Socio-economic indicators of the Irkutsk region, Buryatia and the Far East, dynamics of their development in 2016-2017, and problems and prospects are considered in this paper. Today, the priority for the regions of Siberia and the Far East, which possess unique natural resources and a vast territory, is the complex task of increasing the living standard of the population and launching a new economic strategy. The Irkutsk region is one of the largest industrial regions of Russia. The city of Irkutsk was formed as an administrative, commercial and cultural-educational center. Currently, it is home to more than 50% of the urban population of the Irkutsk region. Some enterprises of the city have a machine-building profile. The production of food (more than 45% of the total volume), the construction material, and wood processing also play an important role. External migration has a significant impact on the demographic situation in the region. Most of the migration processes with the crossing of the boundaries of the region take place within Russia. According to statistical data, external migration can be divided as the three main flows of foreign citizens entering the territory of the Irkutsk region: the Central Asian direction (Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Kazakhstan 44.3%); the East Asian direction (China, Mongolia, DPRK, Japan, and Vietnam 30.8%); and the Western direction (Germany, France, and Poland). It should be also noted that 13.9% of all migrants are migrants from Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus, and Moldova, these are mainly young people of working age. The Baikal region is famous in Russia for its natural landscapes: there are more than 1,500 objects of excursion and cognitive significance (natural, architectural, cultural and historical monuments) in the region. The region has a great industrial potential that is of national importance. Several basic complexes and industries compile a modern industrial structure. There are opportunities for further development of the industrial production in the oil and gas industries, diamond mining industry, the production of composite materials, fibers and mineral fertilizers. On the Far East, priority is given today to the raw material economy and the related infrastructure facilities, including the modernization of the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Baikal-Amur Mainline.
SOCIO-ECONOMIC DIFFERENTIATION OF MUNICIPAL AREAS IN THE SOUTH OF THE FAR EAST
