Regional differentiation of demographic development in Russia in the context of demographic security

At present, Russia, like the majority of developed countries, has the narrowed type of population reproduction; its population is characterized by demographic ageing and, consequently, high demographic load on able-bodied citizens. These features, along with tense geopolitical situation, pose a real threat to national security. The authors of the paper examine existing approaches to the definition of “demographic security”. All of them essentially define that it is a state of security of people’s lives - mainly the process of their reproduction - from real and potential threats. It is established that this category is multidimensional, because it concerns the issues of the number of population, its natural and mechanical movement, the process of reproduction, spatial distribution and structure. In order to assess the current situation in RF regions with the help of indicative method, the authors carried out an analysis according to four blocks of indicators: “Reproduction and reproductive attitudes of the population”, “Gender, age and family structure of the population”, “Public health and healthcare system”, “Mechanical movement of the population and its spatial structure”. The authors revealed a pronounced polarization of the main indicators in constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The most favorable situation in terms of population reproduction, parameters of age, gender, marriage and family structure has been formed in the regions of the North Caucasus, in remote regions of Siberia and the Far East. The main demographic threats in these areas include negative characteristics of people’s health, low population density and depopulation of territories. The situation is different in the regions of Central Russia. Here, despite apparent progress in the sphere of migration policy and healthcare, the current parameters of population reproduction and the transformation of gender, age, marriage and family structure and the system of traditional family values arouse concern. The system of indicators developed by the authors helps carry out a diagnostics of demographic development in certain regions and in Russia as a whole, identify strengths and weaknesses for each block of indicators in order to define priority areas of managerial influence; this system of indicators also provides an opportunity to learn from the positive experience of the leading regions and consider the reasons that led certain regions to the status of outsiders.