SETTLEMENT PATTERNS AS A FOUNDATION OF AN EFFICIENT SPACE FOR REGIONAL SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT  IN THE NORTH: A CASE STUDY OF THE KOMI REPUBLIC

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Tamara E. Dmitrieva

Institute of Socio-Economic and Energy Problems of the North, Komi Science Centre, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Syktyvkar, Russia, dmitrieva@iespn.komisc.ru, ORCID 0000-0002-6838-4480

Abstract. This article aims to articulate and empirically substantiate the concept of an efficient space for regional social development utilizing the creative potential inherent in settlement patterns. The study is built upon the author’s concept  of space as a set of conditions for placing material objects and that of spatial development as the region’s transformation through changes in settlement patterns. An efficient space is understood as a multilayered space with smooth connections between layers forming a structure that fosters activity and intraregional connectivity. The research represents a novel perspective on the concept of intraregional connectivity and contributes to its advancement. The article describes elements, characteristics, and trends in settlement patterns, healthcare, education infrastructure, and production locations in the Komi Republic. It identifies flaws in intraregional connectivity and their root causes and uses maps to illustrate the compression  of the settlement area resulting from a decrease in the number of settlements and a population outflow in the north  of the region. Challenges associated with accessibility to medical institutions and lack of access to essential medical services in some areas create a risk zone for public health. The study emphasizes the transformative impact of resettlement challenges on general education institutions, necessitating adjustments in the interface between transport and social service layers.  The article explores the evolving city-forming and spatial functions within such areas as Fuel-Based Arctic, Traditional North, Energy-Based Center, and Timber-Based South. It highlights the limited role of corporations and the burgeoning potential  of locally focused socially-oriented companies. The findings suggest that future research areas may include the digital transformation of healthcare and education, as well as an exploration of the territorial structure of social cohesion.

Acknowledgments: this article is based on the results of the government-funded research conducted at the Komi Science Centre under the project titled “Factors Influencing the Forming an Efficient Space for Social Development in the North” (State Registration No. 122011300376-8, 2021–2023).

Keywords: efficient space, framework, settlement, healthcare, education, production

For citation: Dmitrieva T. E. Settlement patterns as a foundation of an efficient space for regional social development  in the North: A case study of the Komi Republic. Sever i rynok: formirovanie ekonomicheskogo poryadka [The North and the Market: Forming the Economic Order], 2023, no. 4, pp. 34–48. doi:10.37614/2220-802X.4.2023.82.003.

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