The purpose of the article is to unveil conceptual approaches to rural development based on the definition of various types of this development, to substantiate the directions of its diversification in the context of decentralization taking into account the experience of the European Union. The article explores the various types of rural development to substantiate the conceptual approaches to its provision in the context of decentralization reform. The generalization of scientific approaches to the types of rural development gives reason to claim that there is currently no single conceptual approach to the concept under study. Sustainable, balanced, resistant, agrarian, socio-economic, agricultural, integrated, complex, perspective types of rural development are identified. The concepts of “development of rural territories” and “rural development” are described and their use is proposed as identical. It is proposed to consider rural development as a socio-ecological-economic process of extended reproduction of rural development, which ensures harmonious growth of economic, social, demographic, ethnic and environmental spheres. The article determines that the notion of “sustainable”, “balanced”, “resistant” in the scientific literature is disclosed in the framework of the study of priorities for sustainable development of rural areas. The article confirms that the complex development of rural territories is connected with decentralization and creation of integrated territorial communities, which use available natural, economic, social and financial resources. Quality of life of rural residents is determined to be the general criterion that characterizes the development of rural areas. The authors reveal that when the rural population is involved in production on the territory of the community, the unemployment rate decreases, household incomes increase, local budget revenues grow at the expense of the personal income tax. Probable ways of rural development are analyzed on the basis of the experience of the European Union. The need to apply an integrated approach to rural development, that is, to identify this development as diversified, proportional and integrated, is substantiated. 

rural development, decentralization, typology of rural development, sustainable rural development, quality of life for rural residents 

The purpose of the article is to reveal methodological approaches to analysis of the development of rural territories in Ukraine. The authors note that the complex analysis and evaluation of the results of rural areas’ development is an integral part of formation and implementation of the strategy of diversification of rural territories’ development in Ukraine. The paper emphasizes that the availability of analytical information on the state of development of rural territories is a prerequisite for making grounded decisions on diversification of rural territories in the regions of Ukraine and improving the quality of life of rural population. The methodical approaches to the analysis of territories’ development have been considered. The paper proves that the definition of the peculiarities of social, economic and ecological development of rural territories makes it possible to elaborate effective practical recommendations for the diversification of the development of a separate rural consolidated community. A methodology for analyzing the development of rural territories in Ukraine has been developed. It covers the consistent implementation of the following stages: the assessment of the development of rural territories in Ukraine, the diagnosis of rural territories in the region, the characteristics of the preconditions for diversification of rural consolidated communities, the modeling and development of strategic directions of diversification of rural territories in conditions of decentralization, monitoring of changes in the development of rural territories and control over the implementation of the goals of diversification of rural territories in terms of decentralization. The application of the proposed methodological approaches to the analysis of the development of rural territories in the context of the implementation of the decentralization reform can serve as the basis for making informed decisions regarding the strategy of diversification of rural territories, increasing the competitiveness of rural consolidated communities. This is possible on the basis of the diagnosis of rural development and the identification of priority areas for economic activity for each of them, which should be the ground for implementation of modern regional policy in the context of decentralization of authorities. 

rural development analysis, decentralization, rural consolidated territorial community, diversification of rural areas development, quality of life of rural inhabitants