The urban system of Peru at the beginning of the 21st century, 2007-2017

Abstract

The objective of the study is to explore the characteristics of the urbanization process and its territorial manifestations in Peru in the 2007-2017 period. In this phase of economic growth, urbanization accelerated as the degree and rate of urbanization increased; whereas, the national urban concentration was reduced slightly due to the lower dynamism of the large cities with respect to the medium and small cities; the urbanization was eminently coastal due to the demographic importance of Lima-Callao, meanwhile, in the highland and jungle regions the middle cities had greater demographic weight. Likewise, during the study period there was a greater dynamism in the cities of the mountains, which led to the weakening of urban concentration. Territorially, medium-sized towns are located at a higher altitude, large cities are located closer to the capital of the republic. Although urban poverty levels were reduced, but to a greater extent they are located in the jungle and mountains; urban poverty shows an inverse association with the size of cities; likewise, there is a positive association between poverty and distance, and poverty and the altitude of the localities.