A program of analytical and advisory work on Russia’s

regional development issues

Roundtable BrainstormingMoscow, February 3 2009

Chorching Goh

Concentration, a fact of life,Half of the world’s production…..

…at the global spatial scale…

….can fit onto 1.5% of its land, less than the size of Algeria

…at the national spatial scale

Even in a small country like Belgium, production is concentrated in small areas

… at the local spatial scale

Cairo produces over half of Egypt’s GDP with just 0.5% of its land

Important to distinguish

the geography of economic production from

the geography of social welfare

Countries can have

Social Convergence:

In the United States, 100% of households have access to safe drinking water and sewage; 100% school-age children have access to schools

…an uneven economic landscape but a uniform social landscape

Spatial Concentration

Korea, a successful development story…

Some 98% population have access to healthcare services and basic schoolingIn 2006, 99% children had immunization coverageIn 2000, 95% of population, age > 15 years, with at least 1year of schooling

Spatial Concentration Social Convergence:

Uneven economic production

… but

Universal access to services

Russia – the past, present, and future

Today: both uneven economic and uneven social landscapes

Before 1990: rather even economic landscape & uniform social landscape

Future: uneven economic landscape but uniform social landscape

Russia’s economic density

… is not particularly concentrated

Norway

… vis-à-vis its land area and level of development. e.g., only 2% of the US land is built-upe.g., In 2006, Singapore (< 700sq km) export approx same amount ($300 bil) as Russia (> 16 million sq km)

SwedenAustralia

Canada

Agglomerations and the growth of metropolitan areas

How to facilitate density?

Policy priorities: -- common institutions (e.g., property rights, regulations governing land market – zoning laws-to ensure ease of land use conversion)-- connective infrastructure (e.g., rail and highway links, integrated transit & rail systems within and between metro areas)-- targeted interventions (may not be necessary or applicable for Russia)

How to overcome distance?

Mobility -- workers and businesses migrate to economic opportunity

Policy priorities: -- unifying institutions (e.g., access to social and basic services)-- connective infrastructure-- targeted interventions

How to lower division?Specialization -- trade and integrate to access world marketsRussia in promising neighbourhoods: EU, most dynamic Northast Asia,…

Policy priorities: -- Common Institutions-- Connective infrastructure-- targeted interventions