Description
The survey Area of Influence of Cities - REGIC defines the hierarchy of the Brazilian urban centers and delimitates the areas of influence associated to them. It is in this survey that the Brazilian regional capitals and metropolises are identified as well as how far their spatial influence goes.
The identification of the urban hierarchy and influence areas is carried out by means of the classification of the urban centers that have certain equipment and services and that attract populations from other localities. The differentiated supply of goods and services among the cities makes populations move to well-equipped urban centers searching for health and education services or an airport, for instance. Tracing the relationships between the Brazilian cities based on the analysis of goods, services and management flows is an important tool for making choices concerning location, as the decision to where a university, a hospital or a comapany's branch should be.
About the publication - 2018 - Preliminary results
The survey Areas of Influence of Cities - REGIC defines the hierarchy of Brazilian urban centers and delimits the areas of influence associated with them. By means of this survey, Brazilian metropolises and regional capitals are identified and the spatial reach of their influence is spotted.
In order to meet the demands of the Brazilian society, which is currently facing a serious public health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the IBGE endeavors to release, in a preliminary way, the results of the survey Areas of Influence of Cities - REGIC 2018, more specifically, the results related to the behavior of the cities' network in the health care area. It is an anticipation considering the possibility of using this information to design timely public health policies in view of the need for measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 and to elaborate plans and logistics for health care in Brazilian cities.
The REGIC 2018 survey questionnaire has two questions that investigate the displacement of people from their municipalities bound for others for the purpose of accessing low, medium and high complexity health services. The results from the database of these items allow to assess the behavior of the country's urban network in the health area, contributing to the identification of health care regions and cities that concentrate health services.
In REGIC 2018 there are also two questions that investigate the displacement of people departing from their municipalities headed to others with the purpose of acquiring goods for their own consumption, such as clothing, shoes, furniture, appliances and electronics. The results from the database of these items allow to grasp the behavior of the country's urban network in its most elementary dimension: the search for basic consumer goods, contributing to the identification of attractive cities for commerce and urban centers that function as commercial hubs for the products defined by the survey. In view of the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes will probably occur in the patterns of the flow of goods and trade in the territory, as well as in the economic impact in the Cities that constitute commercial centers.
The publication of the full results of the REGIC 2018 survey, with detailed information about the Brazilian urban network, is scheduled for launch in 2020.
FAQ
Does the survey REGIC define metropolitan areas?
The REGIC survey does not define metropolitan areas. In Brazil, the official metropolitan areas are established by a complementary state law.
On the other hand, REGIC identifies the Metropolises, which are considered the highest hierarchical level of the urban network. The concept of Metropolis at the REGIC refers to cities with a big population, which provide a great variety of services, a position of command in comparison with other cities – for the fact of housing companies and public institutions – and that attract populations from subordinate cities in search of goods and services. The Metropolises at the REGIC survey are presented with their area of influence, which are usually much bigger than a metropolitan area.
What is the periodicity of REGIC?
REGIC is conducted every 10 years. In the intervals, other thematic surveys in the segment of Networks and Geographic Flows take place, thus enabling a partial view of the changes in the urban networks between the releases of REGIC editions. Some examples are the studies entitled Air Links, Road and Waterway Links and the survey Territory Management.
What are ACPs?
Areas of Population Concentration.
