kara Sea. In the Komi Republic there are reserves of oil shale (not developed), in the south of the region - peat deposits (Vologda region).

Resources of metal ore raw materials are represented here by iron ores (the second largest after the KMA iron ore province is Karel-Kola), aluminum ores (nepheline of the Kola Peninsula and bauxites of the Sredne-Timansky deposit in the Komi Republic and the North Onega basin in the Arkhangelsk region), nickel reserves in Murmansk region. Of the non-metal ore resources, one of the world's largest pools of phosphate raw materials - apatites in the Murmansk region should be noted. In the west of the region there are large reserves of mica, and in the east - table salt. The Arkhangelsk region has the largest diamond pool in the European part of the country (not mined). The area is also rich in various mineral and construction raw materials: limestone, brick clay, granite, sand, building stone, etc.

One of the main natural resources of the region is forest resources. NER refers to forest-surplus areas. Its reserves make up 9% of Russian ones. Most of them are concentrated in the Komi Republic, the Arkhangelsk region and the Republic of Karelia. Significant reserves of water and hydropower resources.

The population of the region is less than 6 million people. In the 1990s, it is reduced due, firstly, to the natural decline in the population, and secondly, to the migration of the population from the northern regions. It belongs to the highly urbanized regions of the country: the share of the urban population here is 76% of all residents, but there are no “millionaire” cities and developed agglomerations here. The least populated among all economic regions of the European part of the country: the average population density does not reach even 4 people. per sq. km. The Russian population predominates, Komi and Nenets live in the east, Karelians and Saami live in the west of the region. In connection with the reduction of work on the development of resources in the northern regions, an excess population has appeared, requiring relocation to more populated areas of the country.

The structure of the region's economy is dominated by industries focused on the use of their own natural resources. Ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, the timber complex, certain branches of the chemical and agro-industrial complexes, and transport services are of interdistrict importance.

The forest complex plays a leading role in the economy of the NER. It is represented by all stages of the production process and is developed on the basis of its own resources. The logging, sawmilling, pulp and paper and furniture industries, as well as plywood production, wooden housing construction, and wood chemistry (hydrolysis-yeast production) have been developed on a large scale. The northern region exports the least amount of harvested timber in its raw form.

On the basis of its own resources, ferrous metallurgy of the full cycle (Vologda region), aluminum (Republic of Karelia and Murmansk region), copper-nickel (Murmansk region) industry has been developed. Mechanical engineering is relatively poorly developed and specializes in the production of products for domestic consumption. The chemical complex is represented by the production of mineral fertilizers (nitrogen), phosphate raw materials used in many enterprises of the country for the production of phosphate fertilizers. Of the branches of the agro-industrial complex, dairy cattle breeding and butter and cheese production, reindeer breeding, the fishing industry, and flax growing are of interdistrict importance. Inter-district transportation is carried out along the Northern Sea Route, originating in Murmansk (year-round to Norilsk). Arkhangelsk and ice-free Murmansk seaports play an important role in the implementation of export-import operations.

North Caucasian economic region (Rostov region, Krasnodar and Stavropol territories, Republics of Adygea, Karachay-Cherkess, Kabardino-Balkaria, North Ossetia - Alania, Ingush, Chechen, Dagestan). Area 355 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 18 million people. The southernmost economic region of the country. It is located at the intersection of important transport routes linking Russia with the countries of the Transcaucasus and the Middle East, and through the Black Sea ports it ensures the implementation of foreign trade operations. It has the most favorable natural and climatic conditions, significant natural resource potential.

Provision of natural resources favors the socio-economic development of the region. There are significant reserves of oil, as well as gas, coal (the eastern wing of the Donets Basin). Tungsten-molybdenum, copper and polymetallic (lead-zinc) ores occur on the territory of the district. Significant reserves of barite, rock salt, various mineral building raw materials (cement, chalk, marble, granites, sands and clays, etc.). This area is among the least provided with forest resources, and the available forests perform recreational and nature protection functions. The area is rich in recreational resources: climatic, mineral waters and therapeutic mud, mountain landscapes. Significant reserves of hydropower resources.

The population of the region is less than 18 million people. In recent years, the number of inhabitants here has been relatively stable, both as a result of natural growth (the republics of the North Caucasus have had a steady, and fairly high, natural population growth for many years), and due to the arrival of a large number of migrants here from other regions of the country (in particular , immigrants from the north) and even other states (refugees). The urban population is only slightly higher than the rural population (55%) - this is the least urbanized economic region of the country. Moreover, most of the republics are dominated by the rural population. In the north of the region, one of the largest agglomerations in the country, Rostov, has developed. The average population density is 50 people. per sq. km, the northern and northeastern steppe territories are less populated. The district as a whole is well provided with a labor force, it belongs to labor surplus. This is the most multinational region of the country (only in Dagestan there are more than 30 indigenous peoples).

A complex, diversified economic complex has developed here. In the territorial division of labor within the country, SCER is distinguished by the fuel industry, the machine-building complex, certain branches of non-ferrous metallurgy, the chemical complex, the building materials industry, light industry and the diversified agro-industrial complex, the implementation of export-import transport services. This is the largest recreational area of ​​the country.

About half of the total production of the region comes from a highly developed agro-industrial complex, for the development of which there are the most favorable conditions. The North Caucasus is the country's main supplier of grain. Winter wheat, corn, rice are grown here. Industrial crops include sugar beets, sunflowers, and tobacco. This is the country's largest area of ​​vegetable growing, horticulture and viticulture, the only one - growing subtropical crops (tea and citrus fruits). Animal husbandry has received great development, represented by meat and dairy cattle breeding, sheep breeding (especially fine-wooled), poultry and pig breeding, and maral breeding in mountainous regions. On the basis of agriculture, the food industry has received large-scale development - flour-grinding, sugar, oil-pressing, wine-making, fruit and vegetable canning, tobacco, meat-packing, tea, etc.

Of the branches of the fuel industry, oil and gas production and the coal industry have been developed. The structure of the machine-building complex includes transport (production of electric locomotives, cars, helicopters), agricultural (the country's main area for the production of combine harvesters and various agricultural machinery), energy (equipment for nuclear power plants and thermal power plants) mechanical engineering, production of equipment for trade and the food industry.

The chemical complex is represented by the production of plastics, chemical fibers, mineral fertilizers (nitrogen), and synthetic detergents. Processing of own oil raw materials is well developed. Of the branches of non-ferrous metallurgy, the lead-zinc and tungsten-molybdenum industries are of interregional importance. The main specialized branch of the building materials industry here is the cement industry. On the basis of its own raw material resources, such specialized branches of light industry as woolen and leather and footwear were formed.

Volga economic region (Astrakhan, Volgograd, Penza, Samara, Saratov, Ulyanovsk, Republics of Tatarstan and Kalmykia). Area 536 thousand square meters. km, the population is about 17 million people. It occupies an advantageous economic and geographical position, being on important transit routes connecting the western and eastern regions of the country, providing access for the countries of Central Asia to Europe. An important route from the European countries of the Baltic region to the states of the Caspian basin (in the future - South Asia) passes through the territory of the region. The Volga region has favorable natural and climatic conditions over a larger area, is surrounded by economically highly developed regions of the country.

Among all the economic regions of the European part of the country, the Volga region is the most endowed with natural resource potential. The large Volga-Ural oil and gas province is located here: in terms of oil production, it is second only to the West Siberian economic region. Large oil resources have been explored on the shelf of the Caspian Sea. There are significant reserves of gas condensate, oil shale is being mined. The country's largest reserves of sulfur-containing raw materials are concentrated here: native sulfur, sulfur contained in oil and gas. The region occupies one of the first places in the country in terms of salt reserves (lakes of the Caspian lowland). There is a variety of building materials, primarily cement and glass sands. The largest hydropower resources in the European part of the country are concentrated here (mainly on the Volga River).

The population is a little less than 17 million people. In the 1990s, it is reduced due to natural decline. The share of the urban population is at the average Russian level (73%), however, there are several developed and large agglomerations here: Samara, Saratov, Volgograd, Kazan, Nizhnekamsk. The average population density exceeds 30 people. per sq. km, but the southern - steppe and semi-desert - areas are much less populated. The area is well provided with a highly skilled workforce, which stimulates the development of high-tech industries here. The structure of the population is dominated by Russians, Tatars live in the north, Kalmyks and Kazakhs live in the south.

The structure of the region's economy has a complex composition with a predominance of science-intensive and high-tech industries that determine scientific and technological progress. Of special importance are the electric power industry, the fuel industry, the highly diversified machine-building and chemical complexes, the building materials industry, and the agro-industrial complex. Many branches of the transport complex are also of interdistrict importance.

The first place in terms of output is occupied by the machine-building complex. The district ranks first in the country in the production of cars (cars and trucks), trolleybuses, aviation equipment (airplanes and helicopters, rocket technology). River shipbuilding, agricultural engineering, tractor building, production of equipment for the chemical and oil and gas industries, power equipment, machine tool building, watchmaking, and instrument making are well developed.

The fuel industry is developed almost everywhere: in the northern part, oil production is predominantly represented, in the southern part, gas and condensate. The largest oil refining capacities in the country have been created here. The Volga region is the country's largest region for the production of various petrochemical products. The production of synthetic rubbers, tires, chemical fibers, plastics, synthetic resins and alcohols, as well as mineral fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus), sulfuric acid, household chemicals, organochlorine products, etc. is concentrated here.

Of the European regions of the country, this is the only one where the industry of specialization is the electric power industry. Moreover, a significant part of the electricity here is provided by hydroelectric power plants (Volga-Kama cascade), nuclear and thermal power plants operate. The building materials industry is represented by such specialized industries as cement and glass.

The agro-industrial complex, which is of all-Russian significance, also plays an important role in the region's economy. Grain crops (wheat, rice, corn, millet), industrial crops (sunflower, sugar beet, mustard, hemp), melons and gourds are cultivated here. Horticulture and fruit growing are developed. Animal husbandry is well developed, represented by cattle breeding, pig breeding, poultry farming, in the south - sheep breeding (in particular, the most valuable, fine-wooled). On the basis of agriculture, the food industry received large-scale development: flour-grinding, alcohol, fruit and vegetable canning, sugar, butter, meat canning. In the south, the fishing industry has developed: the Caspian basin is the leader in the country in terms of sturgeon catches.

Ural economic region (Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Kurgan, Orenburg regions, Perm region with the Komi-Permyak Autonomous Okrug, the republics of Bashkortostan and Udmurtia). Area 824 thousand square meters. km, population 20 million people. The area is located at the junction of the European and Asian parts of the country, being part of the western economic zone. Significantly removed from the sea coasts, but intersected by important transport routes connecting the western and eastern regions of the country, as well as the countries of Central Asia and Kazakhstan with Russia. "Neighbors", on the one hand, with the economically developed regions of the country, on the other hand, with an area rich in various natural resources, primarily fuel and energy (Western Siberia).

It has significant natural resource potential. The eastern part of the Volga-Ural oil and gas province is located here. Coal resources are small, so a significant part of the coal is imported here from Western Siberia. The north of the region concentrates peat reserves. There are industrial reserves of most types of metal ore raw materials: iron, copper, nickel, aluminum (bauxite), titanium, magnesium ores, gold, zinc, etc. many types of mineral building raw materials (asbestos, cement raw materials, refractories, marble, granite, sands, clays, etc.). Reserves of precious and ornamental stones are used. Significant reserves of forest resources are concentrated mostly in the northern part of the region. There are resources of graphite, talc, in the Perm region - diamonds.

The population of the region is 20 million people. In the 1990s, the population decreased due to natural decline. The level of urbanization (74%) is close to the Russian average. The largest number of "millionaire" cities and large agglomerations is concentrated here: Yekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Perm, Ufa, etc., there are many monofunctional (single-industry) cities specializing in the mining and metallurgical industries. The average population density is about 25 people. per sq. km. The area is well provided with a skilled workforce. The national composition is quite diverse: Russians predominate, there are many Tatars, Bashkirs, Udmurts, Komi, Kazakhs, etc.

The Urals is one of the most industrialized regions of the country. The structure of its economy is dominated by heavy industries. In the territorial division of labor within the country, the region is distinguished by the fuel industry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, machine-building, chemical and forestry complexes, individual branches of the building materials industry and the agro-industrial complex.

The fuel industry is represented by oil production (the west of the region) and gas (the south of the region), a large oil refining industry, and peat extraction (the north of the region). The largest metallurgical complex in the country was formed here. There are about 20 metallurgical combines and factories producing ferrous metals and rolled metal (the first place in the country). The district occupies one of the first places in the country in the production of a number of types of non-ferrous metals - copper, nickel, aluminum, zinc, titanium and magnesium, cobalt.

The leading place in the structure of the economy is occupied by the machine-building complex. The branches of specialization here are: production of metallurgical, mining, oil and gas, power and chemical equipment, transport engineering (car building, aircraft building, river shipbuilding, production of cars and trucks, buses, motorcycles, city trams), production of electrical equipment, instrumentation, tractor engineering, machine tool building. Many enterprises of the machine-building complex are focused on the needs of the military-industrial complex.

The chemical complex is developing mainly on the basis of its own rich and diverse resources. The industry of synthetic rubber, plastics, chemical fibers, synthetic resins and alcohols, tire production, production of all types of mineral fertilizers, sulfuric acid, soda, etc., have developed here.

The forest complex of the region is represented by all technological stages of production that are of special importance: logging, sawmilling, wooden housing construction, plywood, furniture, pulp and paper industry, and wood chemistry. Of the building materials industries, the cement, asbestos-cement industries, and the production of refractory materials are of special importance. In the structure of the agro-industrial complex, the production of grain (wheat), honey, wool, meat and meat-packing industries are of interregional importance in the Urals.

West Siberian economic region (Tyumen region with Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamalo-Nenets autonomous regions, Omsk, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo regions, Altai Territory, Republic of Altai). Area 2.4 million sq. km, population 15 million people. It is located in the eastern economic zone, bordering on the economically developed Urals. Crossed by important transit highways connecting the western and eastern regions of the country. A significant part of the territory belongs to the regions of the Far North with extreme natural conditions, sparse population and infrastructural development.

It has the largest natural resource potential in the country. The main fuel and energy base of Russia is located here: the largest West Siberian oil and gas province and the main coal basin of the country - Kuznetsk. Of the fuel resources, one can note the largest peat reserves in the country. There are industrial reserves of metal ores: iron, aluminum (nepheline), polymetallic (lead-zinc), gold. All ore deposits are located in the south-east of the region. In the south of the region there are the only natural reserves of soda and table salt in the country. Everywhere there are mineral building raw materials: sands, clays, limestones, in mountainous regions - granite and marble. Significant reserves of forest resources are concentrated mainly in the Tyumen and Tomsk regions. There are the largest reserves of iodine-bromine waters in the country. Significant water resources of the region.

The population of the region is 15 million people. In the 1990s, it is reduced due to natural decline (with the exception of the Tyumen region) and migration of the population to the western regions of the country. The share of the urban population (71%) here almost corresponds to the average Russian level. The average population density is more than 6 people. per sq. km, but the population is concentrated mostly in the southern regions. Western Siberia is a multinational region. Russians predominate, Ukrainians, Germans, Kazakhs live, from the indigenous peoples - Tatars, Altaians, Shors, peoples of the North (Khanty, Mansi, Nenets, Selkups).

The structure of the region's economy is largely determined by the extractive industries: the largest fuel and energy complex in the country has been formed here. Of all-Russian importance is the fuel industry - oil, gas and coal production, oil and gas processing, as well as ferrous metallurgy (full cycle in the Kemerovo region). The lead-zinc, aluminum and tin industries, aircraft building, car building, tractor building, and certain branches of the forestry complex (logging, sawmilling, plywood industry) are of interdistrict importance.

East Siberian Economic Region (Krasnoyarsk Territory with Taimyr (Dolgano-Nenetsky) and Evenk Autonomous Okrugs, Irkutsk Region with Ust-Orda Buryat Autonomous Okrug, Chita Region with Aginsky Buryat Autonomous Okrug, Republics of Khakassia, Tuva, Buryatia). Area 4.1 million sq. km, population 9 million people. The economic and geographical position of the region is unfavorable: it is remote from the developed economic regions of the country and the centers of export-import operations; most of its territory belongs to the regions of the Far North, as a result of which it is poorly populated and infrastructurally developed, transport routes pass in the extreme south of the region; in a significant part of the region there is a mountainous relief that limits the economic use of the territory.

The natural resource potential of Eastern Siberia is inferior in scale only to the neighboring West Siberian region. Large coal basins of the country are located here (Kansko-Achinsk, Irkutsk, etc.), there are oil and gas reserves (Irkutsk region). Among all the economic regions of the country, the region is the most endowed with non-ferrous metal resources. In the north there are large reserves of copper-nickel ores containing cobalt, platinum and platinoids, gold (Norilsk). Deposits of iron ores (Irkutsk Region, Republic of Khakassia, Krasnoyarsk Territory), polymetallic (lead-zinc) ores, molybdenum, rare earth (tantalum, niobium, lithium, beryllium, etc.) ores are being developed in the Chita Region. The Udokan copper deposit, the largest in Russia, is located here (not being developed). Significant reserves of gold. Eastern Siberia ranks first in the country in terms of hydropower resources. From non-metallic resources, deposits of asbestos (Republic of Tyva), table salt (Irkutsk region) are being developed. The country's largest reserves of forest resources are concentrated here, which are dominated by conifers.

The population of the region is about 9 million people. In most subjects of the Russian Federation located on the territory of Eastern Siberia, in the 1990s, the number of inhabitants is reduced as a result of natural population decline and its migration to the western regions of the country. The level of urbanization in the region (72%) almost corresponds to the Russian average. The average population density is a little over 2 people. per sq. km, and most of the inhabitants are concentrated in the south of the region along the Trans-Siberian Railway. This area is one of the multinational ones: with the dominance of the Russian population, the indigenous peoples of Khakass, Tuvans, Buryats, Nenets, Dolgans, Evenks, Evens, Kets, etc. live here.

The structure of the region's economy is dominated by raw material-oriented industries that use the local resource potential. The sectors of specialization that supply products to the inter-district exchange include the electric power industry (a significant part of the electricity is produced here at the country's largest hydroelectric power plants of the Angara-Yenisei cascade), non-ferrous metallurgy (copper, nickel-cobalt, rare earth, gold mining industries), car building (production of containers and railway platforms for their transportation), agricultural engineering (production of grain harvesters), aircraft industry. The timber complex is of great importance in the economy of the region, represented here by all stages of the technological process of inter-district importance - logging, sawmilling, production of plywood, chipboard and fiberboard, pulp and paper industry and wood chemistry (hydrolysis-yeast production).

Far Eastern Economic Region (Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Amur, Magadan and Sakhalin Regions, Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories, Kamchatka Region with Koryak Autonomous Okrug, Jewish Autonomous Region, Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.). Area 6.2 million sq. km, population 7.2 million people. This is the most remote region of Russia from the economic regions of the European part of the country. By territory - the largest among the economic regions of the country. It has extensive access to the seas of the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. It is located near the dynamically developing states of East Asia, on the shortest transit routes connecting these states with European countries. Most of the region's territory is occupied by the regions of the Far North, which are extremely poorly populated and developed. Significant areas are mountainous.

FER is one of the areas highly endowed with natural resource potential. Of the fuel and energy resources, the reserves of coal (hard and brown) are very significant. The South Yakutsk coal basin is exploited, as well as individual coal deposits located in almost all regions of the Far East. Here is the country's largest (in terms of reserves) Lena coal basin, which has not been used to date. The area is well provided with hydrocarbon resources: oil reserves are concentrated on about. Sakhalin, in the Republic of Sakha, natural gas in the Republic of Sakha, Kamchatka and Sakhalin regions.

There are large deposits of iron ores (until now not developed), non-ferrous metals: practically all the deposits of tin ores being developed in the country, the largest deposit of polymetallic (lead-zinc ores), gold (the largest area of ​​its extraction in Russia).

The main wealth of the region is the country's largest diamond reserves (99% of Russian production), located in the north-west of the Republic of Sakha. There are large reserves of mica and graphite (Republic of Sakha). The resources of mineral construction raw materials are significant and varied. In terms of reserves of hydropower resources, the Far East is second only to neighboring Eastern Siberia. For energy purposes geothermal resources of Kamchatka are used. Significant reserves of forest resources. Biological resources are available in the seas surrounding the Far East. The world's largest stocks of salmon fish are concentrated here, as well as significant stocks of marine animals.

The population of the district is 7.2 million people. In the 1990s, its numbers are reduced as a result of natural decline and migration to the western regions of the country. The Far East is a highly urbanized region of the country: the share of the urban population here is 76%. However, this is the most sparsely populated region of Russia: the average population density here is 1.2 people. per sq. km, and most of it is concentrated in the southern regions, along the railway lines. The area is multinational: Russians, Ukrainians, Koreans, indigenous peoples of the Yakuts, Evens, Evenks, Chukchis, Itelmens, Aleuts, Eskimos, Nivkhs, Oroks, Orochs, Nganasans, Udeges, Koryaks, Nanais and others live here.

In the structure of the economy, industries related to the use of natural resource potential play a dominant role. In the territorial division of labor in the country, the Far Eastern economic region is distinguished by the fuel industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, and individual branches of the forestry and agro-industrial complex. Of all-Russian importance are transport - export-import - functions performed by the railway and sea transport of the region.

The fuel industry is represented in the region by oil, gas and coal mining. The extractive branches of non-ferrous metallurgy have been developed - the extraction of tin and polymetallic (lead-zinc) ores, as well as the smelting of lead. Mining and processing of diamonds is underway. This is the main gold mining region of the country. Of the branches of the forest complex, logging, sawmilling and the pulp and paper industry are specialized. All stages of the fishing industry are represented in the region - fishing, fish canning, ship repair, as well as the extraction and processing of marine animals. The cultivation of rice and soybeans is of inter-district importance, in the north - reindeer breeding, everywhere - fur farming. The area performs important foreign economic functions, providing trade relations with the countries of the Pacific region

The interzonal proportions of the distribution of productive forces that have developed under the combined influence of regional, resource, sectoral and social factors indicate the existence of significant differences in the course of economic development processes in the European (Western) and Eastern zones of the country.

The most characteristic features for the main part of the territory of the European zone are (16, 18):

the concentration here is more than 78% of the population of Russia;

the presence of a significant complex of natural resources (mineral, forest, the main part of the fund of agricultural land, water resources);

a highly developed industrial complex producing more than 73% of industrial products;

developed (in relation to the conditions of Russia) social infrastructure;

a developed transport network that provides interregional and interstate communications in Russia.

Among the "limiters" to the development of the productive forces of the European zone are the extremely low availability of their own fuel and energy resources and certain types of raw materials for the manufacturing industries.

To date, 90% of machine-building products, 85% of ferrous metallurgy, 83% of chemistry and petrochemistry, over 70% of timber, pulp and paper and woodworking industries are produced on the territory of the zone. 81% of the production of finished rolled products, 97% of steel pipes, about 70% of synthetic resins and plastics, 91% of synthetic rubber, 96% of paper production are concentrated at the enterprises of the zone.

Increasing the efficiency of the economic complex of the western zone is associated with the intensification of the use of the created fixed production assets: an increase in output, mainly at existing enterprises due to their accelerated rearmament and modernization; improving the sectoral structure of the economy through the predominant development of relatively low-energy, water- and material-intensive industries.

The general characteristic features of the macro-region of Siberia and the Far East are:

the presence of natural resources (fuel, mineral and raw forest, water) that are unique in terms of reserves, quality and economic indicators of extraction, which are of fundamental importance for the development of the Russian economy and the formation of its export potential;

low population density (especially in the northern territories), the concentration of its main part in the southern regions of Siberia and the Far East; (274)

the presence of various climatic zones with a predominance of natural conditions in the vast territory of the Arctic, difficult for people to live;

insufficient development of the transport network, the presence of a large number of isolated industrial hubs;

creation of energy-industrial hubs and complexes (functioning - Sayansky, Bratsk, Ust-Ilimsky; developing - Priangarsky, Kansk-Achinsk, etc.), which will become the basis for the development and structural transformation of the national economy of Siberia at the stage of the economy's recovery from the crisis.

In the industrial complex of the zone of Siberia and the Far East (26.9% of the gross output of the all-Russian level), extractive industries predominate. It produces more than 79% of Russian coal, 69% of oil with gas condensate, 92% of gas, 62% of the gross output of non-ferrous metallurgy, etc. Among the manufacturing industries, the production of synthetic resins and plastics is quite noticeable on a national scale (30.2%) cardboard (20.5%), pulp (33.8%), lumber (40%).

With a high concentration of extractive industries in Siberia, the level of development of machine building is extremely low, primarily machine building, which produces equipment for the extractive industries, and machine building, which produces equipment in the northern version.

About half of the industrial and production personnel of the eastern zone are employed in mechanical engineering and the timber industry. The increase in the number of employees occurs in the sectors of the fuel and energy complex, as well as those producing structural materials, that is, in the group of industries that determine the profile of the zone's specialization. The most significant growth is observed in the fuel and energy, chemical and timber, and metallurgical sectors.

The eastern zone includes:

further development in Western Siberia of the largest oil and gas producing and petrochemical industries. The oil and gas of Western Siberia will in the future provide the bulk of Russia's needs for fuel and form the main share of the country's foreign exchange earnings through export deliveries;

creation of a new oil and gas base in Eastern Siberia and increase in the use of thermal coals of the Kansk-Achinsk basin;

building up the scale of machine-building industries, focused mainly on meeting the needs of the specialization industries of the eastern zone;

increasing the volume of coal production in Western Siberia on a scale determined by the change in the place of the coal industry in the fuel and energy balance of Russia (7, 36).

Until now, the main part of the energy resources produced in Siberia is used in other regions of the country. In this regard, one of the most important tasks is to increase the volume of domestic energy consumption, primarily through the creation of powerful energy-industrial units of an energy-intensive profile, the products of which are in demand both on the domestic and global markets. First of all, this applies to products of non-ferrous metallurgy, petrochemical products, oil and gas processing, advanced wood processing, etc. At the same time, in order to reduce the labor intensity of production, the energy intensity of labor and the energy supply of fixed productive assets should be sharply increased. In the Far East, the fuel and energy factor will continue to be a constraint on the development of productive forces and structural changes in the future. In order to mitigate the dependence of the region's economy on the fuel and energy factor, it is necessary to ensure: a sharp increase in the volume of exploration work for all types of fuel; to ensure the involvement in the use of oil and gas resources of the shelves, the hydropower potential of rivers and non-traditional energy sources; consider the possibility of building a number of nuclear power plants.

In the conditions of the formation and development of market relations, a new regional policy is being formed. It should be noted the special importance of the regional aspect of the economic reforms carried out in the country.

Due to the huge differences in natural-geographical, socio-demographic, economic and other conditions, approaches to the special development of the economy of each individual region of Russia have been determined. At the same time, the main guidelines will be: 1) taking into account the specifics of the work of the regions in the implementation of the all-Russian structural, investment, financial, social, foreign economic policy; 2) transferring a number of areas of reform mainly to the regional level, especially in small business, the social sphere, nature protection and the use of natural resources; 3) decentralization of reform management processes, activation of local economic activity; 4) the need to develop special reform programs in regions with particularly peculiar conditions.

In economic reforms, much attention is paid to measures for the spatial integration of the Russian economy. These include the creation of a mechanism for vertical and horizontal interactions between economic entities and government bodies, all-round assistance in the development of an all-Russian territorial division of labor and a single market space, measures to overcome the collapse of interregional economic ties, economic and political separatism.

The main goal of regional policy in the social sphere is to ensure a decent level of well-being in each region. Regional policy is aimed at easing internal social tension, maintaining the integrity and unity of the country. The main goal of regional policy in the economic sphere is the rational use of the natural and economic opportunities of the regions, the advantages of the territorial division of labor and the economic ties of the regions. The strategic objectives of regional development are as follows:

Reconstruction of the economy of old industrial regions and large urban agglomerations through the conversion of defense and civilian industries, modernization of infrastructure, improvement of the environmental situation, privatization.

Overcoming the crisis in the agro-industrial regions of the Non-Black Earth Region, the Southern Urals, Siberia, the Far East, the revival of small towns and the Russian countryside, the acceleration of the restoration of the lost living environment in rural areas, the development of local industrial and social infrastructure, the development of abandoned agricultural lands.

Stabilization of the socio-economic situation in regions with extreme natural conditions and predominantly raw material specialization, creation of conditions for the revival of small peoples (primarily in the Far North, mountainous regions).

Continuation of the formation of territorial production complexes and industrial hubs in the northern and eastern regions of Russia through non-centralized investments and priority development of production facilities for the integrated use of extracted raw materials in compliance with strict environmental standards.

Stimulating the development of export and import-substituting industries in regions that have the most favorable conditions for this; formation of free economic zones, as well as technopolises as regional centers for introducing the achievements of domestic and world science, accelerating economic and social progress.

Re-specialization of new border regions, creation of jobs in them and accelerated development of social infrastructure, taking into account potential migrants from the former republics of the USSR.

Development of inter-regional and regional infrastructure systems - transport, communications, informatics, providing and stimulating regional structural shifts and the efficiency of the regional economy.

Overcoming the excessive lag in terms of the level and quality of life of the population of certain republics and regions of Russia.

The policy of removing Russia's dependence on food imports will require an accelerated intensification of agriculture in the Non-Black Earth and southern regions of Russia. Most of the tasks of Russia's regional policy will be shifted to the level of regions. A socio-economic mechanism will be created that combines state regulation with regional self-government.

In the USSR, a system of regional studies was created, which made it possible to solve complex regional problems on a scientific basis at all stages of planning and territorial organization of the economy. The formation of the Russian economy as a sovereign state is based, therefore, on a strong foundation of scientific substantiation of the forecast directions for the development of basic sectors of the economy and on fairly stable proportions of the distribution of productive forces.

Cessation since the early 90s. work on sectoral and territorial schemes for the development and location of sectors of the national economy and industry, as well as on schemes for the development of regions and the TPK. should be viewed as a temporary phenomenon associated with the restructuring of economic management. The rejection of sectoral methods of managing the economy, the redistribution of property in most sectors of the national economy and the growth of independence of the subjects of the Federation should not exclude the role and responsibility of the state in the formation of regional policy as a whole, the development of comprehensive forecasts and programs for the development of territories and industries, control over the development of market relations and, consequently, for the directions, rates and territorial proportions of the development of the productive forces.

Economic zoning is considered primarily as a method of scientific research, used to optimize the territorial organization of the economy. The essence of economic zoning lies in the scientifically substantiated division of labor into separate taxa, based on the objective regularity of the territorial division of labor, the integrated development of the economy and the proportional distribution of productive forces. The most common definition of an economic region is an economically integral part of the country's territory, which is characterized by such features as specialization and complexity of the economy.

Scientifically substantiated economic zoning will, first of all, help to save public costs and, as a result, accelerate the solution of socio-economic problems in the regions.

It should be emphasized that economic zoning has not only educational value, but also practical. The latter lies in the fact that economic zoning is the basis of regional planning, the development of state regional economic policy, the improvement of specialization and the integrated development of the economy of the regions, the basis for forecasting the development of regions in the future.

The main types of economic zoning are sectoral and integral. Integral zoning differs from sectoral zoning in that it covers the entire economy as a whole. Sectoral zoning involves taking into account the interests of only one or several industries (metallurgical region, agro-industrial complex). Among the industry districts are distinguished:

According to the totality of natural conditions and resources;

Demographic characteristics (natural movement of the population, features of the formation and use of labor resources);

A set of industrial, agricultural, transport and construction facilities;

A set of objects of the non-productive sphere (education, culture, recreation).

A separate type of zoning is intersectoral. As a result of intersectoral zoning, intersectoral complexes are distinguished, which are complex multi-sectoral formations that are united due to close intersectoral ties and the common territory.

today, both sectoral and integral zoning should take into account the environmental and social problems of each region. Under the conditions of transformational processes in the economy of our state, changes in ownership, features of investment policy, economic zoning should contribute to the accelerated development of the economy of backward, depressed regions through the integrated development of their economy. The latter involves the development of new sectors of the economy, the creation of new jobs, and the improvement of the welfare of the population.

The main features of the economic region are the specialization and complexity of the economy and the presence of a large center that plays a consolidating role in the formation of integral regions. Such a center in many scientific studies is also called the core.

The result of economic zoning is the allocation of economic regions is an objective process, which is based on the territorial division of labor and is expressed in the specialization of certain territories of the state in the production of certain types of products and services. Natural conditions and resources play a certain role in the formation of economic regions, but this role is not decisive.

Principles and factors of economic zoning

The principles of regionalization are the guidelines that are used in the process of economic regionalization, i.e., the allocation of a network of economic regions.

The most important principles of economic zoning are economic and administrative-territorial. In the conditions of a multinational state, it is also necessary to take into account the national principle.

The economic principle requires consideration of the economic region as a specialized territorial part of the national economy, which has branches of national specialization, which are supplemented by auxiliary and service industries. According to this principle, the specialization of the region is determined by the industries with the lowest costs of raw materials, labor and the cost of delivering finished products to consumers within the state. In market conditions, when determining the effectiveness of specialization, the priority indicators are profitability, profitability, cost recovery.

The administrative-territorial principle is to achieve the unity of the economic zoning and the territorial-administrative structure of the country. This principle is especially important in the context of the development of local self-government, as it enhances the role of local self-government bodies and local government bodies in the development of the economy of individual regions, their independent development.

The national principle requires taking into account the interests of national minorities, their mentality, historical features of development, traditions, customs in decision-making on the development of individual industries and industries.

In our opinion, the following principles of economic zoning can be distinguished:

The principle of objective territorial integrity;

The principle of unity of specialization and complexity;

The principle of attraction in integral zoning;

The principle of perspective or constructiveness;

Accounting for the historical and geographical features of the lands, the national and ethnic composition of the population;

Preservation of the unity of local settlement systems;

Accounting for the economic and geographical position of the territory and its influence on the location of enterprises, institutions and organizations.

Factors of regional formation - conditions and resources that affect the process of formation of economic regions, their structure, limits and functioning of the economy. These include:

natural conditions and resources that play an indirect role in sectoral and integral zoning. In some areas, nature management is the basis for the development of branches of specialization;

Natural factors of labor potential formation. Labor shortage and labor over-reliance are important factors that influence not only the formation of the sectoral structure, but also determine the socio-economic situation in the region;

socio-economic situation, which forms the investment climate and investment attractiveness of the area;

Scientific and technical potential, which can serve as the basis for the formation of investment technologies in the region and significantly influence the formation of the sectoral structure of the economy;

A network of transport communications, which can be the basis for the formation of both intra-district and inter-district economic ties.

The formation of a network of economic regions is a task not only for science, but also for practice. The implementation of scientific ideas regarding economic zoning can only take place with the support of public authorities through the formation of an appropriate regulatory framework.

• - An economic principle that considers the region as a specialized part of a single national economic complex of the country with a certain composition of auxiliary and service industries. According to this principle, the specialization of the region should be determined by such industries in which the costs of labor, funds for the production of products and their delivery to the consumer will be the smallest in comparison with other regions. The economic efficiency of a region's specialization should be evaluated both from the point of view of establishing the most expedient territorial division of labor throughout the country, and from the point of view of the most productive use of the region's available resources.
• - The national principle, which takes into account the ethnic composition of the population of the region, its historical features of work and life.
• - The administrative principle that determines the unity of economic zoning and the territorial political and administrative structure of the country. This principle creates conditions for the effective independent development of regions and the strengthening of their role in the territorial division of labor in Russia.

The modern economic zoning of Russia includes three main links (taxonomic units): large economic regions; middle-level districts - territories, regions, republics; grassroots areas -- administrative and economic areas, urban and rural areas.

Each type of economic zoning meets certain tasks of territorial development. The highest level of zoning - large economic regions - is used by the central republican authorities for the nationwide management of the economy in the territorial context. Large economic regions are clearly specialized and relatively complete territorial economic complexes that play an important role in the all-Russian division of labor. Having a large territory, large population, diverse natural resource potential, large economic regions have a clearly defined specialization (up to 5-7 industries). The larger the territory of a large economic region, the wider its production profile, the more complex the economic complex.

The middle link of zoning is used to manage some sectors of the economy within the region, territory, republic. Its role in the management of agriculture and the service sector is great.

Regional districts have their own economic features. A peculiar form of integrated development of regions, the unification of agricultural areas around industrial centers provide the city with a leading position.

Grassroots economic regions represent the primary links in the taxonomy of economic zoning. On their basis, initial specialized territorial production complexes are formed. The lower regions play an important role in the development and implementation of long-term and annual programs for the development of the regional economy and socio-cultural construction, in the location and specialization of enterprises for the production and processing of agricultural products, local industry, consumer services, trade and public catering.

Economic regions can be combined into macro-regions, or economic zones that differ in general natural conditions, economic features, and trends for further development. In large areas of the zones, common major inter-district problems clearly emerge.

The main principles for the allocation of economic zones are the level of economic development of the territory, the ratio between the most important resources and the degree of their use.

There are two economic zones - Western (European part of Russia and the Urals) and Eastern (Siberia and the Far East). In order to fulfill long-term target programs, to balance the production and consumption of important types of products, groups of regions in economic zones are combined into enlarged regions. There are three enlarged regions in the Western zone - the North and the Center of the European part of Russia, the Ural-Volga region and the European South. There are two enlarged regions in the Eastern zone - Siberia and the Far East.

Currently, Russia includes 11 large economic regions (regions1): Northern, Northwestern, Central, Central Black Earth, Volga-Vyatka, Volga, North Caucasian, Urals, West Siberian, East Siberian, Far East. Moscow and St. Petersburg have the status of self-government.

Today, in the context of market development, three types of Russian regions can be distinguished:

• 1. Labor surplus - the republics of the North Caucasus, the Stavropol and Krasnodar Territories, the Rostov Region.
• 2. Defense-industrial - St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod region, the Urals, industrial hubs in southern Siberia.
• 3. Diversified and depressive - a significant part of the zone of the North.

For the first group of regions, every possible encouragement of the small-scale commodity way of life is recommended both in cities and in villages. For the regions of the second type, it is planned to attract foreign capital, in the regions of the third type - the creation of a particularly favorable regime for entrepreneurial activity due to partial exemption from taxes and other factors.

The strategic objectives of regional development are as follows

• - Reconstruction of the economy of old industrial regions and large urban agglomerations through the conversion of defense and civilian industries, modernization of infrastructure, improvement of the environmental situation, privatization
• - Overcoming the crisis in the agro-industrial regions of the Non-Black Earth Region, the Southern Urals, Siberia, the Far East, the revival of small towns and the Russian countryside, accelerating the restoration of the lost living environment in rural areas, the development of local industrial and social infrastructure, the development of abandoned agricultural lands
• - Stabilization of the socio-economic situation in regions with extreme natural conditions and predominantly raw material specialization, creation of conditions for the revival of small peoples (primarily the regions of the Far North, mountainous regions).
• - Continued formation of territorial production complexes and industrial hubs in the northern and eastern regions of Russia through non-centralized investments and with the priority development of industries for the integrated use of extracted raw materials in compliance with strict environmental standards
• - Stimulating the development of export and import-substituting industries in regions that have the most favorable conditions for this, the formation of free economic zones, as well as technopolises as regional centers for introducing the achievements of domestic and world science, accelerating economic and social progress.
• - Re-specialization of new border regions, creation of jobs in them and accelerated development of social infrastructure, taking into account potential migrants and redeployment of military units from the countries of Eastern Europe and the former Soviet republics
• - Development of inter-regional and regional infrastructure systems - transport, communications, informatics, providing and stimulating regional structural shifts and the efficiency of the regional economy.
• - Overcoming the excessive lag in terms of the level and quality of life of the population of certain republics and regions of Russia.

The policy of removing Russia's dependence on food imports will require an accelerated intensification of agriculture in the Non-Black Earth and southern regions of Russia. Most of the tasks of Russia's regional policy will be shifted to the level of regions. A socio-economic mechanism will be created that combines state regulation with regional self-government.

1. economic principle, considering the region as a specialized part of a single national economic complex of the country with a certain composition of auxiliary and service industries.

According to this principle, the specialization of the region should be determined by such industries in which the costs of labor, funds for the production of products and their delivery to the consumer, in comparison with other regions, will be the smallest.

The economic efficiency of a region's specialization should be evaluated both from the point of view of establishing the most expedient territorial division of labor throughout the country, and from the point of view of the most productive use of the region's available resources.

2. national principle, taking into account the ethnic composition of the population of the region, its historically developed features of work and life.

3. administrative principle, determining the unity of economic zoning and the territorial political and administrative structure of the country. This principle creates conditions for the effective independent development of regions and the strengthening of their role in the territorial division of labor in Russia.

These principles are fundamental to the modern theory and practice of Russia's economic zoning. In modern conditions, the allocation of large economic regions is dictated by the development of scientific and technological progress. The contours of the boundaries of economic regions are determined by the area of ​​location of industries of market specialization and the most important auxiliary industries associated with industries of market specialization by technological supplies of raw materials, parts, components, i.e., cooperation of industries. The area-forming factors of modern economic regions include the presence of large mineral deposits, high population density and labor experience accumulated by them, etc.

Economic zoning is not a frozen process; it can change and improve in the process of the country's economic development, depending on many factors. The formation of program-targeted TPKs in a number of large economic regions may lead to the disaggregation of economic regions. There is a process of development of program-targeted TPK - Timan-Pechora, TPK based on the KMA, West Siberian, Kansk-Achinsk (KATEK), Sayan, South Yakutsk.

They are formed on the basis of unique natural resources.

The modern economic zoning of Russia includes three main links (taxonomic units) :

1) large economic regions;

2) districts of the middle link - territories, regions, republics;

3) grassroots areas - administrative and economic areas, urban and rural areas.

Each type of economic zoning meets certain tasks of territorial development. The highest level of zoning - large economic regions - is used by the central republican authorities for the nationwide management of the economy in the territorial context. Major economic regions- these are clearly specialized and relatively complete territorial economic complexes that play an important role in the all-Russian division of labor. With a large territory, large population, diverse natural resource potential, large economic regions have a clearly defined specialization (up to 5–7 industries). The larger the territory of a large economic region, the wider its production profile, the more complex the economic complex.

The middle link of zoning is used to manage some sectors of the economy within the region, territory, republic. Its role in the management of agriculture and the service sector is great.

Regional districts have their own economic features. A peculiar form of integrated development of regions, the unification of agricultural areas around industrial centers provide the city with a leading position.

Grassroots economic regions represent the primary links in the taxonomy of economic zoning. On their basis, initial specialized territorial production complexes are formed. The lower regions play an important role in the development and implementation of long-term and annual programs for the development of the regional economy and socio-cultural construction, in the location and specialization of enterprises for the production and processing of agricultural products, local industry, consumer services, trade and public catering.

uniform zoning. It is aimed at finding identical areas. Similar objects can be combined into one group in two ways - by union and division, which, in general, corresponds to two methods of cognition - inductive and deductive.

The combination of territories similar in one or more characteristics allows us to distinguish synthetic districts; this type of division is called "zoning from below". It is used to study the geographic diversity of relatively small areas. Zoning "from below" begins with the choice of indicators, according to which the allocation, delimitation and understanding of areas will be carried out.

At "zoning from above"(selection analytical areas), carried out over vast territories, on a global scale, the existence and existence of regions is accepted a priori. The task of the researcher is reduced to the choice of features that most fully reflect the delimitation of areas and their further division.

The objects of homogeneous zoning in economic geography are units of administrative-territorial division, for which averaged statistical data are collected and published. When conducting professional research, absolute indicators are “weighted” taking into account the area of ​​​​territorial units or population.

With homogeneous zoning, districts can be distinguished both on the basis of one attribute ( one-sign zoning), and according to several features (multi-character zoning). If we carry out one-sign zoning, then, as a rule, there is one option for drawing the border.

If there are several signs of zoning, then there may be several options for placing borders. Suppose a researcher is faced with the task of identifying an area of ​​ecological disaster. It is possible to carry out zoning according to water pollution, it is possible according to soil pollution or according to the number of growth of diseases. The boundaries of the area allocated for water pollution will certainly not exactly coincide with the boundaries of the areas of soil pollution and the growth of diseases. Where will the epicenter of the ecological disaster be located? In this case, multi-sign zoning methods are used.

The “quality” of zoning, i.e., the compliance of the selected area with the set goals, largely depends on the choice of the most representative indicators. Based on them, a matrix of statistical data is compiled and analyzed. The so-called Moul's technique, according to which a series of maps is compiled for the study area with the boundaries of areas identified according to one attribute, after which they are “imposed” on a common basis. Where the boundaries coincide, a multi-attribute region stands out. Taking into account a large number of features and indicators makes it difficult to identify areas, since transition zones that are significant in area appear.

Nodal (or functional) zoning involves the allocation of areas depending on the intensity of economic ties within them. It reveals the spheres of influence of cities, transport hubs, and enterprises. Each nodal region has a core where all indicators and phenomena are clearly manifested. The intensity of the phenomenon decreases from the core to the periphery.

The boundaries of the district are located where the indicators take the minimum values. Therefore, the drawing of the actual boundaries when delimiting functional areas is of no significant importance: probable errors will not affect the characterization of the area.

Regional principles. The most important principle in solving the problems of practical zoning is its continuity, i.e., each object must be assigned to some class, and there should be no "white spots" in the grid of districts. The system of districts should cover objects of the same nature, i.e. it is impossible to include in one scheme such fundamentally different objects, such as animals and rivers, land and sea, kings and cabbages ... etc.

Regionalization must serve a specific purpose, which determines the set of features and the number of allocated areas. The reliability of the final results largely depends on the correct choice of signs of zoning. Firstly, signs should reflect the properties of the zoning objects themselves; secondly, among them it is important to choose most significant, according to which the territory should be divided. The indicators used for subdivision at "higher" levels should be more important for regionalization purposes than those used at lower levels.

Borders between nodal regions are located where the properties of the regionalized phenomenon come to naught and pass into the properties of the adjacent region.

To identify the border between two nodal areas (market zones) are used gravity models.

If two market centers are of the same size (in terms of population, in terms of the total value of the goods and services offered), then the border between their spheres of influence will pass in the middle of the distance between them.

If the centers and their market zones are of unequal size, then the border will move towards the smaller center.

Let cities 1 and 2 be at distance D12 from each other and have market zones M1 and M2. В2 - turning point from the second city: