Transformation of Belarus and Russian agricultural settlement system in the new economic conditions (post-Soviet period)

Abstract

The transition to new economic relations in 1990, the collapse of the Soviet Union, the formation of new states caused the processes of transformation of the settlement system. That determined the need to analyse the current situation at this stage of development. The greatest changes in the structure has undergone a rural settlement that has identified the need for research in Belarus and Russia, including the justification for the new approaches to assessing the level of development of rural settlements in the structure of the current scheme of administrative divisions. Today both in Russia and in Belarus adopted a system of local government areas of rural settlements, which are included in the municipal districts that are component territorial units of federal subjects. However, the system of rural settlement of these republics have differences, which occurred because of the transformation, due to historical processes, economic and political conditions the existing States. The demographic situation in these countries is characterizing by population decline. In Russia, among federal districts the greatest population losses typical for the Far East - 6%, Siberia - 4%, and for the Volga Federal District - 4%. That is, in absolute terms, respectively, 0.4; 0.8 and 1.2 million people.