Densidades populacionais e territórios em mutação

Abstract

Fernanda Cravidão highlighted the population geography by publishing and demonstrating the relevance of this topic in territorial development and planning processes. Population densities are, today, at the heart of some public policies and are strongly related to some recent social and environmental disasters. In this regard, we feel that population densities should be the focus of this publication. By portraying territorial densities and dynamics thereof between 1864 and 2011, we are helping to counteract a social and political discourse focused on high and low density. We will seek to demonstrate that this is a dualist and simplistic rhetoric, given the structural changes that have occurred and the social, economic and political processes that should be implemented at various territorial levels and scales. Thus, we pay tribute to Professor Fernanda Cravidão and seek to demonstrate why it is important for Portugal to adopt territorial-based public policies.