REGULATION OF THE ASYMMETRY IN SPATIAL SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF THE WEST KAZAKHSTAN REGION

Abstract

Based on the research results, the scientific work indicates economic trends and issues in the territorial organization of the economy and population of West Kazakhstan region. Analysis of the spatial development in the economic sphere has shown that there is a territorial localization of the productive forces in the north of West Kazakhstan region. The typology of the West Kazakhstan administrative districts was formed according to their level and pace of socioeconomic and environmental development, from 1997 to 2011, on the basis of rank-scoring methodology. The results of this work demonstrate that the Northern administrative districts of West Kazakhstan region have a relatively high or an average level of social and economic development.  A low level of social and economic development characterizes the administrative districts located to the south, west, southwest and southeast of West Kazakhstan region. These spatial differences reveal the current asymmetry in the level of social and economic development of the administrative districts, which determined the need for detecting major priorities in regulation of spatial social and economic development of the region.  Thus, we propose the basic priorities for the spatial regulation of social and economic development of West Kazakhstan region within the framework of an effective intra-regional policy.  The research results can be used by local government agencies to develop a regional management program for spatial social and economic development of West Kazakhstan region.