Discrepancies in the rural population number estimates (case study of the Tver oblast)
An attempt to assess the discrepancies between the official estimates and real numbers of rural population is made. The real number of rural dwellers was evaluated basing on the results of the field survey in Stepurino rural municipality (Tver oblast). It was found that about 30% of the registered rural residents de facto don't live in the countryside. The role of seasonal population in preserving the rural settlements network is analyzed. The importance of gathering up-to-date information on the population for the proper management of territories is pointed out.