Arctic Supporting Zones: the Ranks and the Projects

Abstract

The article examines some different definitions of the Arctic supporting zone in the national legislative instruments and names zones’ main features. They are: general and social functions – to develop communication and resource potential, to improve quality of life; organizational setting – “project of projects” on the “special territory”; economic model – government-private partnership; spatial structure – transport and industrial framework, consisting of mail lines, hubs and various centers; type – the level of natural resource development, the maturity of specialization, the center and periphery ratio, the specifics of financial mechanisms. The authors have made the first comparative-rating analysis of those zones. The Methodology includes choice of a municipality as an operating unit, calculation of zones’ indicators summation of municipal indicators, use of the Municipal Passports data, rating calculation for each indicator and average overall. The rating allowed determining the factors of strong zone differentiation, which affect the socio-economic development of the Arctic regions. The region’s proposals for the projects in zones are considered. The authors find important to analyze of the mechanisms for the implementation of anchor and other investment projects.