Contents
Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
‧How MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?
‧Why MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?
--- the general reasons
‧Case Study --- the Philippines
and the USA
How MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?


Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Most More Developed Countries exhibit more
orderly rank-size pattern, compared with Less
Developed Countries.
Example: Canada[1]
‘000 heads
Population
(log scale)
5000
1000
Primacy ratio = 1.03
500
[1] Canada 2001 Census, Statistics Canada
How MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?

Example: Greece [2]
‘000 heads
Population
(log scale)
500
100
10
[2] List of cities in Greece, http://wikipedia.org
Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
How MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?
Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3

Orderly rank-sized cities are distributed evenly
and separated apart in a MDC.

Some of the MDCs are in binary pattern of urban
network for the first two largest cities.

Example: Australia
How MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?
Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
‘000 heads
Population
(log scale)
5000
binary
1000
orderly
[3]
[3] Statistical Divisions (SDs), Australian Bureau of Statistics
How MDCs exhibit binary or
more orderly rank-size pattern?
Comparing the shapes of rank-size patterns
of MDCs and LDCs.
Population
(log scale)

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Greece
Canada1
Australia
The Philippines
(Typical LDCs)
1
10
rank
Why MDCs exhibit binary or more orderly
rank-size pattern? --- the general reasons

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Longer history of urban development
Without colonial background, a MDC has a longer history
of urban development to develop more than one city.

Better-off government
MDCs’ governments are better-off than the LDCs’, they are
able to spend on developing not only one city.

Better transport network
Transport network and infra-structures are built not only to
one city. This enhances even developments in various cities.
Why MDCs exhibit binary or more orderly
rank-size pattern? --- the general reasons

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
High living standard in rural
Ruralites in MDCs have a high living standard. Politics
is stable there. They would not flock to the city.

Higher education level
People in MDCs are at higher education level. Birth control
policies would be easier successful there and this does not
favour the formation of primate city.

Federal government system
Federal government encouraged developments in different
states of a MDC but not only at one city.
Case study and evidence --the Philippines and the USA


Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Case study on MDC with binary pattern --- the USA
With comparison to a typical LDC --- the Philippines
Case Study and evidence --the Philippines, the USA and Japan



Los Angeles
Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
New York
Population density of
The USA
Orderly pattern of urban network with a binary
pattern for the first two largest cities.
Case Study and evidence --the USA

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Longer history of urban development
Though with a colonial background, the USA gained her
independence in late 19th Century and has had a long
history of urban development.
The largest city New York at the Eastern coast was
developed first while the USA later develop the Western
coast and Los Angeles.

Better-off government
The US government is the wealthiest one in the world.
She became a superpower in the 20th Century and she
was able to develop the whole country.
Case Study and evidence --the USA

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Better transport network
Transport is very easy between the Eastern and the
Western coast of the USA. Developments on both of
the two coasts were enabled.

High living standard in rural
The USA rural residents enjoy a high living standard.
They don’t have high incentive to move to the cities.

Higher education level
Birth control policies are successful in the USA. No
population boom would take place to help formation
of a primate city.
Case Study and evidence --the USA

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Federal government system
The USA has a federal government. Capital was given
for developments in different cities.
Case Study and evidence --the Philippines

Primate city --- Metro Manila
with around 10 million
population (1/9 of the total
population of the Philippines)
Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Case Study and evidence --the Philippines

Geography Class Discussion
Urban Primacy Question 3
Short history of urban development
Colony of the USA till 1946.

Economic Poverty
Corruptions were usual. National finance and economy
were always bad. Poor government was not able to
support developments of more cities.

Political Instability

Lower education level