Population of Urban Settlements: Comparative Analysis of The Russian North and The Republic of Belarus

Abstract

The article examines the urban population of the Russian North and the Republic of Belarus after 1989. Thepurpose of the article is to comparatively analyze the demographic dynamics of urban settlements, considering the differences between the two countries. The text provides an analysis at three levels: state, regional and at the level of urban settlements. The article presents the general dynamics of the population of Russia, its northern territories and the Republic of Belarus; shows the role of demographic components in population dynamics and their transformation at the end of the twentieth century – the beginning of the XXI century. The authors considered the effectiveness of the migration exchange of the northern territoriesof Russia and the Republic of Belarus, showing the scale of migration losses. The article analyzes the dynamics of the number and population density of urban settlements by type in 1989–2020. In terms of the number of urban settlements, small and mediumsized cities are leading, at the same time, by place of residence, most of the population lives in cities over 100 thousand people. The authors note that the Russian North is highly urbanized, surpassing both Russia and Belarus in this indicator. Particular attention is paid to the spatial analysis of the dynamics of the population of urban settlements. The study revealed patterns in thedependence of the demographic development of urban settlements on the spatial distribution. The results allow us to assess the prospects for the further development of urban settlement systems in the Russian North and in the Republic of Belarus, which will find application in strategies and measures for the spatial development of territories. Further research should be aimed at identifying differences in the demographic behavior of residents of settlements with different economic specialization.