Evaluation of Mutual Economic and Demographic Potentials of the Siberian Federal District Major Cities

The article deals with the mutual influence of economic and demographic factors of urban development in the Siberian Federal District (SFD) of the Russian Federation. The aim of the study is to evaluate the factors of mutual influence of demographic potential and economic development at the regional level. System analysis, statistical methods, structural, dynamic, correlation and regression analysis, as well as the methods of classifying and ranking were used as a research tool. The study disclosed that although the total number of cities in the SFD actually remained unchanged, the structure has changed, and the socio-economic development in cities A is uneven. On the basis of proposed set of indicators to assess the development of the cities, the potential economic, social and demographic trends, the dynamics of indicators of the major cities of SFD for the period 2002– 2013 years and their subsequent ranking were evaluated, making it possible to determine the growth points of the territory and also contrast enhancement of settlement against the advancing growth of the largest cities. The uniform «saturation» of cities on federal district territory and the contrasts of settlement with the advanced growth of the largest cities were revealed. It is noted that the share of the population living in towns will slightly increase. The necessity to consider the relation of this factor with the economic processes in the formulation of population policies by public authorities is outlined.