TRANSFORMATION OF URBAN SETTLEMENT PATTERNS IN THE CENTRAL CHERNOZEM REGION

The more than century-long dynamics of the number and composition of cities in a region are influencedby the age, genetic factors, the nature and diversity of the functions performed, the official status of settlements, thecombination and ratio of natural, historical, and socio-economic factors that have both internal and external impact onsettlements. The article aims to trace the nature of the transformation processes that have affected the century-long dynamics of the main development indicators of urban settlements in the Central Chernozem Region (Central Black Earth Region) in order to determine their role in the territorial organization of the area. A comparative analysis of the criteriaof a true city allowed us to identify groups of cities based on the ratio of the population and the trade-and-industrialturnover for a period of more than a century. The study has confirmed the point of view on the variability of a true citycriteria and the need to bring them in line with the level of socio-economic development. The article examines the inherited and acquired features, as well as key aspects of the Central Chernozem Region’s urbanization for the period from1897 to 2021 (in some cases – up to 2024). The peculiarities of the regional system of cities, determined by the agrariannature of colonization due to favorable agroclimatic potential and soil fertility, are reflected. The change in the numberof cities is analyzed, the reasons for the rise of some cities, stagnation of others, and degradation of still others have beendetermined. Grouping by the main features of a true city has revealed the main urbanization trends in the development ofthe Central Chernozem Region and the key transformation factors that have changed the role and place of cities in theregion’s territorial structure. An analysis of the system of statistical indicators has showed a high correlation between acity’s population and employment in non-production industries, manufacturing, and mining. The nature of the transformation processes has contributed to the strengthening of the ‘backbone’ centers: their number has increased and they havebecome larger in size; the transport connectivity in the territory has enhanced; the change in technological patterns hasled to changes in the ratio of industries and the employment structure.