Cathedrals the Desert or Strongholds? The Typology of the Settlements in the Russian Arctic by Their Interconnections with the Surrounding Territory

Abstract

A typology of settlements in the Russian Arctic zone with a population of more than 500 people was carried out for the first time. Due to the lack of statistical data, the work is based on indirect or qualitative indicators, including transport services and geographical location; the place of the settlement in the settlement system; the development of extractive industries; qualitative parameters of culture and leisure; characteristics of higher education; and the index of environmental discomfort. As a result, eight types of settlements were identified. The settlement system is formed by the main strongholds—key multifunctional cities and Arctic sub-centers. The settlements in the zone of influence of the larger cities are divided into 2 groups: (1) settlements of the sub-periphery and the “privileged” periphery (characterized by relatively good transport accessibility, increased saturation of the service sector) and (2) the “deprived” industrial periphery which includes towns and settlements located on transport routes but with a poorer social environment. In remote (and mostly roadless) areas of the Arctic, an interesting category of remote sub-centers has been identified, which includes small towns and villages that provide the minimum possible set of services for the population of the surrounding territory. Remote settlements in areas of resource projects and settlement-”isolates” were also identified. In general, the typology allows, in a first approximation, an assessment of the prospects for socio-economic development, the strengths and weaknesses of most settlements in the Russian Arctic, but policy decisions should be made only based on the results of additional expert assessment and discussions with local communities.