Potentially, the Russian Federation is an economically strong state. The first place in the world in terms of occupied territory, the richest reserves of natural resources, the population, albeit not the largest, but in terms of capabilities (education, professional level) is a tidbit for any developed country.
However, the turbulent events of the twentieth century, the difficult political and economic situation, etc. sharply reduced favorable options for the development of the structure of the economy. After another cataclysm in the early 1990s, our country was in a difficult situation when potentially positive opportunities were crossed out by a general crisis.
General characteristics of the Russian economy
The modern structure of the economy is constantly changing. Russia of the second decade of the twenty-first century is a state with an industrial-agrarian economy, in which advanced industries and highly developed regions coexist with underdeveloped enterprises and backward provinces.
Today, Russia is a multi-level economic mechanism formed on the basis of historical development, the inter-regional territorial economic division of labor and integration results. The general economic complex of the state consists of sectoral and territorial systems.
Industries
In terms of production, the Russian economy is mainly divided into sectors. What is the sectoral structure of the economy? In a modern economy, an industry is a community of producers of one type (direction). Traditionally, industries relate to industry and agriculture, within which they are divided into even narrower groups.
In the sectoral structure of the Russian economy, disproportions of past years remain: extractive industries are of increased importance; fuel industries will be a priority, while transport and agricultural complexes until recently feel great difficulties; sharp concentration and large monopolization of production remain.
For example, domestic industry is indicated by large-scale specialization. Many industries, sub-sectors, and types of industries have emerged, creating in their community a branch system of industry. In the existing systematization of industry, 11 large integrated industries and 134 sub-sectors have been formed.
For the economy of the country of recent decades, a characteristic feature is the existence of not only industry enterprises, but also intersectoral complexes. Increasingly, there is a process of strengthening production ties, the unification of different levels of production. Intersectoral production (complexes) appears and is formed both within certain industries, and between different industries that have close technological relations. Now there are complexes in the mining, raw materials industry and in agriculture. One example is chemical forestry.
There are other features that are characteristic features of the Russian economy of our time.
The territorial structure of the Russian economy
It implies the unification of the economic system on a territorial basis - regions, economic regions, industrial centers and others. Such a structure is modified much more slowly than a sectoral one, since its leading elements are more rigidly attached to a certain territory. The development of new areas with rich natural resources transforms the level of specific regions and contributes to the formation of regular territorial economic complexes.
A serious drawback of Russia was the asymmetric system of its space, obtained as a result of development in previous eras. In the territorial economic system, the Central Region (Moscow), headed by the capital, is noticeably prevailing, the next city of Russia - St. Petersburg - is seriously inferior to Moscow in various sizes. And all other regions, in contrast to the metropolitan metropolis, are economically much weaker.
Territorial division of Russia
The types of territorial structure of the economy and specific industries are developing under the influence of a number of interdependent factors: the availability of raw materials, fuels, various materials, and workers. During the distribution of industrial production, various types of its territorial associations formed.
Large economic zones are large, voluminous formations with specific natural and economic conditions for the formation of the economy.
Now our country is divided into two large economic zones:
- Western (European part of Russia together with the Urals), which is characterized by a lack of raw materials, resources, the presence of a large amount of industrial production.
- East (Siberia and the Far East). It is characterized by the presence of significant reserves of resources, insufficient development of the economy.
Industrial areas are large areas with relatively identical natural economic conditions, their characteristic focus on the development of the economy, with an appropriate existing production and personnel base, etc.
In the Russian state there are approximately 30 industrial regions only, most of which are in the western zone.
In addition, there are other economic associations that are formed due to objective economic necessity: transport, raw materials, production, etc.
General characteristics of the industry
Industry is an essential component of the economic complex of our country. The predominant role of industry is due to the fact that it supplies all sectors of the domestic economy with production capacities and raw materials, plays the most proactive factors of scientific and technical progress and increased reproduction in general. To date, there are almost 500 thousand industrial enterprises in the country, where approximately 15 million people work, producing various products worth 20 trillion rubles. This also determines the structure of the Russian economy.
Among some types of heavy industry and the industries adjacent to it, they occupy more than 30%, fuel - almost 20%, electric power - 8%. At the same time, the state of light industry is in a deplorable state –1.5%, food - 15%, etc.
Industry structure
What changes are taking place in the structure of the Russian economy? Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, Russian statistics have come to a different systematization of industry:
- manufacturing industries (67%);
- mining operations (more than 20%);
- production and separation of electricity, natural gas and water (10%).
- technical progress.
The modern industry of our country is determined by:
- the dominance of industries in the extraction and conventional processing of fuel and raw materials;
- a small proportion of advanced, technically most difficult industries;
- a small share of light industry and other industries aimed at the direct needs of the population;
- a large proportion of enterprises of the military-industrial complex.
A similar structure of the industry economy cannot be considered effective. In recent years, there has been a trend towards economic restructuring, but the process is just beginning and will be clearly long and difficult.
Energy and fuel
In the structure of the Russian economy, the fuel and energy complex is one of the most significant types of consolidated economic associations, which is a combination of tightly connected and interacting energy enterprises, fuel producers, which supply the domestic economy and population of the country with important resources and are one of the important types of goods in the foreign market.
The specific weight of the fuel and energy complex in the country's recent history is about 60% in the total volume of Russian exports.
Fuel industry
The fuel produced on an industrial scale is the main source of energy in the existing economy. In terms of fuel wealth, the structure of the Russian economy has a leading place in the world.
According to the leading types of resources, there are industries involved in the production of gaseous, liquid and solid fuels.
Each species has its own advantages. Gas (about 30% of the proven total reserves of natural gas is located in Russia) is cheap, easily transported without loss of quality. A large number of gas pipelines go from Eastern Russia to Europe; in recent years, the length of gas pipelines in Asia has been increasing.
Oil industry
Russia has a fairly large proven oil reserves. Oil is used not only as fuel, but also as fuel for internal engines and raw materials for petrochemicals.
Coal
The largest volumes of human fuel are concentrated in Russia. The coal industry is one of the largest in terms of the number of workers and the cost of fixed industrial assets.
Power industry
Electric energy is the main engine of the economy. In the production of this type of energy, the structure of our country's economy is in one of the leading places in the world.
The leading producers of electricity are thermal power plants, hydro power plants and nuclear power plants.
TPP produces almost 70% of Russian electricity. They are created relatively quickly and at minimal cost. Coal, fuel oil and peat are used as fuel.
Hydroelectric power plants bring 15% of the total electricity generation. They are created on large rivers. In Russia, the largest hydropower plants in the world.
NPPs provide up to 14% of electricity.
They are created in production areas where large energy reserves are needed.
Metallurgical complex
The complex has a black and color industry.
Speaking of ferrous metallurgy, it must be said that ferrous metallurgy enterprises contain a full metallurgical cycle, there is also a conversion process (without cast iron).
Russia occupies a leading position in the world in the production of ferrous metals.
Factors that influence the distribution of enterprises:
- the presence of a large volume of raw materials;
- cheap fuel;
- plenty of water;
- inexpensive electricity.
Thanks to this, enterprises are located either in the areas of obtaining raw materials, or in areas of obtaining fuel.
The main directions of the agricultural sector
The structure of agriculture is dependent on climate and natural resources. The large scale of our country contributed to the formation of economic regions.
In this sector, there have always been two areas - crop production and animal husbandry, which once determined the condition of entire peoples, and now seriously affect economic development. Both of them, respectively, are divided into dozens of industries.
A serious specificity of agricultural activity will be a constant dependence on natural factors, in particular on agroclimatic changes. These circumstances determine not one physical geography, but also the leading specialization of directions. There are all kinds of branches of the agricultural sphere, from ordinary to exotic in the form of pineapple crops and shrimp food farms. But they all have one thing in common. The created product will always be needed by the consumer.
Plant growing
A man began to engage in agriculture in order to have a significant harvest for food, for a long time. In our country, several thousand years ago. Now in Russia, lands are cultivated mainly in the forest-steppe and steppe zones.
Domestic agriculture has a bright zoning, the types of farm structure are constantly changing. This is clear to everyone: it is impossible to get beets or potatoes in permafrost. In addition, sales are needed. Therefore, in large cities, agriculture is also developing particularly rapidly. There was a suburban type of agriculture. And in the northern territories near cities, crop production in closed ground is developing.
The European part is the most favorable agricultural region in our country. Agricultural land is a continuous strip. In other regions, the situation is much worse and selective. Hence the big difference between the volume of production, the nomenclature of crops, etc.
In general, the agricultural sector in Russia is mainly the golden fields on which future breads are located. Hard and soft varieties are grown. They are followed by other cultures.
Livestock
Livestock has always produced a lot of products. One meat is worth it. Without this product, there would be no man. You cannot recognize human civilization without milk. And a number of other products. But the volume of work and responsibility are great.
In Russia, cattle are mainly grown; they are fed in most regions. Pigs also get a lot of meat.
All regions are, to one degree or another, exporters of meat and other food products. In the North they get venison. In the mountains there are many goats and sheep.