Regional development prospects depend on a set of factors, among which the
most essential are the population density, distance between actors, and the
level of development. Those aspects are revealed, on one hand, while
analyzing the type of regional development (intensive or extensive), and on
the other hand, from the standpoint of the center-peripheral model. An
assessment of the sectoral structure of employed people in the economy of
the region and the population density are also used to identify the
development type. The combination of these approaches makes it possible to
identify the regional capacity for innovations diffusion and knowledge
spillover. The aim of the research is to assess regional differences in the
economy sectoral structure for identifying the innovative and extensive
types of Russian regions. There are other methods used in the research as
well: cartographic analysis, structural-sectoral analysis, and typology. The
types of regions characterized by disproportions of intensive and extensive
development have been identified. Measures are proposed to realize the
regional economic potential. The issues of the territorial transformation of
the settlement system and economic space are discussed. Further research is
associated with an extended analysis of intensive development factors and
cross-county comparison of the factors of innovations diffusion intensity
and knowledge spillover.