This paper presents the results of selecting the regions of the Russian Federation according to two criteria of self-development - gross domestic product and financial balance of the territory. 30 regions of Russia showed the dynamics of the GRP growth comparable to or higher than in Russia as a whole, the central part and north-west parts of Russia keep the leadership on the number of self-developing regions on the criterion of the GRP. The outsiders of regional economic development are Volga, Ural, Siberian and Far East Federal Districts. Of 83 subjects of Russian Federation in total, in 38 an excessive level of taxes and other obligatory payments to budgets of all levels of government expenditure of the territories was observed. Based on the author's calculations, a classification of Russian regions on the type of economic development of the areas has been made into four types: self-developing regions, developing territories, financially stable territories and under-developed regions. A classification of self-developing regions on the type of economic development is made; resource-isolated, agricultural, managing and organically developing territories within the Russian Federation are defined.