Counterurbanization in Argentina? A multi-scale approach using the 1991-2001 census data

• Main Author: Carlos M. Leveau
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México 2009-10-01
• Series: Investigaciones Geográficas
• Subjects: Contraurbanización; Argentina; diferencias regionales; periurbanización; crecimiento rural
• Online Access: http://www.investigacionesgeograficas.unam.mx/index.php/rig/article/view/18006
• ISSN: 0188-4611; 2448-7279

Although the counterurbanization phenomenon has been well recorded in development countries, in Latin America there is a lack of studies focusing on this phenomenon. The objective of this study is to test the counterurbanization phenomenon in Argentina, during the 1991-2001 period. Separating the localities in ranks, at the country scale, the growth rate of localities below 2000 inhabitants was greater than major agglomerations. On another hand, there was a significant negative correlation between settlement size and his growth rate for eight provinces, but there no was correlation at the country level. Taking only minor localities, their growth rate was greater at the periphery of eight of nine major agglomerations, with respect other interior minor localities and, at the country level, was greater in more populated districts, although there was opposed patterns in regions. The results obtained in this study demonstrate that in the nineties there was a counterurbanization phenomenon in Argentina. I discuss these results in relation to neoliberal economic policies applied since 1976.