Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística

About the publication - 2018 - Definitive results

The publication of the survey Areas of Influence of Cities 2018 updates the reference framework of the Brazilian urban network. This is the fifth edition of the survey that was previously published in 1972, 1987, 1993 and 2007. The 2018 edition maintained the theoretical-methodological contribution of the last edition, with procedural improvements and added other topics related to the urban network, such as the identification of flows between Brazilian cities bordering neighboring countries.

The Brazilian urban network, in the present study, is structured in two dimensions: the hierarchy of urban centers, divided into five main levels (Metropolises, Regional Capitals, Sub-Regional Centers, Zone Centers and Local Centers); and the areas of influence, identified by the connection between low ranked and high ranked the cities in the urban hierarchy. Hierarchies and connections between the Cities, as well as the delimitation of the areas of influence, were built based on specific survey of primary data, with the use of administrative records and with the input of other IBGE surveys relevant to the theme focused by this publication.

In addition to the publication itself, which contains the urban network and sectoral analyzes that help improve the qualification of the results, the survey database is available, and could be especially for studies that focus on other themes or other scale of areas than the national one.

Considering that the IBGE has been carrying out this survey for five decades, this publication contributes to the understanding of the historical evolution of the urban phenomenon in the country, especially of the relationships between urban centers. Previous versions of this study show that it can serve as an input for planning, especially for location decisions, whether for public services, business distribution or investments in the territory, taking into account the spatial relationships between urban centers and the different attractiveness that cities exert on population for the acquisition of goods and services.