Territorial Development of Russia as a Leading Exporter on Global Commodity Markets

Abstract

The article discusses the infl uence of Russia’s participation on global commodity markets as the leading exporter on its territorial development. Survey of four centuries shows that in the 17th century the export of furs was the most important, in the 18th century – of “ship goods”, in the 19th century the export of grain joined the export basket of the country, as well as gold, in the 20th century oil and gas became key export commodities. It is shown that consequent waves of development and urbanization of the country were related with export of these goods on global markets. Four major historic-geographical macroregions of Russia are identifi ed, where urbanization and evolution of territorial structure of the economy were largely formed by the participation on the relevant global markets and intense wave of territorial development in corresponding centuries.