Desenvolvimento regional, hierarquia urbana e condição de migração individual no brasil entre 1980 e 2010

Abstract

The level of regional development is affected by the migration process, and the subsequent migration flows are affected by the growth rates of the localities in a process of circular and cumulative causation. The aim of this paper is to identify the contribution of urban hierarchy to the individual decision to migrate in Brazil between 1980 and 2010. To achieve this goal, we analyze data from demographic census for the period, provided by IBGE. Data analysis shows that migration patterns in Brazil are extremely related with the levels of urban development. Moreover, individual migration is associated with the advantages of urban centers, especially if they are located in medium sized cities. New trends begin to emerge and are related to the economic expansion of new destiny regions, with the decline of job opportunities in the most developed region of the country, and with return migration.