Rating of the quality of life of the population in Russian regions

Abstract

A rating assessment of the quality of life of the Russian regions, one of the most important social priorities, has been carried out. Experience of determining the quality of life indices in Russia and abroad is taken into account. The ratings of individual indicators for the constituent entities of the Russian Federation are calculated in three groups: socio-economic development, environmental status, and public health. Positions in the rating in each group were determined by combining the rating points of the three most significant indicators; after that, the integral rating was calculated in the same way. To identify trends, indicators for 2005 and 2015 were selected. A stable position both in 2005 and in 2015 in the top ten is occupied by Moscow and St. Petersburg, and by Tyumen (without AO), Kursk, Belgorod and Tambov oblasts, and the outsiders include Irkutsk, Amur and Arkhangelsk (without AO) oblasts, and by the Republic of Khakassia and Karelia. While in the leading regions, the main problems are associated with the ecological state of the environment, in the outsider regions they are caused by a combination of socio-economic, environmental, medical and demographic problems. The ratings of the constituent entities of the Baikal region are examined in detail. It was found that the common features of Zabaikalskii krai and the Republic of Buryatia are a low level of economic development, and a high level of poverty and mortality of the population. Irkutsk oblast, being a more economically developed region, is distinguished by an increase in poverty, a low standard of health, and by higher mortality rates as compared with the average Russian values, as well as with Zabaikalskii krai and the Republic of Buryatia. Irkutsk oblast occupies the last positions in the ecological ranking. Rating monitoring should be continued as it is required in order to reduce the spatial asymmetry of the country and the imbalances in its socio-economic development.