Intraregional administrative and territorial division: semantic aspect

The paper is regarding the concept of intraregional administrative and territorial division. Deficit of attention from social and economic geography research school (regional branch) to theoretical aspects of administrative zoning led to replacement of administrative and territorial units with municipal entities. Theoretical foundation of research included provisions of regional and institutional economics; interdisciplinary approach was used. Research methods included cartography, zoning, typology and modeling. At the first stage, authors singled out theoretical approaches to defining the concept under research. The second stage was the analysis of administrative and territorial division definition from the position of regional legislation. The terminology was systemized, Russian regions divided into four groups depending on applied theoretical approaches. At the third stage, authors constructed a semantic model for each group of regions. The model included generic components (distinguishing administrative division from other types of zoning), category features (determining the types of administrative zoning), and additional characteristics (referring to principles of territorial division). Semantic model was adjusted for application in regional economy and administration. Generic components of the semantic model (determined and generalized for the first time) allowed formulating a new definition. According to this, administrative and territorial division of a region is legally established territorial division into interrelated subordinated units, on the basis of which territorial organization of governing entities’ activity is carried out. Based on category components, the authors carried out classification of administrative zoning into general and departmental (depending on types of authorities), as well as of classification of levels of government (national, subnational and local). The new definition of administrative and territorial division can provide the basis for forming new strategies for spatial development of regions, as well as for linking sector strategic planning with territorial strategic planning.