The territorial spine in highly specialized regions: ChileÍ€™s Central Valley

Abstract

Economic restructuring processes and market opening have generated multiple and varied consequences in our territories. Perhaps for Chile, as with other Latin American countries, one of the most important processes at the regional level is the development of highly specialized spaces or commodity-regions. Different academic work indicates that within these spaces, as well as areas of high competitiveness, there are also backward areas with limited economic dynamism. Consequently: What has happened to the model of a territorial spine and a system of population centers? What are the characteristics of these backward areas? And what are the challenges to be faced? ChileÁs Central Valley is one of the areas that reveals this specialization. We analyze the physical structure of the territory that has been generated in these regions and the role that population centers play in these new scenarios. Based on a characterization of the territorial spine, we move towards a definition of most favoured areas and generate hypotheses relating to challenges and future requirements.

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