1. A program of analytical and advisory work on Russia’s regional development issues Roundtable Brainstorming Moscow, February 3 2009 Chorching Goh

2. Concentration, a fact of life, Half of the world’s production…..

3. …at the global spatial scale… ….can fit onto 1.5% of its land, less than the size of Algeria

4. …at the national spatial scale Even in a small country like Belgium, production is concentrated in small areas

5. … at the local spatial scale Cairo produces over half of Egypt’s GDP with just 0.5% of its land

6. Important to distinguish the geography of economic production from the geography of social welfare

7. Countries can have Social Convergence: In the United States, 100% of households have access to safe drinking water and sewage; 100% school-age children have access to schools …an uneven economic landscape but a uniform social landscape Spatial Concentration

8. Korea, a successful development story … Some 98% population have access to healthcare services and basic schooling In 2006, 99% children had immunization coverage In 2000, 95% of population, age > 15 years, with at least 1year of schooling Spatial Concentration Social Convergence: Uneven economic production … but Universal access to services

9. Russia – the past, present, and future Today: both uneven economic and uneven social landscapes Before 1990: rather even economic landscape & uniform social landscape Future: uneven economic landscape but uniform social landscape

10. Russia’s economic density

11. … is not particularly concentrated Norway … vis-à-vis its land area and level of development. e.g., only 2% of the US land is built-up e.g., In 2006, Singapore ( 16 million sq km) Sweden Australia Canada

12. Agglomerations and the growth of metropolitan areas How to facilitate density? Policy priorities: -- common institutions (e.g., property rights, regulations governing land market – zoning laws-to ensure ease of land use conversion) -- connective infrastructure (e.g., rail and highway links, integrated transit & rail systems within and between metro areas) -- targeted interventions (may not be necessary or applicable for Russia)

13. How to overcome distance? Mobility -- workers and businesses migrate to economic opportunity Policy priorities: -- unifying institutions (e.g., access to social and basic services) -- connective infrastructure -- targeted interventions

14. How to lower division? Specialization -- trade and integrate to access world markets Russia in promising neighbourhoods: EU, most dynamic Northast Asia,… Policy priorities: -- Common Institutions -- Connective infrastructure -- targeted interventions