Directions of Ensuring Sustainable Development of Rural Areas (Case of the Omsk Region)

The article proposes a methodology for analyzing the level and dynamics of integrated development of territories and choosing mechanisms for ensuring sustainable development on its basis. The hypothesis of the integration of urban and rural areas as a mechanism for sustainable rural development is tested on the data of municipal statistics of one of the Russian regions. In addition, the authors identify other factors affecting the sustainable development of territories. Based on hierarchical cluster analysis, all municipalities in the region are divided into groups that reflect the level and dynamics of socio-economic development of the territories. The study revealed that the main factor influencing the level and dynamics of socio-economic development of territories is their close geographical location to cities, which confirms the hypothesis being tested. The relationship between the level of development and natural and climatic conditions is revealed. The results of clustering shows that traditional mechanisms for leveling the development of territories will not be able to solve the problems of territorial development. For the identified combinations of levels and dynamics of territorial development, the authors propose mechanisms that can be used to ensure sustainable development.