The Spatial Structure of the Moscow Metropolis

Abstract

Due to the scale of population and economic concentration, Moscow is a mega-polis forming a vast zone of influence around itself. The accumulated economic and financial potential of the capital, as well as its huge consumer demand, consistently act as the most important factors in the development of the surrounding regions of the Non-Chernozem region. These regions can be considered as the periphery of the Moscow Metropolis, a supra-agglomeration spatial structure developing around Moscow. During the post-Soviet period, there has been a steady trend towards the centralization of demographic, economic and investment resources in Moscow and the Moscow region. Active population growth, investment penetration and active suburbanization in the 50-60-kilometer zone closest to Moscow are taking place against the background of socio-economic depression in rural areas, small and medium-sized urban centers in areas more remote from the capital. Today, Moscow and the 60-kilometer zone around it concentrate 65% of the metropolitan population, as well as over 80% of its gross product and investments in fixed assets. This is also the zone of active daily pendulum labor migrations to Moscow (up to 1.5 million people daily), which are carried out by 15 to 60% of the total able-bodied population living here. Along with this, there are prerequisites for promising development as part of the metropolis and more remote territories. In particular, there is an integration of regional labor markets with Moscow, through alternative work formats – over a million residents of the periphery are othodniki (shift workers), remote and hybrid employment is widespread. An important factor in the socio-economic development of the “bloodless” rural area of the peripheral metropolis is the filling of its 4 million summer residents in the summer season. Thus, joining the Moscow Metropolis of the regions surrounding the capital, along with risks, creates unique integration opportunities for them and sets a strategic vector for their spatial development.