| Abstract: | Rural places are discussed in terms of predominantly farming communities, nonfarm communities and places with mixed functions. In the case of farming communities, Soviet policy is to encourage consolidation to optimal sizes of 1000 or 2000 people, to make possible better services than can be extended to single-dwelling and other very small settlements. An increasing share of nonfarm settlements among rural places reflects the operation of three kinds of processes: the appearance of places related to nonfarm use of the territory (mining, transportation, recreation, etc.); the transformation of rural places, especially in suburban zones into dormitory settlements; and the development of small-scale local industry. |
