Population change in the regional centres and internal periphery of the regions in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus over the period of 1990-2000s

Abstract

Abstract. The paper looks into the dynamics of the population size of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus after the census of 1989. Regions and cities of these countries were the focus of the research (territorial units level NUTS-3). The analysis addresses the question to what degree the remoteness from the regional centre, i.e. the position in the core-periphery system, influences the dynamics of the population size of the territorial units of the given level. For the analytical purposes the distinction has been made between the regional centres including adjacent suburban areas and internal regional periphery comprising districts and cities. The main indicator employed was the distance between the periphery areas and regional centres.The results of the analysis show that in spite of the depopulation of all three countries and severe transformational crisis, there was a steady growth of the population size in the regional centres, while the periphery areas of the regions continued to lose the population. The mentioned differences are primarily determined by migration flows, since the fertility rates are below the replacement level in all the countries' territories. Population tends to concentrate in the regional centres, which means urbanisation has not been completed yet. While similar patterns of population decline are observed in the periphery areas of Ukraine and Belarus, in Russia the depopulation rates are negatively influenced by the factor of remoteness of a periphery area from the regional centre. All three countries experienced rural population decline everywhere but suburban areas of the regional centres.

Russian periphery is dying in movement: a cohort assessment of internal youth migration in Central Russia

“…The demographic development of hinterland does not seem to be sustainable. The research for the previous intercensal in Russia, 1989Russia, -2002, showed that up to 40% of school graduates had been leaving regional periphery in the search of better opportunities (Karachurina and Mkrtchyan 2015;Mkrtchyan 2013). My estimates demonstrate that the depletion of Russian hinterland is becoming more and more severe.…”

“…Cohort research on youth migration at sub-regional level revealed the increase in the intensity of the centripetal movement in the last intercensal period compared to the previous one (Karachurina and Mkrtchyan 2015). The pace of depopulation of the hinterland is accelerating.…”

“…Depending on the size of the regional capital and it's migratory attractiveness, the center can span over several neighboring municipalities forming an urban agglomeration. Some studies aimed at exploring the distances if regional centers' influence (Karachurina and Mkrtchyan 2015). But these attempts cannot provide an objective basis for classification of regional centers and inner peripheries.…”

Analysis of population concentration and economic activity in the largest regional capitals of Russia

“…UN-Habitat reviews use population numbers (United Nations Centre for Urban Settlements, 2014). Studies of post-Soviet cities usually focus on these cities' contribution to the overall national and/or macro-regional performance (Karachurina & Mkrtchyan, 2015;Zubarevich, 2018). However, it should be noted that the leading positions regional capitals occupy within their respective territories make them to some extent comparable with the official capital (Hodos, 2011;Shagoyan, 2012;Turgel, Bozhko, & Xu, 2016).…”

Impact of Wages on Employment and Migration in the High North of Russia

“…by almost 11%. Bignebat (2006), Mkrtchyan and Karachurina (2015), and Sardadvar and Vakulenko (2016) associate out-migration from the High North regions of Russia with labour demand insufficiency.…”