THE LENINGRAD REGIONAL SOCIOECONOMIC COMPLEX: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT

The evolving settlement network of Leningrad city and Leningrad Oblast, considered as a single planning region, is described, as are a number of changes anticipated by the Twelfth Five-Year Plan (stabilization and eventual reduction in the size of the local labor force, structural economic change toward “nonproductive” activities, closer attention to the balance between the region's economic profile and local resources and infrastructure). Of particular interest are recommendations for restricting further development in some machine-building sectors to renovation and retooling, for growing more perishable agricultural commodities locally, and for recognizing the Leningrad agglomeration as an official planning entity (translated by Jay K. Mitchell; PlanEcon, Inc.; Washington, DC 20005).