Overview
In this project, using data from Europe, the United States, and Asia, we will show that city systems are characterized by a spatial fractal structure, in terms of city size distributions, industrial location patterns, as well as the transport network structure. In particular, among the hierarchical economic regions to be identified by the commodity flow surveys, we will show that city size distributions exhibit the common power law. These empirically identified endogenous regularities in turn are reproduced theoretically by spatial economic models. Finally, policy simulations will be conducted to investigate how these regularities restrict the regional industrial and transport policies.
April 8, 2014 - March 31, 2016
