Urban Settlement System Research Articles

Особенности постсоветской трансформации систем городского расселения Республики Коми в условиях сжимающихся городов и убывающих поселков городского типа

The paper considers the post-Soviet period of transformation of the urban settlement network and urban settlement system of the Komi Republic. The dynamics of the population of shrinking towns and decreasing urban-type settlements under the conditions of increasing negative demographic processes in the period between the population censuses of 1989 and 2020 is analyzed. The main problems of development and typology of urban settlements and urban aglomerations of the region are revealed. General approaches to their solution and possible options for further actions are proposed, depending on the complexity of the socio-economic and demographic situation.

The Urbanization Crisis and the Transformation of Urban Settlement System in Khabarovsk Krai in the 1990s – 2010s

The post-Soviet history of the urbanization process in Russia is still poorly understood both empirically and conceptually. The scarce geography of regional studies, the low level of integration of domestic scientists into international discussions still limit our ability to construct medium-level theories explaining the multi-vector trends in the development of Russian cities and urban-type settlements in the 1990s–2010s. The specific experience of urbanization of the regions of the Far East in this regard seems to be highly important due to its historical and regional originality. The article focuses on the processes of transformation of urban settlement system in the Khabarovsk Krai in the late 1980s–2010s. The study is based on the complex of methods of historical science;its source base includes official statistical data and regulatory documents of the federal, regional and local levels. The author concludes that the last three decades in the history of urban settlements of Khabarovsk Krai can be defined as a period of urbanization crisis. Substantially, this crisis manifested in the loss by cities and urban-type settlements of the region of part (and somewhere, all) of the city-forming enterprises – the economic base, prospects for economic growth; in the reorganization of 14 out of 31 urban-type settlements into rural settlements; in a significant reduction in the population of 6 out of 7 cities (except Khabarovsk) and all urban-type settlements of the region. Not a single new urban-type settlement was created in the region in the 1990s–2010s, and the existing ones did not receive any real grounds for receiving the city status. Only Khabarovsk remains the main support of the region, generating agglomeration and suburbanization processes around it. At the same time, due to Komsomolsk-on-Amur and, to a lesser extent, small towns in the region, the urban settlement system in the region still remains polycentric.

ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ВИКОРИСТАННЯ ОБ'ЄКТІВ КУЛЬТУРНОЇ СПАДЩИНИ У РОЗВИТКУ МІЖНАРОДНОГО ТУРИЗМУ

The article examines the essence of the concept of heritage, the importance of its preservation for future generations. The purpose, goals and approaches of heritage management were studied. After analyzing the existing organizational solutions, plans and projects for the development of cultural heritage objects in international tourism, it was determined that the effective development of international tourism is based on cultural heritage, it`s necessary to use not only traditional objects like monuments of history and culture, but also other elements of heritage like folk culture, traditions and crafts, language and literature, musical and artistic culture, historical urban environment, rural development and settlement system, ethno-cultural environment, natural environment by integrating them into the tourist product. Thus, careful planning of cultural heritage tourism contributes to sustainable regional development. It`s imperative to find the right way to deal with the issues and challenges that arise in the management and promotion of cultural heritage tourism, and once it will lead to a model of cultural heritage tourism development that will contribute gerring significant prospects for the overall tourism business in the region. National and international tourism was and keep remaining one of the main means of cultural exchange, an opportunity to gain professional experience, not only of what has survived from the past, but also of the current life of other groups of people. It`s increasingly recognized as a positive force contributing to the preservation of natural and cultural heritage. Tourism can capture the economic characteristics of heritage and use it to preserve it through resource generation, education development and policy influence. It`s a key economic problem for many countries and regions and can be an important factor in development if managed successfully. Tourism has become a complex phenomenon in full development. It plays an important role in the economic, social, cultural, educational, scientific, ecological and aesthetic spheres. Managing to overcome the conflicts that may exist between the expectations and aspirations of visitors and host communities in order to enhance them, it has got both a challenge and an opportunity. Tourism benefits host communities and provides them with an important means and rationale to take responsibility for the preservation of their heritage. Participation and cooperation between representative host communities, tourism operators, private owners, policy makers, planners and program managers, as well as facility managers, are necessary to implement a sustainable tourism industry and help to protect heritage resources for future generations.

Identification of Regional Factors Affecting Management of Territories: Formation of Residence and Social Infrastructure System in Urban and Rural Settlements in Kazakhstan

Ensuring the socio-economic development of a country and its territories as a key area of public administration includes the choice of directions and approaches to improving the efficiency of management processes. In the study, the authors focused on the processes of settlement, social infrastructure, and architectural and planning organization of populated areas, which are important factors influencing the development of territories. The article aims at developing a conceptual and theoretical model of the management system of the settlement and social infrastructure in the Republic of Kazakhstan. To attain this objective, the following methods were used: the analysis of documents (archives and historical materials), architectural design methods, socio-economic and demographic analysis, SWOT analysis, and population survey. Data collection was carried out during the expedition and from 1991 to 2020 based on monitoring the forms and methods of managing territories in changing socio-economic conditions, which contributes to the improvement of the settlement system of urban and rural settlements, as well as on the way of life of the population, and the impact of historical, climatic, natural, and socio-economic factors on the spatial organization in the territory. Based on the study results, a conceptual and theoretical model of organization management in the settlement system and social infrastructure of Kazakhstan was developed which reduces the level of urbanization in rural areas and increases the comfort of living of the population and the opportunities for attracting tourists.

Transformation of Urban Settlement and Urbanization in the Perm Krai in the XX–XXI Centuries

This article studies the issues of the deployment of urbanization processes in the modern territory of the Perm Krai from the beginning of the 20th century until the 2020s based on the historical and geographical approach. The purpose of the work is to identify the historical and geographical differences between these processes and outline their comprehensive characteristics. The sources of information were the works of representatives of the Perm school of human geography, various statistical collections, electronic publications and reference books containing data on the administrative and territorial structure of the Perm region, as well as changes in urbanization indicators in the region during the 20th–21st centuries. The authors determine four stages in the development of urbanization in the region based on a comparison of indicators of the dynamics of growth in the number of urban settlements and the growth rate of the urban population taking into account historical, spatial and socio-economic properties and events. It is assumed that the results of each stage were the transformations in the urban settlement system of the region, which was reflected in the expansion (until the 1970s–1980s) or contraction (since the 1990s) of the region’s urban space, changes in the ratio of categories of urban settlements by population, which to date have led to an overconcentration of urban residents in the regional center and its hypertrophied role in the territorial organization of society in the Perm region. The results of the study may be of practical interest to specialists in the field of strategic and territorial planning, who develop documents for the prospective development of the region or determine models for such development. The activities of the regional policy of the Perm Krai at the present stage should take into account the negative experience of the past and outline ways out of the current situation through the creation of a more balanced regional system of settlement and management.

Spatial analysis of the settlement system of Zaporizhia region

Formulation of the problem. In 2020, there were some radical changes that took place in the administrative and territorial structure of Zaporizhia region; as a result, 5 new administrative districts were created on its territory instead of 20 previous ones, which significantly affected the structure of the regional settlement system. Therefore, the question arises about the study of the settlement system of the region in the new socio-geographical realities. The purpose of the article. The purpose of the article consists in identification of the current state and spatial differences of the system of settlement of the territory of Zaporizhia region after the reform of the administrative and territorial structure. Methods. The study used methods for calculating quantitative and relative indicators of the state of urban and rural settlement systems, the comparative analysis of the assessment results, as well as methods for typing administrative districts according to the structure of the settlement system. Results. For each new district of the region, there were calculated the following indicators: the population density, population concentration index, the average population density of settlements, the average density of settlements, the average distance between them, the leadership index of the administrative centers of the districts, the level of urbanization of the territory by the share of the urban population, according to the hierarchical method of O. Tereshchenko and according to E. Arriaga’s approach. According to these indicators, the spatial differences in the settlement system of the administrative districts of the region were revealed. Differentiation of the system of urban settlements of the administrative districts of the region significantly exceeds the contrast of the average general indicators of the system of settlement of districts. This is especially evident when using hierarchical approaches to determine the level of urbanization. The district systems of rural settlements in Zaporizhia region have smoother differences in terms of similar indicators in comparison with the systems of urban settlement, which indicates the relative rationality of the new administrative-territorial structure. Based on the calculations, a typological grouping of the new administrative districts of Zaporizhia region according to the modern structure of settlement was carried out.As a result of this grouping, 2 types of districts were singled out: 1) districts with a monocentric settlement system; these include Zaporizhia, Melitopol and Berdyansk districts (they are clearly distinguished by the size, functions performed and the impact on the settlement system of multifunctional regional centers); 2) districts with a polycentric dispersed settlement system, these include Vasilievsky and Pologovsky districts (in these districts there are no centers with strongly marked leading positions both in terms of population and functions performed). Scientific novelty and practical significance. For the first time, there was carriedout an assessmentof the settlement system of the new administrative districts of Zaporizhia region; the spatial differencesof the settlement system were revealed according to various indicators. The data obtained can be used to optimize the territorial management of the region, to predict its further development and to work out strategies for socio-economic development.

Features of the contemporary settlement system on the Crimean Peninsula

In the 20th century, humanity finally chose the urban path of development as a priority. In the 21st century, the state strategic plans focus on large cities and urban agglomerations under the continuing urbanization. Rural territories are increasingly perceived by the authorities and urbanists as some dying forms, sacrificed for the development of cities. In the Russian Federation, this is especially true for a number of regions (Moscow Region, Sverdlovsk Region, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, etc.), in which municipalities are turned into urban districts, and all administrative functions are transferred to the cities. The countryside is still rural, but its population is practically removed from decision-making. At the same time, there are reverse migrations - of urban dwellers to the countryside, which leads to further expansion of cities. The term settlement system means a set of settlements located in a certain territory and connected by a common organization of management, services and labor market. Therefore, the Crimean region has both - overpopulated rural areas and developing cities. The article considers the settlement system of the Crimean Peninsula, in particular its urban part, as a basis of its demographic development. Based on statistical, cartographic, regional and historical approaches, the author considers the dynamics of urban settlement and such a phenomenon as urban agglomerations; identifies the main factors in the development of urban settlements, the subsystems of the urban settlement system and its central places. The article also describes the Simferopol-Sevastopol dual-core agglomeration which seems to break up into two autonomous agglomerations due to a range of factors.

СЕЛЬСКОЕ НАСЕЛЕНИЕ В СИСТЕМАХ ЦЕНТРАЛЬНЫХ МЕСТ

The main quantitative indicator of the Central Place Theory (CPT), which makes it possible to put forward many of its provisions, is the share of the central place in the population of the area it serves (k). Earlier, we proposed a complete version of the proof of the constancy of k for all hierarchical levels for any values of k, and also established an upper bound for their set in the form of a nonstrict invariant. However, what is k in itself? At first glance, the answer is obvious: this parameter is the quotient of dividing the population of the central place by the population of the area it serves. At the same time, what population size should be taken for consideration? All domestic and foreign studies within the CPT proceed from the assumption that, comparing theory with empirical reality, we should consider urban settlement systems not as closed systems, but as fragments of the settlement continuum. The article examines the phenomenon of uniform distribution of the rural population in the systems of central places. It is shown that in the works of our predecessors, the systems of central places were actually considered not as part of a continuous and infinite continuum of settlement, but as independent systems. It has been established that within the isolated systems of central places, the rural population is not distributed evenly, but in the corresponding hierarchical settlements. An equation is derived for the dependence of the share of the rural population in the total population of the system on the fundamental parameters of the latter Thus, for isolated systems, the total population includes the number of not only the central places, but also the rural population. At the same time, we substantiated the possibility of the existence of such within isolated areas – within state borders or, for example, on the islands. Consideration of the latter was undertaken by researchers earlier, however, the possibility of their existence was not proved and, as a result, their consideration from the point of view of the CPT was not substantiated.

Bordering Processes: The Evolution of Social Borders at the Time of the Covid-19 Pandemic

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Travelers’ Activities at Modern Train Stations: Kyoto Station, Japan

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Editorial

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Relationships Between Jogging Tracks and Stress: Insights from Colombo, Sri Lanka

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Application of Landscape Metrics to Quantify the Magnitude and Patterns of Urban Expansions: Central Fragile Area, Sri Lanka

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Assessing the Balance of the Urban Settlement System in the European North of Russia

Introduction. In modern Economics, one of the most common and simplest methods of analyzing the balance of urban settlement systems is to assess their compliance with Zipf's law or the rank–size rule. The basis of this pattern is the relationship between urban population and its place in the hierarchy of towns ranked in descending order of size. Based on the results of the study conducted, the article assesses the balance of the urban settlement system of the European North Russia, as one of its regions, by analyzing its compliance with Zipf’s law. Materials and Methods. The official data from the Federal State Statistics Service on the population of towns in the European North of Russia for 1959, 1989 and 2019 were used as materials of the study. The method of constructing a linear regression between the logarithm of the actual population and the logarithm of the rank of the town was used to verify Zipf's law for the urban network of the region in a certain period. In order to substantiate the conclusions drawn, an analysis of the dynamics of the number of towns and the share of the population living in them was carried out. The monographic method, as well as the methods of tabular and graphical data visualization, was used to interpret the results of the calculations. Results. Based on the analysis of data on the application of the rank–size rule for the towns in the European North of Russia, it has been found that Zipf’s law was not fully observed in any time period, which indicates the imbalance of the existing urban settlement system. In the period from 1959 to 2019, there was an increase in the concentration of the population in the major cities of the region. The imbalance is also caused by the growing number of small towns with a population that does not correspond to the optimal value according to Zipf's law. Discussion and Conclusion. Based on the calculations, the author has come to the conclusion that the cities of Arkhangelsk and Cherepovets have the potential for growth, as well as some others with a population of up to 100 thousand people. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the results obtained to prognosticate the population of towns in the European North of Russia when planning the location of production facilities, as well as transport and social infrastructure in the region.

Population of Urban Settlements: Comparative Analysis of The Russian North and The Republic of Belarus

The article examines the urban population of the Russian North and the Republic of Belarus after 1989. Thepurpose of the article is to comparatively analyze the demographic dynamics of urban settlements, considering the differences between the two countries. The text provides an analysis at three levels: state, regional and at the level of urban settlements. The article presents the general dynamics of the population of Russia, its northern territories and the Republic of Belarus; shows the role of demographic components in population dynamics and their transformation at the end of the twentieth century – the beginning of the XXI century. The authors considered the effectiveness of the migration exchange of the northern territoriesof Russia and the Republic of Belarus, showing the scale of migration losses. The article analyzes the dynamics of the number and population density of urban settlements by type in 1989–2020. In terms of the number of urban settlements, small and mediumsized cities are leading, at the same time, by place of residence, most of the population lives in cities over 100 thousand people. The authors note that the Russian North is highly urbanized, surpassing both Russia and Belarus in this indicator. Particular attention is paid to the spatial analysis of the dynamics of the population of urban settlements. The study revealed patterns in thedependence of the demographic development of urban settlements on the spatial distribution. The results allow us to assess the prospects for the further development of urban settlement systems in the Russian North and in the Republic of Belarus, which will find application in strategies and measures for the spatial development of territories. Further research should be aimed at identifying differences in the demographic behavior of residents of settlements with different economic specialization.

Key Trends and Prospects for sustainable Development of the Urban settlement system in the Russian Federation

The subject of the study is the problem of the spatial distribution of the population in Russia and its regions. The relevance of research is determined by the key trends in the processes of distribution and movement of human capital in the context of cities. The paper aims to analyze the key trends and prospects for the development of the Russian settlement system at the federal, regional, and local levels. The research methods include a critical analysis of approaches to territorial settlement optimization, the modern system of urban settlement in Russia and its regions based on the use of statistical data of the Federal State Statistics Service for 2011-2019. The authors carried out a comparative analysis of the studied processes by countries using the Zipf method, as well as by Russian regions using the the Lorenz coefficient. It has been determined that the group of regions with an increase in the level of differentiation of urban settlement is characterized by a high level of depopulation of small and medium-sized cities with a contraction and concentration of the population in the largest city of the region, which creates additional risks for the sustainable development of the territory. A decrease in the level of differentiation of urban settlement is observed in regions where the share of the population of both small and medium-sized cities (but at a slower pace) and large ones is decreasing. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of an approach to improving the settlement system in Russia based on the application of the Lorenz coefficient and modelling methods. The authors conclude that an uneven system of settlement has developed in Russia, creating prerequisites for the emergence of new imbalances and threats to the complex sustainable development of the country’s territory. In this regard, it is advisable to develop an appropriate document in the field of state policy at the federal level or clarify similar issues within the framework of existing documents, as well as to increase the scientific validity of the measures taken using formalized methods of forecasting and planning. A promising direction in this area is the development of an agent-based model that allows increasing the efficiency of the distribution of financial resources for the development of social infrastructure. The results of the study justify the expediency of reallocating financial resources of the budget to ensure state policy in the field of development of the settlement system in the country.

An Evaluation of National Housing Policy Related to Plantation Housing in Sri Lanka

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Editorial

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

Re-establishing the Relationship between Urban Structure & Humanizing Aspects of Indian Cities After the Covid-19 Pandemic: The Case of Delhi, India

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.

City and Terrorism: Impact of Terror on Urban Culture and the Fabric of Lahore, Pakistan

Cities People Places journal is the official journal associated with the ‘Cities People & Places’ (ICCPP) Annual Conference being organized by the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. Two ICCPP conferences were held in Colombo in 2013 and 2014 and these have established the event as a credible academic endeavor that can bring together academics and practitioners in the fields of urban design, architecture and allied arts. By generating a mass and diversity of knowledge on urban spaces, people and places in cities, the conference is contributing to a greater understanding of cities and urban settlement systems in the modern world. This publication consolidates the development of this knowledge to be made available to a wider spectrum of academics and practitioners.