Urbanization patterns and their impacts on social restructuring of urban space in Chilean mid.docVIP

Urbanization patterns and their impacts on social restructuring of urban space in Chilean mid-cities: The case of Los Angeles, Central Chile Gerardo Azócara, , , Hugo Romerob, , Rodrigo Sanhuezaa, , Claudia Vegaa, , Mauricio Aguayoa, and Maria Dolores Mu?oza, aUnit of Territorial Planning, EULA-Chile Environmental Center, University of Concepcion, Barrio Universitario s/n, Concepción, Chile bSchool of Geography, University of Chile, Marcoleta 250, Santiago, Chile Received 18 November 2003;? revised 18 April 2005;? accepted 21 April 2005.? Available online 19 October 2005. Abstract Urban growth patterns of Chilean mid-cities are explored, analyzing land use/land cover changes between 1955–1978 and 1978–1998 in Los Angeles, a mid-city located in central Chile. Urban sprawl is analyzed with respect to population growth and possible effects on the citys socio-spatial structure. Markovs matrix was used to analyze sequences of land use/land cover changes, whereas regression analysis was used to study the relationship between city and population growth. The study is based on remotely sensed data and processed in a GIS environment using Arcview 3.2, IDRISI, and Arc-Info N.T. Keywords: Urban land use; Socio-spatial restructuring; Chilean mid-cities Article Outline Introduction Study area Data and methodology Results The land use change from 1955 through 1978 The land use change from 1978 through 1998 Urban growth patterns The demographic factor The social restructuring of urban space Conclusions Acknowledgements References Introduction An intense, permanent restructuring process of Chilean mid-city territories, operating since 1975, has greatly affected both metropolitan and mid-city areas. These changes were guided by the high-priority influence of private capital and the search for comparative and competitive advantages. Furthermore, the reduced State has resulted in abandoned economic activities and financial interventions such as subsidies and other tributary e