Assessment of Socio-economic Situation of the Border Territories of Zabaikalye Territory in Terms of Joining the Far-Eastern Federal District

Abstract

The article assesses the level of economic development and the state of the social sphere of the border territories of Zabaikalye Territory. Twelve districts of Zabaikalye Territory have a border position. Five of them are located along the border with Mongolia, seven - with People’s Republic of China. The article shows that formation of social and economic spheres of the border districts territories was influenced by historical and geographical factors. Formation of the economic complex of the border territories in the historical perspective was subsidized. The change of the historical conditions for development of the border territories contributed to reduction of production, destruction of industrial and social infrastructure, emergence of stable negative trends in the social sphere. The study shows that all border districts are differentiated by the level of economic development. The districts located in the South-West of the Territory along the border with Mongolia, show the greatest lag in the sphere of economy. The greatest contribution to economic development of Zabaikalye Territory is made by the border districts located in the south-eastern part along the border with China: Gazimuro-Zavodsky, Krasnokamensky, Mogochinsky districts. At the same time, all border territories are characterized by relatively low quality and standard of living, that causes socio-cultural degradation and determine a high level of migration of the population from the border areas. The article makes an assumption that the increasing differentiation in the level of socio-economic development of the border districts causes the uneven socio-cultural space of Zabaikalye Territory. In the context of joining the Far-Eastern Federal District, the excessive unevenness of the Territory’s socio-economic space consolidates its position in the zone of backwardness and decreases its readiness for cross-border and interregional cooperation.