TENDENCIES OF DEVELOPMENT AND TERRITORIAL FEATURES OF THE KIROVOGRAD REGION LABOR MARKET

Abstract

The paper defines the concept of the labor market from the point of the geographic study. The preconditions for the labor market formation in Kirovograd region are defined by a short history of the territory development, agrarian specialization of the economy, uneven population distribution, low urbanization, absence of significant urban centers. The labor market in the region is the result of the interaction of economic, demographic, social, environmental, cultural, political and other regional processes. The article characterizes the dynamics and current trends of the labor market in the region based on the analysis of the number of economically active population according to the place of residence, age and gender distribution. The level of economic activity of the regional population aged 15-70 years for the period of 2012–2017 is determined in accordance with the average Ukrainian indicators. The degree of employment and unemployment of the regional population in the sectoral and gender-related aspects for the period of 2012–2017 is analyzed. The paper determines the intra-regional territorial aspects of unemployment which involve transport accessibility to medium, large cities and to the regional center, density and quality of transport routes, level of agricultural production development, mining and processing industry, level of natural resource potential, level of regional management of the territory. On the basis of the above mentioned facts, it is concluded that the labor market is a structural element of the geographic space. The geographic theory of “center-periphery” is clearly reflected in its development, and determines in its territory functioning indicators a relatively prosperous center and problematic periphery of the region. The paper conclusions indicate the necessity of labor market regulations considering specific interregional peculiarities.