A Model of Sequential City Growth

David Cuberes ()

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: There is strong evidence showing that in most countries cities develop sequentially, with the initially largest cities being the first to grow. This paper presents a growth model of optimal city size that rationalizes this growth pattern. Increasing returns to scale is the force that favors agglomeration of resources in a city, and convex costs associated with the stock of installed capital represent the congestion force that limits city size. The key to generate sequential growth is the assumption of irreversible investment in physical capital. The presence of a positive external effect of aggregate city capital on individual firms makes the competitive equilibrium inefficient.

Keywords: City Growth; Increasing Returns; Congestion Costs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: N90 O57 R12 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2008-02-16
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-geo and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Related works:
Journal Article: A Model of Sequential City Growth (2009)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:8431

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