The metropolitan area as a concept and its possible applications

Abstract

That process that has been called "Internal Polarization" in which population and investment become concentrated in the area of the national capital is, held to be responsible for that inbalance in spatial development as between the capital and provincial regions in many Ibero-American States. The overcoming of this problem is seen to be one of the most knott y among those facing such States. The most palpable results of this phenomenon is that overcrowding and enviromental pollution that affects not only th e capitals themselves but medium sized cities such as Valencia and Maracay as well. Governmental Initiatives, such as the setting up of Regional Development Corporations and the "Spatial Dissaturation Policy", have tried to meet this problem. the latter through the creation of five "Priority Development Areas", amongst which are to he found Maracaibo itself and the Eastern Coast of the lake of the same name. The policy is aimed at drawing new investment to these five areas in the hope of thus bringing into being as many development zones to the relief of the overloaded capital. The article suggests some general principles as to the definition of such useful strategies as might be adopted within a context of urban-cum-regional planning.