TRANSFORMATION OF CONCENTRATION AND SPECIALIZATION OF THE ECONOMIC STRUCTURES OF THE FAR EAST REGIONS
The article analyzes the current state of economy of the Pacific part of Russia - the Far East, as well as its structural transformation for last 25 years. Using the Herfindal-Hirschman Index (HHI), comparative assessment of the levels of specialization and concentration of the regions of the Russian Far East was conducted by three indicators. These are the structures of the gross regional product, of fixed assets and of profit by main economic activities. By the obtained data, Sakhalinskaya Oblast is a highly specialized region of the Far East, and mining is the most concentrated activity. In the Amur Region is noted the best diversification of the economy. The high level of distribution for such activities as education and production of electricity, gas and water is observed in the Far East. Based on the obtained results, «the territories of concentrated specialization» of the Far East with high specialization of one type of economic activity, the high concentration of which makes them significant for the entire macroregion as a whole, were identified. In addition, a comparative analysis was carried out since 1995 and the main changes of the economy structure and its geography were noted. In general, in the macro-region, there is a narrow specialization in one or two types of activity, which makes the existing structure of the Far East’s economy vulnerable and imperfect. The obtained results testify to spatial imbalance of the regions by the level of their development. Weak development of economy in remote regions is marked. This indicates unsustainable spatial organization of economy of the Far East, which does not allow using efficiently the possibilities of its territories.