Geoscience Reference
In-Depth Information
and the Definition of Regional Boundaries
6
The Regional Density Function
John B. Parr and Darryl Holden
Abstract
The population density function is usually applied at the level of the urban or
metropolitan area. In this chapter, however, it is examined at the scale of the
region, namely, an economic region of a nodal (rather than homogeneous) type.
The regional density function to be employed has an inverse power form. This is
shown to differ significantly from the negative exponential structure typically
associated with urban areas. The primary purpose of the investigation is to
explore the possibility of using the density function as a means of determining
the boundary between adjacent economic regions. Initially, the boundary is
examined in terms of a point and then, more conventionally, as a line. After
discussing several possible extensions, the results are compared with findings of
other theoretical models concerned with the specification of boundaries, but
based on wholly different approaches.
6.1
Introduction
Segmentation of the economic space of a nation into discrete units represents an
important cornerstone of regional economic analysis. While it is generally
acknowledged that the results of a given investigation are likely to be sensitive to
the regionalization scheme employed, there tends to be an uncritical acceptance of
the validity of the regions used in official statistics, whether published or
