Functional regions in the northern municipalities of the Magdalena department in Colombia: An approach from the classic Christaller model

Abstract

The objective of this article is to identify functional regions in northern Magdalena region of Colombia, using the theory of the central places of Christaller. The empirical design is based on the Graph Theory and uses a random sample. We find that the region has two First Order Central Places (Santa Marta and Barranquilla), and three Second Order Central Places (Ciénaga, Fundación and Pivijay). Consumers attend the first and second order central places to obtain products. It is suggested that with the described spatial structure, improvements in secondary and tertiary roads between small settlements and the identified central places might improve development conditions. This exercise is useful for micro-regionalization efforts, where the State administration is brought closer to the local territorial reality.