Methodological tools for assessing the level of stability of the regions of the Southern and North Caucasus federal districts of Russia

Thanks to the main political documents adopted at the UN world summit on the environment and development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, the development of the sustainable development system in Russia has been intensified. In the Russian Federation, the transition to sustainable development continues through the logical transformation of traditional systems into capitalist ones. In view of the variety of differences in the socio-economic development of regions differentiated by federal districts, it becomes relevant to develop methods for determining (evaluating) the levels of stability of territorial entities. Many researchers usually group sustainability criteria (indicators) in the context of economic, social and environmental components. The purpose of the article is to determine the level of stability of the regions of the Southern and North Caucasus Federal Districts of Russia by quantifying their potential. The article uses mathematical methods to quantify the components of regional stability (potential) based on five factors of stability: economic, political, environmental, social and institutional. The criteria for determining the levels of regional stability are established. The most stable regions (subjects) of the Southern and North Caucasus Federal districts of Russia - Rostov and Volgograd regions, Krasnodar and Stavropol krais - have been identified. The results of the study contribute to the development of methods for assessing the sustainable development of a region.