Urbanization in a historical perspective

Ural State University of Economics, 8 Marta Str., 62, 620144 Ekaterinburg, Russia

Abstract

Russia is one of the highly urbanized countries, so the question of the prospects for developing urban processes is very relevant. Currently, there are two processes in our country: the growth of large cities, their transformation into agglomerations, and the reduction in the number of residents of small and medium-sized cities. These processes are unfolding in the new conditions of the information and digital era, which is changing the spatial fixation of the functionality of large cities, taking many traditional urban activities online mode. It creates the basis for moving the population from large megacities to the suburbs or small and medium-sized cities. Computer technologies are being actively introduced into all spheres of life. They are radically changing our lives and allow avoiding many problems of a large city, making typical types of urban life virtual. As a result, large cities lose their spatial localization of traditional historical functions (economic, socio-cultural, transport, etc.) and giving small and medium-sized cities a chance to renovate themselves.