Evolution of the city of Irkutsk economic-geographic position in various scales

The notion of economic-geographic position seems to be a good instrument of regional qualitative analysis. The two principal peculiarities of this method are “playing scales” and historical, evolutionary approach. These ideas are analysed on the example of a particular case, the problems and prospects of Irkutsk. The following relationships are studied: Irkutsk in Europe, Irkutsk in the ethnic area of the Buryat people, Irkutsk in Russia, Irkutsk in Eastern Asia, Irkutsk in the ex-Soviet Union, Irkutsk in Siberia, Irkutsk in its administrative region (Oblast), Irkutsk and Baikal, Irkutsk in its agglomeration, and Irkutsk and Poland.