The relationship between urbanization and economic development: Empirical evidence for developed and less-developed countries.

摘要

Scope and method of study. Economic development is a factor which effects urbanization. This study investigated the relationship between urbanization and economic development. A cross-section model for both developed and less-developed countries was constructed using data for 1960, 1970, and 1980. The study also examined the impact of urbanization measures on economic growth (as measured by growth rate of real GDP/CAP) for 71 developed and less-developed countries for the two periods 1960-1985 and 1970-1985.;Findings and conclusions. The economic development indicators GDP/CAP, ASSISTR or its proxy DASSIST, LITR, and INDLAB have a significant positive impact on both urban percentage and metropolitan percentage. However, economic development (as measured by GDP/CAP) has a negative impact on urban primacy. The results in chapter III and IV showed that foreign assistance is a very important determinant of UP and MP. Largest city that is also the capital city has a significant positive impact on primacy. This suggests that political factors affect primacy. The POP variable has a significant negative impact on primacy. As the total population increases, other places (e.g., small cities and towns) become more urbanized; so, the degree of urban primacy decreases. In general, less-developed countries, other things equal, experienced higher urbanization levels (as measured by urban percentage, metropolitan percentage, metropolitan concentration and urban primacy) than do developed regions. In other words, the less-developed countries are overurbanized relative to the developed countries during 1960, 1970, and 1980. The results also showed that metropolitan concentration in areas of 100,000 or more has a positive impact on economic growth for the same two periods (1960-1985 and 1970-1985). (Abstract shortened by UMI.)