provided by Research Papers in Economics
A Regional Core, Adjacent, Periphery Model for
National Economic Geography Analysis
Henk J.E.M. Brand*
University of Glasgow
Glasgow, December 2003
Abstract
This paper presents a national regional model of economic geography. The model defines and
classifies a country’s regions into three types according to population density criteria. The regions
within a country are typified as; core, adjacent, and periphery. The benefit of this classification is
twofold. One, it provides a simple three-region economic geography model consisting of a core,
adjacent and a periphery region that easily expands into a multi-region model. Two, it reveals whether
a country’s economic geography consists of a multi-agglomerate production structure. The model is
significant because it permits an examination of the endogenous forces of economic geography.
Furthermore, it allows for the identification of homogenous region types between countries in a
common market such as the EU. Finally, the model provides an alternative empirical framework to the
conventional core periphery model of economic geography analysis.
Keywords: economic geography, regional nomenclature, concentric circle theory, agglomerate, EU
geographic core periphery.
JEL Classification: F12, F15, J21, R11, R12, R23
I am indebted to Ian Wooton for his insightful comments and valuable suggestions. The author is Assistant Professor in
Economics at Olivet College, Olivet, Michigan, U.S.A. Tel: 1-(269)-749-7650. Email: [email protected] or
[email protected].