Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society
Media registration certificate: № 0110279 от 08.02.1993
«Proceedings of the Russian Geographical Society» is the oldest Russian geographical journal in Russia and one of the most authoritative scientific geographical journals in the world. It has been published since 1865.
The structure of the journal includes: original articles reflecting the results of the latest geographical research; discussions; reviews; chronicle.
«Proceedings of the Russian Geographical Society» provides a platform for discussing topical problems and controversial issues of geographical science. Preference is given to articles and reports, the content of which may be of interest to a wide range of geographers and representatives of related disciplines. The editorial board supports promising areas in geography, especially work on problems of human interaction with the natural environment, spatial aspects of regional development, the results of field research in various regions of the world, as well as interdisciplinary research at the intersection of geography and other natural and humanitarian sciences.
The system of scientific review and editing adopted by the editorial board of the journal ensures a high level of published materials and their compliance with professional criteria.
Current Issue
Vol 157, No 4 (2025)
Articles
Rural Areas in the Focus of Geographical Research
Abstract
The article presents materials from the special issue of the journal 'Izvestiya Russkogo geograficheskogo obshestva', which is dedicated to the geographical research of rural area development in Russia. It offers a brief overview of the historical evolution of this scientific field in social and economic geography both in our country and abroad. The methods used for the geographical research of rural areas are highlighted. Special attention is paid to field methods, which play a crucial role in rural area studies, especially for macro-scale research. A brief overview of the articles comprising the journal issue is provided.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):471-485
471-485
The Role of Grassroots Self-Organization of the Population in the Development of Peripheral Rural Areas
Abstract
The article systematises the practices of self–organisation of the population in rural areas remote from large cities and local development centres. Various practices existing within the institutional framework stipulated by the laws on local self-government (participatory budgeting, territorial public self-government, etc.) are identified, as well as informal and non-institutionalised forms of resident participation in the development of their territories. Grant projects from state and non-state funds aimed at creating new cultural objects and improving rural areas are considered separately. The study is based on materials from field expeditions to several districts in the Vologda and Nizhny Novgorod regions, during which in-depth and expert interviews, as well as included and hidden observations, were conducted. When generalising the practices, much attention was paid to the problems they solve, whether they only contribute to maintaining the current level of development of the territories or lead to the emergence of new growth points and new centres for attracting residents. We can talk about the erosion of participatory budgeting mechanisms because they are largely aimed at solving current problems of improvement and infrastructure maintenance, effectively replacing the liquidated powers of local government. Projects aimed at development rely on grant funds or on the resources of the initiators themselves, the presence of which largely depends on a complex combination of local characteristics and the symbolic capital of the area. The article concludes with a discussion of the role of new rural (former urban) residents in rural self-organisation. The latter actively bring their meanings to the development of territories, which leads to conflicts with indigenous residents and is understood using the concept of ‘spatiality’.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):486–504
486–504
Field Studies of the Socio-Economic Heterogenity of the Territory of Rural Settlements of the Stavropol Krai
Abstract
The article presents the results of a study of rural settlements in Stavropol Krai, conducted in July 2023 to identify the socio-economic heterogeneity of their territory. This heterogeneity was assessed using visual indicators of quality of life. The methodology developed for this study, which involves collecting and processing route observation data using geoinformation technologies, is described. During the fieldwork along the routes, the type and quality of housing stock, the condition of the road and street network, the provision of public infrastructure and communications, and landscaping were assessed. Additional indicators were used, such as the brands and age of personal cars, the appearance of local residents, and the condition of homestead plots. Furthermore, the state of the residential real estate market was assessed. During the processing of the obtained characteristics, element-wise and integral estimates of the differentiation of the intra-settlement territory by route points were obtained and plotted on generalised route profiles for visualisation. An attempt was made to explain the nature and level of differences in the quality of life across the territory of rural settlements by considering differences in geographical location, population, administrative status, functions, and specialisation. It was found that the most pronounced contrasts in the quality of life and the level of territorial improvement are characteristic of dynamically developing villages in the suburban area of Stavropol. In the district centres, which have a higher overall standard of living, the socio-economic environment is more homogeneous. Settlements without administrative status and located far from the regional centre are characterised by lower values for quality of life parameters. The influence of the ethnic and confessional composition of the population on the differences in the quality of life is also noted.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):505-526
505-526
Rural area’s Ethnocontact Zones: a Case Study of the Kurumkan District in the Republic of Buryatia
Abstract
The paper is devoted to the specifics and factors of rural ethnocontact zone formation and transformation using the example of the Kurumkan District in the Republic of Buryatia. This is one of the republic’s remote districts, situated in the Far North, which has a multicultural population. Local ECZs have formed in this territory. These zones are an integral part of ethnocontact zones at a higher hierarchical level, extending up to the macro-regional ethnocontact zone of the South Siberian Turkic-Mongolian belt. Russians, Buryats, and Evenks play a crucial role in the formation of these ethnocontact zones. Ethnocontact zones are considered spatial objects in geographical science and a type of ethnocultural region. Large-scale methodological approaches for researching the ethnic mosaic index are defined. The ethno-cultural space of the region’s rural areas is discrete and characterised by fragmentation and mosaic patterns. The boundaries of local ethnocontact zones coincide with the boundaries of settlements, which is facilitated by the focal nature of settlement. The authors identify the historical and geographical periods and factors that contribute to the formation of ethnocultural zones. The most significant factors are morphological, positional, historical-geographical, landscape, geodemography, and ethnoeconomic. Attempts have been made to classify the ethnocontact zones of rural areas.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):527–551
527–551
Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Grain Development in Russia
Abstract
The development of the Russian grain economy is an important part of implementing the federal food import substitution programme. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyse the spatial and temporal patterns of the grain economy's transformation, trends in the change of sowing areas, and the ratio of the main grain crops across the regions of Russia. The dynamics of acreage and changes in the yield of grain crops within the main agricultural territory of Russia over the past two decades have been analysed. Spatial and temporal patterns of grain economy differentiation were identified, and the main directions of its development in different regions were analysed. The identified trends are shown by an increase in the territorial concentration of grain crops in areas with high natural agropotential. Russia's role as the world's largest exporter of grain, primarily wheat, is demonstrated. A critical assessment of the ongoing changes in the geography of the grain economy in various regions of Russia was provided, and the main directions for its development were identified. Further improvement of the territorial organisation of Russia's grain economy involves developing a scientifically based programme for the industry's development to create conditions for the effective specialisation and territorial concentration of grain crops through the creation of specialised high–tech zones for the production of various types of grain.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):552-568
552-568
Post-Soviet Transformations of Agriculture in the Altai Republic
Abstract
The article is devoted to the spatial and temporal analysis of changes in agriculture in the Altai Republic during the post-Soviet period (after 1991). The Altai Republic is a typical agrarian and recreational region where the rural population constitutes 69.4% (as of 2025) and 15% of the population is employed in the agricultural sector. Geomorphological and climatic factors determined the specifics of agricultural development and its orientation towards animal husbandry. The transformation processes that arose after the collapse of the USSR radically modified the established traditional sub-sectors of the studied economic sector. The work reveals multidirectional trends in the development of agriculture, the results of its adaptation and restructuring in the post-Soviet period within a market economy, taking into account the industry specifics and regional features of the agricultural sector’s development. The consequences of the crisis, the volumes of production decline, and trends in the recovery of crop and livestock production are analysed. An assessment is made of the dynamics of agriculture’s share in the Gross Regional Product, and changes in the industry and territorial structure of agriculture in the region are examined. The research methodology is based on the analysis of data from Altai Kraistat and Rosstat for a thirty-year period. The study uses standard statistical methods to assess the dynamics of distribution by the rates of decline and growth of agricultural development indicators. The cause-and-effect relationships of transformation in the crop and livestock system are based on the results of expeditionary studies conducted in 2023 and 2024. During these studies, interviews with the population and visual observation of the current state of agricultural cultural landscapes were carried out. It was revealed that the positive consequences of the transformational post-Soviet processes concern an increase in the productivity of forage crops with a smaller area of cultivation, restoration of the cattle population, and an increase in meat production. Noticeable growth is observed in horse breeding and moral breeding. The greatest damage is recorded in sheep and goat breeding, specifically in the decline in wool production and a drop in livestock in these sub-sectors. Large-scale negative trends without a tendency to recovery are noted in the structure of grain farming. In general, there is a deepening of enterprise specialisation, a transition from complex farms to single-industry ones. The main reasons for the identified changes are global and regional market conditions (the balance of supply and demand for certain agricultural products), institutional factors (in particular, the distribution of land among private land users), and intersectoral competition for agricultural land (especially with the tourism and recreational industry actively developing in the region). Climate change also plays a role in this process.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):569–594
569–594
The Role of Rural Tourism in Diversification of the Rural Settlements
Abstract
The promotion of socio-economic development in Russian regions and the diversification of the rural economy through rural tourism are possible within the framework of federal and regional legislative acts and programmes, as well as the territory's tourist and recreational resources and infrastructure potential. The purpose of this study is to assess the factors contributing to the development of tourism and the diversification of the economy in rural areas. The analysis of the regulatory framework showed that these acts and programmes focus on the sustainable development of rural areas. These documents defined the tasks of stimulating an increase in jobs in non-agricultural areas of rural settlements. The study showed that rural tourism includes several types and subtypes. Therefore, to determine the tourist and recreational resources and assess the infrastructure potential for rural tourism, the signs of its hierarchy were compiled. Considering the prospects for the development of rural tourism, the authors of the study identified the main criteria for assessing factors. These criteria include the natural environment, the level of infrastructure development, and the logistics of rural tourist routes. Furthermore, for the effective development of rural tourism and the diversification of the economy in rural areas, it is necessary to form self-organisation and cooperation among agricultural producers and organisers of rural tourism.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):595-610
595-610
Transport Accessibility of Rural Tourism Facilities in the Southern Part of the Irkutsk Region
Abstract
The paper examines in detail the factors contributing to and hindering the development of rural tourism in the Irkutsk region. The most significant territories for this purpose are currently located in the south of the region and adjacent to the coast of Lake Baikal. Special attention is paid to programs supporting the industry at the federal and regional levels. In the study, transport accessibility of rural settlements is noted as a primary resource for the development of rural tourism. A comprehensive analysis of the theoretical and methodological sources of research by Russian and foreign scientists on rural tourism issues aimed at improving the standard of living of the local population has been carried out. A slight emphasis is placed on the internal relations of participants in farming enterprises and settlements remote from the regional center and other cities, as a factor influencing the development of tourism. The main indicators that are advisable to use for calculating transport accessibility are substantiated, they are determined by the number of regular flights, reduction of time and cost costs and distance from the regional center. It is concluded that settlements with the best transport accessibility will be more successful in developing rural tourism.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):611–634
611–634
THE ROLE OF RURAL AREAS IN THE STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES OF THE SOUTH OF WESTERN SIBERIA
Abstract
The aim of the study was to assess the contribution of rural areas to the socio-economic development of the South Siberian regions and their role in strategic planning documents. The object of the study is the rural areas of the South Siberian macroregion: Altai Krai, the Altai Republic, Kemerovo, Novosibirsk, Omsk, and Tomsk regions. Here, 40.7% of the total population lives in rural areas. To achieve the goal of the study, official state and municipal statistics, strategic development documents of various levels, and mathematical, statistical, and analytical research methods were used. Spatial analysis of the role of rural areas in the socio-economic development of the South Siberian regions showed significant territorial differentiation of rural areas. Rural areas gravitating towards the largest cities and regional capitals are characterised by a higher level of development. They make a significant contribution to the production of agricultural products, the number of labour resources, and the volume of local budget revenues of the South Siberian macroregion. At the same time, the level of average monthly wages and the level of development of infrastructure sectors in rural areas are traditionally lower than in urban areas. The analysis of the Strategy for Sustainable Development of Rural Areas showed that the planned result for some target indicators of the strategy is successfully achieved, including population figures, the reduction of migration outflow from villages to cities, and living space per person. The goals for employment, the ratio of per capita available resources of urban and rural households, the availability of wired Internet, paved roads, and first aid are not achieved. At the regional level, the highest financial support for the implementation of measures is noted in regions with agricultural specialisation, namely Altai Krai and Omsk Oblast. The strategies for the socio-economic development of the regions implement a cluster approach. The emphasis is on identifying clusters of economic development, mainly around urban agglomerations. However, the key priorities of the strategic development of the South Siberian regions do not include either agricultural production or issues of equalising the economic and social development of residents of rural areas and urban settlements. Therefore, additional organisational, financial, and administrative measures are needed so that rural areas take a more significant place in the strategic documents of the country's spatial development.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):635–654
635–654
The Viability of a Rural Settlement Center: The Case of Oktyabrskoye Township, Republic of Crimea
Abstract
This article analyzes a model of sustainable rural development using the example of the urban-type settlement of Oktyabrskoye, located in a nonurbanized steppe area of the Crimean Peninsula. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, it examines factors that contribute to a settlement’s internal resilience: transport and social infrastructure, commuting-based employment, maintenance of local economic activity, horizontal ties within the community, and residents’ participation in community governance and grassroots initiatives. Oktyabrskoye functions as a cluster (hub) center, effectively serving adjacent rural localities and forming a rural agglomeration despite lacking formal administrative status. The Crimean context adds particular significance to the study by combining ethnocultural diversity with institutional volatility, both of which shape spatial and social resilience. The findings suggest that the resilience of such settlements rests less on external resources than on the community’s capacity for self-organization, adaptation, and the upkeep of core functions. The Oktyabrskoye case illustrates the potential of small and intermediate centers within rural settlement systems and can inform regional policy measures aimed at preserving the rural settlement network.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):655–671
655–671
Comprehensive assessment of factors in the formation of a rural settlement network on the territory of the modern Omsk region
Abstract
The article is devoted to studying the complex influence of factors that determine the formation of the rural settlement network in the Omsk region from the XVI to the XXI centuries. The source base for the study consisted of published and unpublished materials. The analysis of these materials made it possible to consider the processes from the perspective of all participants in the events. Objective and subjective factors influencing the map of rural settlements in the Omsk Irtysh region were identified. These factors include government policy, the natural and geographical conditions of the territory, transport accessibility, the provision of social and cultural infrastructure elements, the desire of peasants to develop their farms and receive additional profit, as well as the desire to obtain an education and improve social living conditions based on farming experience in Western Siberia. Particular attention is paid to state policy and the natural and geographical conditions of the territory, as these are key factors in the formation and development of the rural settlement network of the Omsk region throughout its history.
Bulletin of the Russian Geographical Society. 2025;157(4):672–688
672–688