Spatial analysis of natural population movement in the Republic of Buryatia

The article presents a spatial analysis of the population dynamics and natural movement in the regions of the Republic of Buryatia for the post-Soviet period. The research is aimed at the dynamic assessment of various factors affecting the size and natural movement of population in the regions of the Republic of Buryatia. We have used official statistics of Territorial body of Federal State Statistics Service for the Republic of Buryatia as an information base. The results of all-Russian population censuses of 1989, 2002 and 2010, as well as current estimates in the inter-census years we have taken as initial data. An analysis of the statistics of the population in Buryatia reflects the dynamics over the past 30 years. To study the spatial aspect we have used a comparative geographical method. We have identified the main areas of growth and decline in the population of Buryatia, as well as territorial features of fertility and mortality in municipal districts. Spatial analysis points to several aspects of population movement in the republic: a decrease in the population occurs in all administrative areas, except for those near the capital and the capital itself; fertility and mortality trends are migratory and ethnically determined. An analysis of the obtained results has revealed the key problems in reproduction of the population in the region and the priorities of socio-economic and demographic policy at the regional level.