Socio-economic Development Of Region Research Articles

The impact of conflict on energy poverty: Evidence from sub-Saharan Africa

This study uses the actual number of fatalities and the influx of refugees as proxies for conflict to empirically investigate the impact of violent events on energy poverty in SSA over 30 years from 1990 to 2019. The research aims to gain valuable insights into the conflict-energy poverty nexus in SSA, where both miseries are widespread and hindering the region's socio-economic development. These insights will assist in identifying policy directions necessary for eradicating energy poverty, in line with the United Nations' SDG-7 goals. The study achieves this by controlling for factors such as GDP, trade, oil rents, exchange rate, electricity losses and institutional quality. To ensure the robustness of our analysis, we applied different econometric techniques comprising fixed effects, Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) and quantile regression estimations to investigate the relationship between conflict fatalities and electricity poverty. All the different panel data models consistently show conflict fatalities to have a detrimental effect on electricity consumption, production, and access rates. The fixed effects quantile regression analysis also reveals a disparate impact of conflict fatalities on electricity consumption and production depending on a country's energy poverty level. There is a progressive increase in the coefficients as energy poverty levels reduce, indicating that countries making appreciable progress in addressing electricity poverty are more at risk of faltering if conflict breaks out. However, replacing fatalities with the number of refugees in a host country as the proxy for conflict results in higher electricity access rates.

ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT OF INDUSTRIAL AGGLOMERATIONS ON LOCAL ECONOMIC GROWTH

The article examines the scientific theories on the assessment of the impact of industrial agglomeration on the socio-economic development of regions, as well as the mechanisms of formation and development of industrial agglomerations. Based on the Cobb-Douglas production function, a method for assessing the impact of industrial agglomeration on regional economic growth is proposed. Based on the proposed method, the impact of industrial agglomerations on regional development in the regions of the Republic of Uzbekistan was determined based on the static agglomeration index. According to the results, it was determined that the development of industrial agglomerations has different positive and negative effects on economic growth in regions.

Spatial Correlation between Water Resources and Rural Settlements in the Yanhe Watershed Based on Bivariate Spatial Autocorrelation Methods

The production–living–ecological functions of rural settlements are closely tied to water resources, which are the primary influencing factors of the spatial characteristics of rural settlements. However, the specific relationship between water resources and the spatial characteristics of rural settlements remains unclear. Understanding the interrelationship between the two can better safeguard the ecological pattern of the basin and optimize the living environment of settlements. This study utilized multi-source data to calculate the water yield, water demand, and ecological surplus or deficit of water resources in the Yanhe watershed. We quantified the spatial characteristics of rural settlements and employed bivariate spatial autocorrelation methods to analyze the spatial correlation between water resources and the spatial distribution, scale, and boundary form of rural settlements in the Yanhe watershed. The results show the following: ➀ Seven sub-basins in the upper reaches exhibit a severe ecological deficit in water resources, with insufficient water resources to support the demands of regional socio-economic development. The middle and lower reaches have achieved a balance between water supply and demand. ➁ Rural settlements are most densely distributed in the middle reaches, with the smallest area scale, exhibiting a transitional spatial characteristic towards the upstream and downstream ends. ➂ The Moran’s I values of spatial aggregation and morphological index of rural settlements with respect to the ecological surplus or deficit of water resources are 0.36 and 0.50, respectively, indicating a strong positive correlation. The Moran’s I value of the area scale with respect to the ecological surplus or deficit of water resources is −0.60, indicating a significant negative correlation. This research has important practical significance for guiding the spatial layout of rural settlements in the Yanhe watershed and promoting their sustainable development.

Ukrainian unitary state: principles of territorial organization, characteristics, specificity of decentralization

The article examines the problem of the unitary state. A key place is occupied by the principles of the territorial system of Ukraine, in particular, people’s rule, publicity, legality, equality of administrative and territorial units, stability, systematicity, compliance with the norms of international law. In the conditions of reforming the territorial system of Ukraine, the objects and phenomena of a territorial nature, the content of the system-forming connections between them undergo qualitative changes. The foundations of the territorial organization of unitary Ukraine are enshrined in the Constitution of Ukraine, in particular, in its article 132. The Basic Law of Ukraine defines that the territorial organization of the state is based on the principles of unity, integrity of the state territory, a combination of centralization and decentralization in the exercise of state power, balanced socio-economic development of regions, considering their historical, economic, ecological, geographical, demographic characteristics, ethnic and cultural traditions. The fundamental principles of the territorial system of Ukraine include: the principle of unitarism, the principle of the inviolability of the territories of Ukraine, the principle of guaranteed territorial integrity and state sovereignty. The article pays special attention to the characteristic features of a unitary state: territorial supremacy, a system of legitimate state authorities, a single constitutional and legal system, a single citizenship, a single and indivisible economic space, a single credit and monetary system and financial policy, national state symbols, national armed forces and law enforcement system, absolute international legal personality. It is emphasized that the formation of a type of unitary state is influenced by the order of formation of administrative and territorial units. The unitary state system of Ukraine is the main underlying principle of the constitutional system of the state. Unitarianism is of great importance and role in the civilizational development of Ukraine. The Constitution of Ukraine declares a combination of centralization and decentralization in the territorial organization of the state. Since 2014, the functioning of public power in Ukraine has been moving away from centralization with an emphasis on decentralization, which is characteristic of the decentralized model of public power. This decentralization should be based on the strengthening of the constitutional and legal status of local self-government. In the unitary state model, the power distribution mechanism works in a special mode characteristic of it, forming a balance of power. Key words: Ukraine, unitary state, principles of territorial organization, signs of a unitary state, democracy, local self-government, decentralization.

The Effectiveness of Vocational Training Programs on Employment Outcomes

Purpose: This study investigates the effectiveness of vocational training programs in enhancing employment outcomes. Research Design and Methodology: Employing a quantitative descriptive approach, the study synthesizes insights from prior research to delineate the impact of vocational training on participants' employment prospects. Findings and Discussion: The literature review reveals a positive association between vocational training participation and favorable employment outcomes. High-quality programs aligned with industry needs yield more favorable outcomes. Socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, and educational attainment also influence employment prospects post-training. Additionally, vocational training contributes to socio-economic mobility and regional development. Implications: Evidence-based policy interventions and collaborations between stakeholders are essential for enhancing the effectiveness and inclusivity of vocational training programs. Addressing socio-economic disparities and ensuring program relevance is imperative for maximizing societal benefits. Longitudinal studies and comparative analyses are recommended for future research to understand further vocational training programs' long-term impacts and relative effectiveness.

Reproduction of Natural Resource Capital in the Framework of the Implementation of Vari-ous Priorities of Regional Socio-Economic Development

The use of cognitive modeling tools in the process of studying the influence of the dominants of regional socio-economic development on the parameters of reproduction of the natural resource capital of the territory is considered. Particular attention is paid to the implementation of this process in the agricultural sector, its relationship with the possibility of achieving the effect of resource decoupling.

Investigation of groundwater potential using geomatics and geophysical methods: Case study of the Anzi sub-basin, western Anti-Atlas, Morocco

The mapping of water potential in arid regions holds crucial significance for the sustainable management of water resources in these vulnerable environments. The Anzi sub-basin in Morocco is confronted with water scarcity, presenting a significant challenge. The region's arid climate and limited accessibility to groundwater resources further exacerbate this scarcity, ultimately constraining the region's socioeconomic development, heavily reliant on agriculture. To address this issue, the current study employs mathematical modeling, specifically the frequency ratio (FR) method, and geomatics tools such as remote sensing (RS) and geographic information systems (GIS) to map and assess potential groundwater zones. The study considers multiple factors influencing water availability, including the density of drainage nodes, lineament density, permeability, slope, NDVI, curvature, distance to drainage, topographic wetness index (TWI), sediment transport index (STI), distance to lineament, and rainfall. The investigation identifies 45 wells, of which 70% are used for model application and the remaining 30% for validation. The model application results in the identification of five potential zones: very high, high, moderate, low, and very low, encompassing 3.97%, 10.11%, 23.38%, 35.02%, and 27.53% of the total study area, respectively. Furthermore, the model's validity is confirmed through the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis, indicating a reliability value of 82.5% for the FR method in mapping groundwater potential. These findings align with the results obtained from geophysical prospecting in the region. Notably, the locations of high-flow wells generally correspond to moderately to highly conductive anomalies of resistivity, primarily attributed to the presence of quaternary formations, geological faults, and geophysically derived faults. These results are further validated by proton magnetic resonance surveys.

Assessment of Socio-Economic Adaptability to Ageing in Resource-Based Cities and Its Obstacle Factor

The resource-based city is a type of city with pronounced ageing problems. Correctly grasping the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in resource-based cities can help actively guide the direction of urban development and build a new socio-economic order for the elderly. This paper first selects 125 resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020 for characteristic analysis, and finds that resource-based cities are characterized by fast growth rate and a large proportion of ageing population, deep ageing, large regional differences and uncoordinated ageing development with regional socio-economic development levels. The research objective of this article is to explore the temporal evolution characteristics, spatial patterns, agglomeration characteristics, and factors hindering the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020. Therefore, an indicator system for assessing the socio-economic adaptability to ageing was constructed, and the improved entropy-weighted TOPSIS model was used to measure the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in 113 resource-based cities in China from 2000 to 2020. The spatio-temporal variation characteristics of the socio-economic adaptability to ageing in resource-based cities were analyzed by descriptive analysis and Moran’s index, and the main obstacle dimensions and obstacle indicators were clarified by the obstacle factor model. The findings can be summarized as follows: Temporal Analysis: Over the timeframe assessed, the socio-economic adaptability of ageing in resource cities demonstrates a consistent year-on-year improvement. The spatial clustering pattern exhibits a noteworthy trend of “significant-significant-insignificant”. Spatial Pattern: Examining the spatial arrangement from 2000 to 2020, areas with medium-low and low adaptability are prominently concentrated in Eastern China and Northeastern China, while regions with medium-high and high adaptability are focal in Northern China and Eastern China. Hebei Province and its neighboring provinces consistently display H-H clustering, contrasting with the Southwestern regions that persistently exhibit L-L clustering. Obstacle Degree Analysis: Across the 2000 to 2020 period, dimensions related to economic development, social participation, and social security consistently emerge as the primary obstacles. Notably, the top 12 average annual obstacle indicators are selected, and within economic development dimension all 4 indicators predominate as the key obstacles. Within the social participation dimension, tertiary sector value added and total retail sales of consumer goods per capita feature as primary obstacles. Regarding social security, impediments are primarily associated with the ratio of Medicare coverage, the ratio of pension coverage, alongside the development level of the social security sector. In the domain of service provision, key obstacle indicators include park area per capita, number of books in public libraries per 100 inhabitants, and public trams and buses per 10,000 inhabitants.

Effects of soil and water conservation measures of slope surfaces on flood peaks of small watersheds: A study based on three extreme rainstorm events in northern China

Flash floods resulting from extreme rainstorms seriously threaten regional socioeconomic development. However, few studies have explored the general impacts of soil and water conservation measures (SWCMs) on flood peaks during extreme rainstorms through multiple field investigations. On the basis of field surveys of three rainstorm events in Shaanxi, Shandong, and Henan provinces, the effects of vegetation and agricultural terraces on flood peaks were investigated in 75 small watersheds in northern China. Compared with watersheds dominated by sloping cropland, the flood peak modulus of watersheds dominated by forest land, grass land, and agricultural terraces decreased by 54.75%, 47.80%, and 53.65%, respectively; the peak shaving effects (PSEs) of SWCMs were stronger during minor floods. Soil and water conservation measures reduced the flood magnitudes of small watersheds and their sensitivities to rainstorm events; the PSEs were positively correlated with the area of SWCMs. In earth-rocky mountainous areas, the PSEs of forest land were stronger than those of grassland and agricultural terraces, while in the loess hilly-gully areas, the PSEs of agricultural terraces were stronger than those of other SWCMs. In loess hilly-gully areas, the flash floods demonstrated a phenomenon of small rainfall amounts but substantial flood peaks. Besides the reasonable installation of SWCMs on slopes, appropriate channel measures (e.g., check dams) are warranted to cope with extreme rainstorm events. In northern earth-rocky mountainous areas, intercropping management should be promoted to cover bare soil on orchard agricultural terraces. Our results provide a theoretical basis for combating extreme rainstorm disasters.

Effect Of Banditry On Socio-Economic Development Of North-West Geopolitical Zone Of Nigeria

The emergence of criminal bandits in the northwest Nigeria has further deteriorated the socio-economic growth of the region already crippled by Bokoharam insurgency and other security challenges. This article offers to interrogate the effect of banditry on socio-economic development of northwest geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The article adopts both descriptive and analytical research designs for collection and analysis of data. The findings of the study reveal among others that: banditry has negatively impacted on average per-capita income of the people, bandit activities have significantly affected human dignity among women and banditry has significant impact on food security. Consequently, the article holds the view that the region's socioeconomic development is still a long way off due to bandit operations. It recommends among others that in the envisaged new order, local government and traditional institutions should be actively and fully involved in security measure(s) against banditry in the region.

The role of the gross regional product in forming the standard of living in the regions of the Volga Federal District

Russia is characterized by differences in the level of development of regions, the quality of life of the population. According to the World Bank, Russia ranks third in the world in terms of regional inequality. The quality of life is one of the most important indicators recognized by the UN, characterizing the level of development of countries and nations. For Russia, the issue of assessing the quality of life in the regions under the current sanctions conditions is of particular importance. The purpose of the study is to study the role and significance of GRP in the socio-economic development of regions, in shaping the standard of living of the population, and to establish the relationship between GRP and other indicators. In the absence of a unified methodology, the RIRATING rating agency conducts a quality of life rating based on more than 70 indicators, but this list does not include GRP. The peculiarity of the author's approach: GRP is considered as the most important, initial indicator, on the value of which the standard of living of the population depends. The information base of the study was the data of the rating agency, methods were used: analysis and synthesis, grouping, comparison, collation, index, tabular, generalization, etc. The study established the impact of GRP on the quality of life. At the same time, high GRP values do not indicate the efficiency of the region's economy; they do not in themselves provide a high standard of living for the population, since the quality of life is a whole range of interrelated indicators.

The impact of sectoral polarization shifts on economic growth in the regional aspect

Economic science has been studying polarization features in the socio-economic development of territories for a long time. However, the current state of economic, political, social and other processes contributes to the strengthening of the gap in key economic indicators in the global space, subjects and industries provoking a strong asymmetry of socio-economic development of the regions of Russia. The purpose of the research is to study trends in the manifestation of polarization shifts and explain spatial heterogeneity in order to form conceptual approaches to the qualitative achievement of equilibrium in a single economic space. The objectives of the study are closely related to the study of the emerging imbalance in the strategic development programs of the subjects, the level and sources of financial flows, the distribution of labor resources, the level of the social situation and other important areas of economic activity of the territories. To conduct research, we compiled approaches to the analysis of indicators of socio-economic development, changing methods and approaches to the formation of key indicators, identified concentration zones in the intersubject space of the leading complexes of the country's economy. Fundamental research and scientific methods confirm the manifestation of the phenomenon of increasing spatial polarization characteristic of developing countries, in view of the active search and use of competitive advantages to stimulate the economic development of their territories. The domestic economy, traditionally characterized by a high level of spatial polarization, has faced a significant increase in this phenomenon in recent decades. The result of the research is the formation of a new concept for the development of tools and mechanisms for smoothing the socio-economic disunity of the territory, acting as a target for the systemic development of the economic space. New mechanisms should be incorporated into the roadmaps of strategic development of territories. We have studied not only the specifics of transformational processes leading to polarizing shifts in the sectoral and regional economies, but also identified the priority tasks of leveling asymmetric manifestations of socio-economic development. At the same time, current trends in the distribution of accents in the study of classical indicators of the analysis of socio-economic development of regions were formed and trends reflecting the current state of the world economic system were proposed for study.

MEASUREMENT OF STRESS LEVEL IN BUFFALOES BY THE EFFECT OF REPEATED RECTAL PALPATION IN TEACHING ENVIRONMENT

Livestock contributed 60.1 percent to the agriculture value added and 11.5 % in overall GDP during 2020-21 (Economic Survey 2020-21). Livestock plays a major and vital role in socio economic development of rural region of country. According to economic survey of Pakistan, 42.4 million buffalo population is present in Pakistan. Small holding buffalo farming system is present in rural areas of Pakistan. Rectal palpation is the most useful method for conducting pregnancy diagnosis, artificial inseminations and detection of various reproductive anomalies in large domestic animals like cows and buffaloes. This procedure, however, can prove to be stressful and painful for these animals which raise an animal health and welfare issue. Blood picture in terms of changed levels of cortisol, glucose, cholesterol and blood cells may occur in animals subjected to this procedure. Similarly, behavioral symptoms of elevated heart rate and respiratory rates may also occur. The aim of the current project, therefore, was to study the effects of repeated rectal palpation-related stress response in blood constituents in buffaloes so that the appropriate counter measures could be adapted to save the animals from impending pain and stress. The study was conducted on ten buffaloes divided into two groups each i.e. experimental and control. Buffaloes were subjected to rectal palpation procedure. Blood samples were collected before and after rectal palpation for serum cortisol and complete blood cells count. Blood samples were also collected from buffaloes of control group without rectal palpation. Physical parameters were also noted. No statistically significant difference found in cortisol levels, CBC or physical parameters i.e. TPR that demonstrates that rectal palpation procedure inflicts no harm to buffaloes and can be used for the training of students.

ECONOMIC SECURITY OF THE REGIONS OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE FORMATION OF TERRITORIES OF SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT

The current period of economic formation is characterized by the active development of global processes and global crises, which are accompanied by the strengthening and aggravation of relations between countries, the aggravation of political and economic problems, which ultimately entails a loss of stability and the potential for their development. In this connection, the most important problem is ensuring the economic security of the country, which is necessary not only for its independence and the protection of its economy from external and internal threats, but also will ensure the economic sovereignty of the country and the unity of its economic space. It is impossible to imagine the economic security of a country without an innovative component that combines various types of resources: technical, technological, managerial, infrastructural and other resources and factors affecting the implementation of innovative processes that are the basis of modern socio-economic development of countries and regions.
 Preparation and implementation of projects to create a new formation of sustainable innovative development of the territory, taking into account the specific features of the development of cities and their regions during the period of deep transformational changes in the world economy is a priority task
 The analysis makes it possible to conclude that it is necessary to develop a systematic approach to the formation of territories of sustainable innovative development, taking into account the assessment of the relationship between improving the efficiency of socio-economic development of the region with a stabilizing effect and the initialization of an innovative breakthrough in the activities of enterprises and organizations in the global global crisis.
 Purpose. Development of a systematic approach to the formation of territories of sustainable innovative development in the context of the global crisis in order to ensure the economic security of the region.
 Methodology in article: methods as classification, generalization, typology, analysis and synthesis, comparison and comparison, method of logical interpretation, method of analogy, method of proof, method of logical justification.
 Results: Specific methods and tools for creating territories of innovative development of a new formation are formulated within the framework of economic transformations carried out in the country under the conditions of sanctions pressure in order to increase the level of national economic security.
 Practical implications it is advisable to apply the results obtained to improve the quality of management in the formation of an innovative strategy for the economic security of the subjects of the Russian Federation

Возможности практического применения методических рекомендаций по определению опорных населенных пунктов (на примере Европейского Севера России)

This article addresses the challenges associated with establishing a system of key settlements as one of the tools to ensure balanced spatial development of the country. In 2022, the Government of the Russian Federation approved methodological recommendations for classifying settlements as key ones, and corresponding lists were compiled in each region. The purpose of this article is to assess the practical applicability of these methodological recommendations as a mechanism for managing spatial development, using the regions of the European North of Russia as a case study. The study employs research methods such as synthesis, generalization, statistical analysis, spatial analysis, and content analysis. The study is based on works by Russian and international authors on spatial and regional economics, statistical data, and regulatory documents issued by public authorities. The research examines the role of key settlements in the socio-economic development of regions and tests the officially approved methodological recommendations in the European North of Russia. A list of small towns, semi-urban settlements, and villages that meet the specified criteria has been compiled. Based on a content analysis of the regulatory documents regarding the regions of European North of Russia, the towns and settlements were identified that had been classified as key ones. It is observed that authorities often do not fully adhere to the official requirements outlined in the methodological recommendations, mainly due to their general nature and the lack of consideration for regional features. Another issue lies in the absence of a hierarchy of key settlements. The novelty of this research is associated with providing an assessment of the practical applicability of the approved methodological recommendations for selecting key settlements. The results of the study have scientific value and practical applicability within relevant fields of study and can also be used by federal authorities and local governments when developing measures for the formation and development of a network of key settlements on the territory of the European North of Russia.

METHODS OF ANALYSIS OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF REGIONS ON THE BASE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES (EXAMPLE OF NAMANGAN REGION)

This article examines the theoretical and practical aspects of using digital technologies in the analysis of socio-economic development of regions. The indicators of socio-economic development of Namangan region and the dynamics of change trends were analyzed using GIS technologies.

UKRAINIAN UNIVERSITIES AS CLUSTERS OF REGIONAL SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: INSPIRATIONS FROM EUROPEAN EXPERIENCE

The experience of regional cooperation of certain European universities, which occupy leading positions in ARWU, is analyzed. Based on the understanding of the experience and best practices, directions of the possible influence of Ukrainian universities on the socioeconomic development of the country's regions are substantiated.In European science and practice, the following areas of cooperation between universities and regions are developed: the role of universities in accelerating innovative regional development, the social mission of universities in regional development, strategic management of the university in the context of regional development, management of regional development partnerships. Measurable indicators of the effectiveness of regional engagement are the share of university graduates employed in the region, the share of regional sources in financing the university, students’ internships carried out in the region, and joint publications. Analysis of strategic documents of Ukrainian universities included in the international economic engagement ranking UMultirank proved the practical absence of a vision of the value of cooperation of these universities with regional stakeholders and limited practice of interaction with them.The regional engagement policy of European universities is a key element of strategies. One of the most significant strategic goals of EU universities is to increase cultural, societal and economic impact at both local and regional levels. It was determined that universities are recognized as a leading force in society that contributes to democracy and sustainable development. Their impact on regional economic development is embodied by the support of qualified jobs, improvement of the supply of trained professionals, competence provision on the regional level, fostering a knowledge-based economy. Impact on solving regional societal problems is embodied by reaching out to non-traditional learners from the community, contributing to the resolution of societal problems, and offering programs for vulnerable groups. Universities also contribute to a wider spread of innovative and management culture, decision-making processes and policy advice in sector reforms.

Воздействие демографических факторов на трудовые ресурсы северных регионов ресурсного типа

The demographic challenges faced by Northern regions are closely tied to economic development and require specific methodological approaches that account for the unique population dynamics in the vast but sparsely populated northern territories of the Russian Federation. This article explores the theoretical aspects of regional socio-economic development in relation to the demographic system and trends in socio-economic development. The aim of the research is to analyze the influence of demographic factors on the current labor market and workforce structure in Northern resource-based regions (NRBRs). Examining the present situation in these regions reveals a certain degree of population stabilization, with the exception of the Magadan region, population aging, an increase in demographic burden, and urbanization. A correlation and regression analysis shows significant direct and inverse relationships with factors shaping the labor market. A conclusion is made about the statistically significant positive relationship between male and female employment rates and parameters such as the share of the working-age population and the level of education. The study’s scientific novelty lies in the methodological approach developed and tested by the authors to evaluate demographic and economic factors influencing the modern labor market in NRBRs. Further development of state mechanisms to regulate demographic development is necessary to ensure that the regional labor market is adequately supplied with skilled personnel. The implementation of the Concept of Demographic Policy of the Russian Federation until 2025 and the Demography National Project can have a positive impact on demographic processes and the formation of regional labor markets. The results of the study can be valuable to executive authorities for monitoring and forecasting socio-economic processes at the regional level.

The Average Wage in the North-West Federal District: An Assessment of Territorial Disparities on a Settlement Level

Introduction. Effective management of regional socioeconomic development processes is not possible without an objective understanding of impact on the economy exerted by internal territorial disparities. The lack of open data in the official statistics concerning settlements and displaying such a basic indicator as an average wage does not contribute to the task also. For the first time, the suggested solution of the following problem is to use an alternative source of data ‒ Russian form of personal income tax (5-NDFL) tax reports. The goal of the article is to determine territorial disparities between average wages on the settlement level in the North-West Federal District. Materials and Methods. The research covers all municipalities of the North-West Federal District from 2015 to 2020. Average wages in urban and rural settlements, municipal districts and city districts were calculated based on the analysis of 7947 5-NDFL tax reports. A comparison was made with the data from the official statistics. The coefficient of variation and the Gini index were calculated for each area and the North-West District in whole as well as the difference between progressive and regressive types of average wages. Mappings were made for selected municipal areas. Results. Based on the data extracted from 5-NDFL forms, the research suggests a method of average wage calculation in municipalities. The proof is given that the following tax reports can be viewed as an appropriate source of data for determination of income inequality in case of settlements. It is established that territorial disparities in the Federal District have decreased due to the slight growth of average and median wages. Through the example of selected municipal districts, the research displays the existing difference in wages amid urban and rural settlements and also indicates the decisive role of the area center in the consolidated regional scores. Discussion and Conclusion. A comparative analysis of inequality indicators in wages has revealed higher values of territorial disparities at the settlement level. In practical terms, the transition from district values of indicators to settlement values in the state monitoring system makes it possible to increase the objectivity of assessing ongoing processes and improve the quality of managerial decision-making.

Spatiotemporal Distributions of Multiple Land Use Functions and Their Coupling Coordination Degree in the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration, China

In order to gain a comprehensive understanding of land system changes and regional sustainable development, it is crucial to explore the spatiotemporal distributions of multiple land use functions (LUFs). Therefore, herein, considering the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration (YRDUA) as the research object, we constructed an evaluation system based on the perspective of production–living–ecological (PLE) land functions. Furthermore, the coupling coordination model, kernel density curve, trend surface analysis, and spatial autocorrelation model were used to examine the spatial and temporal characteristics of LUFs and their coupling coordination and analyze the spatial clustering of the coupling coordination effect in the urban agglomeration from 2005 to 2020. The following results were obtained: The level of PLE functions and its coupling coordination degree in the YRDUA have been improved in the study period, and the distribution of high value areas of different functions is diverse. In terms of the spatial distribution of the coupling coordination degree, the high value areas of production function (PF)–living function (LF) is distributed in “clusters”, the PF–ecological function (EF) demonstrated a single-polarized development structure, and the LF-EF exhibited a multi-core structure. The coupling coordination of the LUFs demonstrated a “high in the east and low in the west” pattern in the east–west direction and an inverted “U” shape in the north–south direction. Moreover, both high-value and low-value areas exhibited a clustering phenomenon, with an evident spatial positive correlation. The results of this study can serve as a reference for the integrated socioeconomic development of the Yangtze River Delta region and the sustainable development of urban land use.