Far North and its equivalent localities: the role in the spatial development of Russia

Recent years have been marked by a new wave of exploration of the northern territories of the Russian Federation. The Government of the Russian Federation has taken an active course for the developing Russian Arctic. Modern researchers of North have also shifted their attention towards the Arctic territories of Russia. But at the same time, the Far North territories, occupying almost 70% of the country's area, have fallen out of the spotlight. The study is a comparative statistical analysis of the dynamics of socio-economic development of the Far North regions based on selected statistical indicators and promising sectors of the economy of the northern subjects allocated by the Government of the Russian Federation. The authors indicate the differences between the concepts of Far North and the Arctic zone and their modern territorial features. As a result of the study, the dynamics of socio-economic development of the Far North regions and areas equated to it from 2014 to 2021 has been determined. The article assesses the current state of the social and economic sphere of the regions under consideration. The main and promising branches of specialization of the subjects of the Russian Federation belonging to Far North are noted. Modern specializations of national and local significance within the considered subjects of the Russian Federation are also considered. The role of the entire Far North in the spatial development of the country is characterized. In the course of the study, the current state is determined and the main development trends of the Far North regions and areas equated to it are summarized, which can be used in future studies on this topic.