ИСТИНА

In this paper we summarize the result of typology of rural areas of Russia, which was carried out on three taxonomic levels: the units of Russian Federation, municipal districts and smallest municipalities (rural settlements). Different methods such as complex quantitative typology, comprehensive typology, and matrix classification were applied, depending on data availability and specific goals of research. For each level, the results showed extremely strong dependence of the level and mode of social and economic development of rural areas on the proximity to urban centres. Remote areas cover about a half of Russian territory, mostly in the Non-Black soil zone of European Russia and beyond the Urals. These results we obtained could be useful for state policy of rural development formulation. But following the advanced concepts of rural development alternative policy should be developed and applied.