Features of development and transformation of the settlement system of the Moscow region

The article examines the features of the development and transformation of the settlement system of the Moscow region as part of the largest agglomeration. The relevance of this work is determined by the need to account for spatial and functional changes in territories amid the implementation of the Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation, intensive agglomeration processes, and the improvement of mechanisms for integrated territorial development. The aim of the study is to analyze the specific features of the existing settlement system in the region, identify factors of its transformation, and determine the role of integrated territorial development. The author assesses the average annual growth rate of the urban and rural population in the Moscow region from 2017 to 2025, examines some contemporary features of the settlement system, presents the population distribution and grouping of settlements by distance from the Moscow Ring Road (MKAD), and investigates functional changes in territories across municipalities.