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Transportation Networks and the Location of Human Activities
Author(s) -
Peeters Dominique,
Thisse JacquesFrançois,
Thomas Isabelle
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
geographical analysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.773
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1538-4632
pISSN - 0016-7363
DOI - 10.1111/j.1538-4632.1998.tb00407.x
Subject(s) - relocation , attractor , simple (philosophy) , economic geography , grid , european union , state (computer science) , grid network , computer science , geography , business , international trade , mathematics , mathematical analysis , philosophy , geodesy , epistemology , algorithm , programming language
The impact of transportation networks on the location of human activities is a surprisingly neglected topic in economic geography. Using the simple plant location problem, this paper investigates such an impact in the case of a few idealized networks. It is seen that a grid network tends to foster a dispersed pattern of activities, while the center of a radial network acts as an attractor. The case of two economies characterized by different network configurations that form a custom union is then analyzed. It is shown that the structural properties of the networks still hold, though some locations are pulled toward the common border. This suggests that no such relocation should be expected within the European Union if the state members endorse similar fiscal and social policies after the formation of the single market.