The Demographic Situation as a Factor of Employment in the Russian Village

Abstract

The demographic situation in the Russian countryside is one of the key factors in the economic development of rural areas. At the same time, the demography of rural settlements is an indicator of the quality of life and infrastructure development. The following social welfare institutions are needed to ensure attractiveness of any village in Russia: schools, preschool institutions, cultural institutions, sports facilities, medical institutions, etc. A sociological study conducted by the Orel State Agrarian University on the basis of the All-Russian Research Institute of Social Development of the Village in the municipal districts of the Orel Region is presented in this paper. We focused on the rural residents in 5 municipal districts (Mtsensky, Soskovsky, Shablykinsky, Glazunovsky, Bolkhovsky) of the Orel region (Russia). They represent all natural and economic zones of the region (Western, Central and Southeast). The main feature used for sampling was the age of the rural population. The study focuses on different age categories of the rural population. However, the compared socio-parameters were not strongly deformed in the age-sex aspect and reflected the specifics of the survey. Respondents were asked to list those factors having a greater impact on the demographic situation in their villages. The study shows that among the critical factors are the place of respondents’ residence, and its remoteness from the rural settlement’s center. Based on the obtained data and available insights, the paper provides generalized conclusions and assumptions that can serve as a guide in the field of decision-making on sustainable development of rural territories in the Orel region of Russia.