Demographic contraction as an indicator of the problems of single-industry municipalities

Abstract

Migration processes associated with the outflow of the population from single-industry municipalities (monotowns) are becoming one of the components of global demographic changes on the territory of the Russian Federation. One of the tools to curb demographic contraction in the territory of single-industry municipalities can be the strengthening of diversification of the economy of monotowns, which should contribute to improving the quality of life of the population, including through a change in the structure of employment. The article analyzes the existing trends in the socio-economic development of single-industry towns of various types and shows that a significant number of them are characterized by demographic contraction, caused, among other things, by outflow of the working age population. Correlation analysis for a number of indicators characterizing demographic processes in single-industry municipalities showed a weak connection between them. Population survey data for 2016 and 2019 indicate a low assessment of measures to support single-industry towns by the population. The most significant factors for residents, indicating a favourable level of socio-economic development of the single-industry entity, in the opinion of the respondents, are employment opportunities, a decent level of wages, the quality of medical care, the quality of housing and utilities, and the ecological situation.