Urban settlement size trends in the former USSR: 1970-1989

"Based upon recently published data, this paper investigates urban settlement size trends in the former USSR and its republics during the intercensal periods of 1970-1979 and 1979-1989. Results indicate that although a trend toward largeness of the Soviet urban hierarchy continues, a slowing in this direction has occurred. Among republics, all had an increasing trend towards largeness on at least one and usually all three summary measures of urban settlement size structure. The RSFSR [Russia] and Armenia especially consistently evidenced a relatively high degree of largeness, while the former Baltic republics generally revealed a relative smallness."