Problem setting. Providing sustainable development of rural areas is one of the priority tasks of socio-economic transformations in our country at the stage of improvement of the existing system of management. For the current socio-economic situation, which has developed in the countryside of Ukraine, the presence of accumulated problems is characteristic. This is a serious obstacle to the sustainable development of rural areas. With the onset of ongoing reforms in the agrarian sector, there has been an aggravation of crisis phenomena: the level of production has fallen, the resource potential of agriculture has decreased, the demographic situation has deteriorated, the processes of formation of economic entities have stopped, the quality of life of the population has decreased. The presence of imbalances, in turn, has led to the emergence of depressive zones in the countryside, the situation of which is characterized by instability and the presence of very serious problems of economic, social and environmental character.Recent research and publications analysis. The phenomenon of sustainable development of rural areas was investigated is at the center of the research of both domestic and foreign scientists.Highlighting previously unsettled parts of the general problem. The article aims at developing theoretical foundations and deepening methodological, conceptual and applied bases of approach to managing the development of rural areas.The article reveals the theoretical aspects of sustainable development of rural areas. The object of the research is rural areas as a socio-economic and environmental subsystem of society, the subject of research is the process of ensuring the sustainable development of rural areas. During research the author received the following main results: made the analysis of the concept “rural territories”; value and a role of rural territories locates in a national economy; estimated capacity of rural territories in the Ukraine; analyzed the key problem aspects of development of rural territories.The approaches to the definition of the notion “sustainable development” and “sustainable development of rural territories” are analyzed; it is determined that there is no generally accepted comprehensive definition of the notion “sustainable development of rural territories”; the main goal of sustainable development of rural areas and the main components of sustainable development of rural areas (economic, social, environmental, institutional); the necessity of transition of rural areas in Ukraine to the concept of sustainable development with the aim of resolving acute social and economic problems of rural areas is substantiated. The approaches to the definition of the notion “sustainable development” and “sustainable development of rural territories” are analyzed; it is determined that there is no generally accepted comprehensive definition of the notion “sustainable development of rural territories” and the main components of sustainable development of rural areas (economic, social, environmental, institutional); justified need of transition of rural territories in Ukraine to the concept of a sustainable development for the purpose of permission of acute social and economic issues of rural areas.Встановлено, що the rural areas as object of studying demand the complex assessment considering both territorial aspect, and set of the public relations including economic, social, cultural, demographic, ecological and other indicators. In this article the main problems of social and economic development of the village are considered.In article author stated main methodological prerequisites to the solution of problems of providing a sustainable development of rural territories and managements. Author made the conclusion that the sustainable development of rural territories promotes performance of economic functions by them, including providing with the food, agricultural raw materials, public benefits, production of goods and services, preservation of rural tenor of life and the rural culture, expanded reproduction of the population, growth of level and improvement of quality of his life, maintenance of ecological equilibrium in the biosphere.Conclusions of the research and prospects for further studies. It is established that Rural territories possess great potential for development of Ukraine which yet remains unrealized, the sustainable development of rural territories promotes performance of economic functions by them, including providing with the food, agricultural raw materials, public benefits, production of goods and services, preservation of rural tenor of life and the rural culture, expanded reproduction of the population, growth of level and improvement of quality of his life, maintenance of ecological equilibrium in the biosphere.Key words: rural area; sustainable development; economy; system analysis; ecological and economic system.