primate cities: case study of mexico city positive and negative impacts on a country’s economy...
TRANSCRIPT
Primate Cities: Case Study of Mexico City
Positive and Negative Impacts on a Country’s Economy
Magnitude: Disproportionately large population; Over 2 times larger than next largest city in country
Significance: Cultural and political center; Hub for national economics and development
MODEL OF THE LATIN AMERICAN CITY
Colonial Castle in Urban Park Upscale Hotels Palace of Fine Arts
Main Cathedral/Plaza
Stock Market
Western Sector-Public Spaces
Western Sector-Residential
North and Eastern Sections
High Altitude Basin
Public Transportation
Federally Subsidized
1985 Earthquake
2010-Bicentennial
National Museum of Art Palace of Fine Arts
National Archives
Xochimilco(Chinampas)
UNESCO World Heritage Site
Catholic
“The Earth you walk on pilgrim is sacred…on this mountain springs two streams, symbols of the valiant Aztec race and the Spanish Missionaries, that submissively were united at the feet of MARY, mother and forger of the Mexican patria.”
Tenochtitlán-Interior Drainage 1631-1635
Import water, export waste
NAFTAChiapas--high % indigenous
1872 RailroadNational projectLater connectionsto USA
Centennial Celebration
“[the majority of Mexicans are] individuals of the white race, Europeans and some mixed with European and indigenous blood; the Indians are now very few in number…”
Conclusions
• Primate cities are seen as “too big to fail”• Primate cities solve about as many problems
as they create• Mixed bag as a national economic strategy