Migration Processes in Cities of the Russian North in the 1990s–2010s

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Northern regions are often viewed as a pole of trouble for migration in the post-Soviet period. However, the extremely vast territory of the Russian North is characterized by considerable internal heterogeneity. This paper analyzes specific migration patterns in cities and towns of the Russian North from the early 1990s to the early 2010s and reveals a decreasing role of interregional territorial gradients and increasing intraregional disproportions. The dependence of the migration balance on a population size and geographic location of cities is analyzed. Big cities and regional centers are shown to have become more appealing to migration, whereas small towns have lost their attractiveness. Major stages are identified throughout the changes in the migration situation: stress-induced migrations of the early 1990s; leveling off of migrations in the end of 1990s; stability in migration processes in the 2000s; increasing intraregional polarization in migrations in the early 2010s. Migration balances specific to different groups and categories of cities and towns in intraregional and interregional exchange are shown. The paper presents specifics of the migration situation in regional centers of the North, the dynamics of migration situation and structural indicators of migration. Regional centers are primarily the most appealing places for the population from the intraregional periphery, and their migration attractiveness continues to increase, whereas these cities lose their population in interregional exchange with regions in more developed parts of the country. Regional centers primarily possess migration attractiveness to youth and have the ability to retain people of older age groups.