RANK-SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SETTLEMENT SYSTEMS - A STABLE ATTRACTOR IN URBAN-GROWTH

A further step towards a dynamic model for the observed size distribut ion of a system of settlements is presented. The occurrence and tempor al stability of the rank-size distribution is obtained as the result o f adynamic self-organizing process of the nested system of settlements . The inherent time scale;of this self-organizing process and the obta ined hierarchical structure are related to the generally low inter-set tlement mobility of urban population, the tendency of the population t o agglomerate, distance effects and preference effects. The well-known migration model of Weidlich and Haag is used as starting point and th ree approaches to express the attractivity in the system are compared. The stationary state is investigated in detail under some Limiting co nditions.