Almost 130 Small Towns in Russia May Disappear

Almost 129 small towns in Russia may disappear. These settlements are home to 3.4 million people, and their population has declined by 314,000 over the past decade. This data comes from a study conducted by RANEPA.

The main reasons cited by the authors of the study include a decrease in population, a reduction in employment, and a decline in the number of small and medium-sized businesses. Over the last ten years, their population has decreased by 314,500.

"The most significant decline has been felt in towns associated with the northern coal, metallurgical, and woodworking industries, as well as peripheral towns in depressed areas," the study notes.

The process of 'contraction' of small towns may occur over several generations, explained Stepan Zemtsov, head of the research laboratory for development economics at the Presidential Academy.

"However, these processes are not always irreversible. If new economic incentives emerge, such as a redistribution of logistical flows, the creation of industrial or agricultural industry clusters, investment projects in the tourism sector, or a revival of local production, a small town can regain its lost functions," he added.