Volga-Ural macroregion

The problem of delimiting agglomerations is an integral part of the broader issue of economic zoning in the socio-economic space. Given its significance for development, it is important to make a methodology for identifying the influence zone of agglomerations as a specific area in spatial planning. To address this issue, this paper proposes a methodology for determining the territorial accessibility of cities based on population size, which combines the use of open data from Open Street Map, modern geospatial techniques, and visualization tools.

The issue of regional development in relation to the reproduction of human capital is becoming increasingly urgent every year. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the potential for redistributing human resources within meso- and macro-territorial systems. Using the example of the Volga-Ural macro-region in Russia, the main areas with varying growth potential are considered. Special attention is given to the semi-peripheral or equilibrium zone.

The issue of spatial planning includes the subject of taxonomy. It seems that it is necessary to switch to the practice of planning, in addition to the meso-level (subject of the Russian Federation), at two taxonomic levels: the macroregion and the economic microdistrict. To do this, the article identifies the main properties of these formations. On the example of the Volga-Ural macroregion the properties of integrity, complementarity and connectivity are analyzed.

Identifying the spatial structures of economic activity within a supra-regional entity is an urgent scientific task. In this study, it is solved using a combination of a framework approach and a model analog of the gravitational interaction for the cities of the Volga-Ural macroregion.