⎯The paper analyzes changes in the ethnic composition of the population of Stavropol krai and the transformation of its ethnic map from 1959 to 2010. It has been determined that the geographical position and the demographic and migration situation are the main reasons for the dynamics of these processes. Stavropol krai is a kind of contact zone between Orthodoxy and Islam and between the areas of the settlement patterns of ethnic groups of the Indo-European, North Caucasian, and Altaic language families. The proximity of Stavropol krai to Dagestan, Chechnya, North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, and Karachay-Cherkessia largely explains the multiethnicity of its population. In moments of extreme migration activity, the krai's territory was turned into a kind of corridor for migration, a buffer zone, and a transit area. Foreign migrants, mainly from South Caucasian countries, have made a great contribution to the modern ethnic composition of the krai's population. Five stages can be distinguished in the structural dynamics of Stavropol krai's ethnic population in since 1959: very stable, stable, turning, dynamic, and relatively dynamic. At the present stage, Stavropol krai has centers of multiethnicity, an ethnic semiperiphery, and an ethnic periphery.

The article considers the possibilities of using geoinformation systems for monitoring migration processes at different territorial levels. The concept of development and functioning of the system of geoinformation monitoring of migration processes in Russia is proposed. This system makes it possible to obtain, update and analyze information, provide process modeling, and develop effective management solutions. The geoinformation monitoring system is implemented on the basis of the Microsoft SQL Server relational database management system and the ESRI АгсGIS family of software products and consists of five key components: hardware, software, data, performers, and methods. The study of modern migration processes at several territorial levels — from macro-regional to local-was carried out using the geo-information monitoring system. At the macro-regional level (for example, in the South of Russia), there is a differentiation of regions by the level of migration growth and the nature of migration processes. At the regional level of monitoring, the features of internal migration processes in the Stavropol territory are considered. The migration loss zone in the province covers almost all rural areas. Migration growth of the population is typical only for large cities and their suburban areas. At the local settlement level, the geo-information monitoring system makes it possible to study such characteristics of migration processes as the ethnic and social composition of migrants, the distribution of migrants by localities, and migration links between different territories.