Factors shaping the development of rural settlement

Introduction: a spatial development reference skeleton model is proposed for solving problems of settlement development. The model is necessary for improving rural settlement planning, renovation and reforming. Constituents of the territorial settlement reference skeleton were considered. The research aims at the practical approval of a rural settlement skeleton integrated assessment. Materials and methods: open cartographic sources, territorial planning documents, information from the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus were studied. The methodological basis of the research consists of such general scientific methods as a system approach and comparative analysis method as well as a particular interdisciplinary method of cartographic simulation using geographic information systems. Results: features of Mahilyow region reference skeleton were revealed. The reference skeleton includes the historical and cultural, natural and ecological, transport and communication, and settling constituents. The necessary and sufficient criteria for obtaining the integrated assessment of rural settlement reference skeleton are substantiated. That allows determining the strategic directions of sustainable territorial development. Based on the integrated assessment, the cartogram of the settlement potential of Mahilyow region of the Republic of Belarus was compiled. Generalization of the obtained results allows formulating some recommendations for town planning to determine the strategic lines of Mahilyow region sustainable development subject to the rural settlement prospects. Conclusions: the research shows that the application of system approach and a cartographic modelling of the territorial settlement reference skeleton is a useful tool for assessing the rural settlement skeleton. Further research is conceived in the development of prospective models of settling, natural and ecological, historical and cultural, transport and communication skeletons. Acknowledgement. The research was supported by RAACS under the fundamental research plan of the Ministry of Construction, Housing and Utilities of the Russian Federation (2018).