Níveis urbanos no Noroeste de Portugal : dimensão populacional e do comércio a retalho

Abstract

To understand North-Western Portugal it is necessary to study the way of life of its towns and «vilas» and also to recognize the relations estabiished between them. Some theoretical principies that coneern the interpretation and explanation the size of the population and commercial activity of urban centers are discussed. Our aim is to examine their applicability in the área under study, thereby emphasizing the rapid changes that have been taking place and the factors that determined them, which have not always been examined in the numerous works on the theme.