VON THÜNEN AND URBAN SPRAWL

TLDR

Von Thünen’s theory predicts decreasing agricultural intensity with distance when transport costs dominate, but in advanced industrialized regions urban expansion often produces the opposite pattern of increasing intensity. The study develops a theory to explain agricultural patterns around modern urban areas and tests it with empirical evidence. The authors formulate a theory based on urban expansion forces and evaluate it using empirical data from modern urban settings.

Abstract

ABSTRACT In explaining agricultural patterns near urban areas, Von Thünen's theory is generally applicable where the primary force determining the pattern is transport cost to the market. When this is the case, the pattern of agricultural land use is one of decreasing intensity with distance from the city. Von Thünen's theory still applies in underdeveloped parts of the world, but his basic premise has been outdated in more developed areas. In many advanced industrialized parts of the world, the basic forces determining agricultural land use near urban areas are associated with urban expansion. Where these forces are in operation, the agricultural pattern quite often is one of increasing intensity with distance from the city, quite the reverse of the pattern generalized by Von Thünen's theory. A theory is developed to explain the agricultural pattern near such modern urban areas, and empirical evidence related to this theory is examined.