POSITIONS OF LARGE AND BIG CITIES IN SPATIAL TRANSFORMATIONS OF REGIONS OF RUSSIA: CASE OF THE URALS
N.Yu. Vlasova
Ural State University of Economics, Ekaterinburg, Russia
Keywords: economic space, largest cities, large cities, big cities, urbanization, the Urals, spatial significance, region
Abstract
This article examines the positions of large cities (250-1,000 thousand people) and towns (100-250 thousand people) in regions’ economic space drawing on the example of the Ural macro region. We assess spatial significance in terms of specific weights in population size, investment, the volume of manufacturing output, retail trade turnover, and the commissioning of residential buildings. All indicators are found to have disproportions, which testifies to a violated spatial structure and a deformed economic space. Large cities and towns in the Urals are characterized by low population density, and their shares in the retail trade turnover and the commissioning of residential buildings are lower than shown by demographic indicators. The traditional industry is the only proverbial “anchor" that maintains the existing settlement structure. Compared to 2007, 2017 saw the spatial significance of large cities and towns in the Urals decreased. Such urban localities cease to function as trade and service centers for neighboring regions. Preserving the status quo poses the risks of growing imbalance in the national economic space and requires the advanced development of large cities and towns.
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