Reorganization of Population Placement System in Northwestern Siberia as a Reflection of Socio-Economic Policies of USSR in 1930s-1950s

Abstract

This study examines the changes in the population placement system within Northwestern Siberia during the 1930s-1950s. It provides an overview of the settlement network that formed the basis of population distribution in the region. Previously unpublished archival data on settlement typology, population size, resettlement to the north during industrialization and collectivization, and post-war periods are introduced into scholarly discourse. The dynamics of population size and distribution in national districts are discussed, along with an exploration of the ethnic composition of rural settlements’ inhabitants. The study notes a decrease in the proportion of indigenous peoples alongside an increase in the number of Belarusians, Ukrainians, and Germans in the ethnic composition of the population, largely due to mass forced migrations. It is concluded that compared to the 1920s, there was a reduction in the number of small settlements of nomadic peoples (yurts, reindeer camps) during the period under review. As a result of sedentarization efforts among the indigenous population of the region, a significant portion of their settlements became permanent and acquired town status. The typological structure of the settlement network changed: the number of “alien” type settlements decreased, giving rise to “special settlements,” an increase in towns, and rural nonagricultural settlements such as animal farms, forestry areas, and settlements near factories.