This paper compares the spatial economic agglomerations of the South and Southeast Brazilian states with the one composed by the Northeast Brazilian states. Two issues were discussed: first, the number and scale of the economic cores in the regions; and second, the productive structures that sustain those agglomerations. The study is based on a set of data with 35,600 manufacturing firms (PIA 2000, PINTEC 2000 e SECEX 2000) and 5,507 municipalities in Brazil (ADH 2000, SIMBRASIL 2000, IPEA Data, IBGE 2000), and information on scientific and technological production, services and agriculture. Based on this information, the economic agglomerations were identified and their productive structures were characterized.
agglomerations; regional inequalities; location; Brazil
