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Причины и тенденции регионального неравенства в России
Income inequality among regions in Russia gives rise to a number of social and economic problems. The causes of inequality are numerous and relatively well-studied. However, different studies may present directly opposing characteristics of factors and conditions contributing to inequality growth. This can be attributed to the geographic, historical, cultural, industrial, and even natural-climatic specificities of particular regions. This study assesses the causes of inequality in Russian regions, identifies trends, and proposes strategies for alignment. It reviews contemporary research on inequality in Russia and other regions worldwide. Regression models were constructed using the least squares method to determine the dependency of the Gini index on various indicators across Russian regions and different climate zones. The resulting Gini index for each region of the Russian Federation was utilized as the resulting indicator. The factor indicators include GDP per capita, density of paved roads, average wages, foreign direct investment, housing availability, and climate zone of the region. It was found that the level of inequality depends on GDP per capita, proximity to major cities reduces inequality, while colder and harsher climates tend to increase it. Specific features were identified for regions in different climate zones, and recommendations were provided. These findings contribute to the advancement of economic science and form an informational basis for the development and implementation of regional policies.