Comparative analysis of the near border cultural landscapes of Russia and the adjacent countries by means of remote sensing and GIS

The objective of the paper is to analyze the trends and the dynamics of socio-economic development in the areas on both sides of all Russian boundaries (more than 22,000 km long), using remote sensing data and GIS applications at different scales. This research is unique, as it allows processing a large amount of data (resolution of images - 30 meters, and medium-scale topographic maps) in vast areas, and the construction of maps to analyze the data on a new scale. The peripheral character of most border areas is a serious challenge for the development of cross-border cooperation. The problem of depopulation and the depressed state of economy is not conducive to the development of contacts between the neighboring territories. The authors analyze a socio-economic situation on both sides of the Russian borders and the contrasts between neighboring territories based on the structure and dynamics of environmental management and the density of settlements and roads. The authors come to the conclusion that the border space experiences further fragmentation. The processes on the «new» (post-Soviet) and “old” borders differ by their fluency and the character of transformations. Their asynchrony provokes the asymmetry of cross-border interactions.