This paper evaluates the scientific and technological production of Metropolitan Areas in Brazil. The data are from the Brazilian Patent Office (Instituto Nacional de Propriedade Industrial - INPI) and from the Institute for Scientific Information (ISI). The first section surveys the literature on interactions between universities and firms. The second section presents the data bases and a general picture of the Brazilian scientific and technological production. The third section focuses the Metropolitan Areas. The fourth section evaluates the different scientific and technological specializations of these Areas. The fifth section concludes the paper, discussion connections and disconnections in the Brazilian National System of Innovation.
science and technology statistics; national system of innovation; spatial distribution
