Population return to the mountains: problems and prospects (on the example of North Ossetia)

Abstract

For North Ossetia, where about half of the territory is occupied by mountains, the problems of the mountain population and settlement are of particular relevance. They are becoming even more relevant now, in connection with the intensification of economic activity in the mountains, the construction of a cascade of Zaramag HPPs, the implementation of the Mamison project, the optimization of recreational activities, the development of environmentally friendly cattle breeding, fish farming, crop production, etc. Settlement began to rebuild to meet the needs of the economy, the infrastructure began to improve (gasification, electrification, computerization, etc.), the population again reached for the mountains. Research methods. The study of mountain settlement in the North Caucasus has begun relatively recently. The first works appeared in the 1990s. They covered the territory from Dagestan to Adygea. Mountain settlement in Dagestan was studied by Sh.S. Muduev [4], in Kabardino-Balkaria by A.E. Zelenskaya [5], in Adygea by F.V. Tlehuray [6]. A.D. Badov [7-9; 20]. Studies of mountain settlement were also carried out by Yu.P. Badenkov [1; 10; 11], V.S. Belozerov [12], P.P. Turun [13] and others. Research results. Currently, there is a stabilization and even a slight increase in the population in the mountainous part of North Ossetia. At the same time, in summer, the number of the living population increases significantly due to the arrival of summer residents and tourists. The number of sum-mer residents has increased significantly over the recent period, especially in the Kurtat gorge. However, some problems of both demographic and ecological character are revealed. Thus, in a number of villages there is a significant disproportion in the sex structure of the population, which negatively affects the marriage rate of the population [5]. The dumps in the mountains have not been liquidated yet, the tailing dumps have been reclaimed with design errors and imperfections. Conclusions.Among mountain settlements with a positive dynamics of population, one can single out a favorable geographical position on transport routes, in economic facilities under construction (industrial, agricultural, recreational). Thus, in recent years, repopulation processes have begun to be observed in the mountainous part of the republic. Further recovery of the economy may lead to an increase in the effect of returning the population to the mountains. Great hopes are pinned on the implementation of the Mamison project. The construction of the resort can not only attract tourists to the region, but also revive the settlement system. However, this resettlement will be of a completely different format. Unfortunately, very little happens in the very project of the future settlement system.