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The Shape of City-Size Distributions in a Central Place System

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  • H Beguin

    (Department of Geography, Catholic University of Louvain, 1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium)

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to provide an explanation for the shape of city-size distributions in the context of a central place system. Under given assumptions, a model is presented relating this distribution to individual labour productivity and individual consumption pattern. Simulation results show how variations in productivity and consumption explain the slope and curvature (primacy, convexity, S-shape) of city-size distributions.

Suggested Citation

  • H Beguin, 1984. "The Shape of City-Size Distributions in a Central Place System," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 16(6), pages 749-758, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:envira:v:16:y:1984:i:6:p:749-758
    DOI: 10.1068/a160749
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rosen, Kenneth T. & Resnick, Mitchel, 1980. "The size distribution of cities: An examination of the Pareto law and primacy," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 8(2), pages 165-186, September.
    2. Gordon F. Mulligan, 1981. "Production Functions, Export Base Multipliers And Urbanization Ratios In City Systems," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(1), pages 77-88, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Wang, Fahui, 1999. "Modeling a central place system with interurban transport costs and complex rural hinterlands," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 381-409, May.

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