Alfredo Costa

Urban hierarchy in the brazilian Amazon

The Grade of Membership (GoM) model is used to outline profiles based on a heterogeneous and multidimensional database, which allows identifying clusters and describing the differences among them. In this study, GoM uses several types of variables so as to improve the understanding of the greatness and power of Amazonian cities. To accomplish this task, a model that takes into account a variety of aspects, which exceed a purely economic or demographic analysis, is proposed. Understanding the hierarchical organization of the cities in the Amazon seems to be a very important exercise in order to understand the dynamics and specific characteristics of regional urban nets. In this way, it is evident that policies which stimulate the establishment of more structured urban nets in the Amazon are needed. A more balanced population distribution throughout the territory could bring a series of benefits, especially when it comes to the offer and access to all different sorts of services.

ESTRUTURAS TERRITORIAIS DINÂMICAS E MUDANÇAS MODERNIZADORAS AO LONGO DE 70 ANOS EM MINAS GERAIS (1940 – 2010)

RESUMO Este artigo busca evidenciar empiricamente que o Estado de Minas Gerais passou por importantes mudancas estruturais e modernizadoras entre 1940 e 2010, as quais foram capazes de mudar seu perfil produtivo e alterar o padrao distributivo da populacao. Para tanto, dados sobre populacao e producao referentes aos dois anos elencados foram analisados tendo em vista a comparacao do seu comportamento nos municipios de maior relevância urbana nos seus respectivos anos de referencia, ou seja, centralidades dinâmicas e altamente produtivas na configuracao da rede urbana mineira, denominados aqui como “municipios-destaque”, em relacao aos demais municipios mineiros. Verificou-se que a Minas Gerais de 1940, de economia predominantemente rural e populacao desconcentrada, tornou-se outra em 2010, de forte economia urbano-industrial, com maior concentracao demografica nas medias e grandes cidades. PALAVRAS-CHAVE: Modernizacao, Reestruturacao, Territorio, Minas Gerais. ABSTRACT This article aims to demonstrate empirically that the State of Minas Gerais (Brazil) presented important structural and modernizing transformations between 1940 and 2010. These changes were able to transform its production profile and its population distribution pattern. The empirical exercise consisted on comparing population and production data of the most urbanized municipalities with the data presented by the other municipalities in its years of reference. The main conclusions shows that the State of Minas Gerais had a predominantly rural economy and a decentralized population in 1940, and a strong urban-industrial economy with a relevant and growing network of medium and large cities in 2010. KEY-WORDS: Modernization, Restructuration, Territory, Minas Gerais. RESUMEN Este articulo busca demostrar empiricamente que el Estado de Minas Gerais (Brasil) presento importantes cambios estructurales y modernizadores entre 1940 y 2010, que fueron capaces de cambiar su perfil de produccion y el patron de distribucion de supoblacion. En este sentido, se analizaron los datos sobre la poblacion y la produccion para los dos anos mencionados con el fin de comparar su comportamiento en los municipios de mayor importancia urbana y economica en sus respectivos anos de referencia, en relacion com el resto de los municipios de el Estado. Se constato que el Estado de Minas Gerais en 1940 era de economia predominantemente rural y de poblacion descentralizada, y se convirtio en otroen 2010, con una fuerte economia urbano-industrial y una mayor concentracion de la poblacion en ciudades medianas y grandes. PALABRAS-CLAVE: Modernizacion, Reestructuracion, Territorio, Minas Gerais.

La jerarquía urbana en la Amazonia

The Grade of Membership (GoM) model is used to outline profiles based on a heterogeneous and multidimensional database, which allows identifying clusters and describing the differences among them. In this study, GoM uses several types of variables so as to improve the understanding of the greatness and power of Amazonian cities. To accomplish this task, a model that takes into account a variety of aspects, which exceed a purely economic or demographic analysis, is proposed. Understanding the hierarchical organization of the cities in the Amazon seems to be a very important exercise in order to understand the dynamics and specific characteristics of regional urban nets. In this way, it is evident that policies which stimulate the establishment of more structured urban nets in the Amazon are needed. A more balanced population distribution throughout the territory could bring a series of benefits, especially when it comes to the offer and access to all different sorts of services.

A hierarquia urbana na Amazônia

The Grade of Membership (GoM) model is used to outline profiles based on a heterogeneous and multidimensional database, which allows identifying clusters and describing the differences among them. In this study, GoM uses several types of variables so as to improve the understanding of the greatness and power of Amazonian cities. To accomplish this task, a model that takes into account a variety of aspects, which exceed a purely economic or demographic analysis, is proposed. Understanding the hierarchical organization of the cities in the Amazon seems to be a very important exercise in order to understand the dynamics and specific characteristics of regional urban nets. In this way, it is evident that policies which stimulate the establishment of more structured urban nets in the Amazon are needed. A more balanced population distribution throughout the territory could bring a series of benefits, especially when it comes to the offer and access to all different sorts of services.