Demographic situation as a basic condition for sustainable regional development: The Volgograd Oblast case study

Subject. This article discusses the issues of ensuring the availability of natural, material, financial, and human resources necessary for the sustainable development of the region. Objectives. The article aims to analyze the current demographic situation in the Volgograd Oblast and the most likely trends in its change, assessing the effectiveness of regional demographics policy. Methods. For the study, I used a statistical analysis, and the tabular and graphical methods. Results. The article finds that the demographic situation in the Volgograd Oblast does not currently allow for the implementation of a model of sustainable socioeconomic development, since there is a noticeable reduction in human resources. The constant decline in population is due to an extremely low birth rate and significant out-migration. Conclusions. The problem of low birth rates and population decline should be addressed before designing and implementing measures to ensure sustainable socioeconomic development, otherwise, the latter will be evidently ineffective.