The specifics of the historical-geographical zoning is that 1) it should cover both natural and social phenomena (moreover, in their interconnection), i.e. has an integral geographical nature, and 2) it is of variable nature over time in accordance with the course of history. When highlighting the historical and geographical regions, the latter should be distinguished as invariant, i.e. relatively stable elements, which are the natural landscapes, creating a sort of supporting frame of zoning, or mobile (variable), defining the historical volatility of regional systems development. Hence follows the gradual principle of historical-geographical zoning: at each stage of the historical development the system of regions should be reviewed and adjusted as necessary (including taxonomic units of different order). Experience the historical and geographical regionalization of the European North-West of Russia leads to the conclusion that the primary factors for development of the reference frame are the landscape borders (including zonal and subzonal) and the lines of the watersheds, while the role of «axes» of integrated regional systems in the early stages development is mainly held by river systems. In this study, the North-West of European Russia is considered as the historical-geographical macro region and is divided into five meso-regi-ons of the first order.

The formation of the theoretical and methodological positions of social and economic geography took place in the process of solving the practical problems of territorial distribution of production and services objects, urban and rural settlements. The idea of integrated development of the area,with account of environmental constraints and social needs has been implemented in the concepts of territorial production complexes. The paper characterizes the main directions of economic-geographical research, including in the fields of strategic planning and urban development.

The article is devoted to geodemography, one of the areas of human geography; the most significant works are critically examined, some of the new directions of social and economic geography related to geodemography are highlighted.