As an outcome of globalisation, geographers and demographers have noted the significant demise of small towns. Economic rationalisation and the related decline of services within small towns that once thrived a century ago have also seen the growth of large regional centres. All urban areas are aligned within a global hierarchy.
- Within a nation a hierarchy of cities and towns usually develops related to the number and range of services and businesses it has
- The area influenced by a town or city is called its hinterland
- The further down the hierarchy the less services and functions offered and the smaller the hinterland
Economies of agglomeration and telecommunications technology are leading to the centralisation of business services into a relatively small number of world cities. This process has a cascade effect through the urban system: from the national level, to the regional level and then to the local level. The result at the local level is the decline, and even the demise, of many small towns. Certainly it also leads to a marked reduction in services that are no longer economically viable in a competitive business environment. However, the impact on the larger regional urban centres can be quite different.
Australian Example:
- National city – SYDNEY
- Regional cities – Newcastle, Wollongong, Lismore, Wagga Wagga, Dubbo, Albury-
Wodonga - Hinterland towns of Dubbo – Wellington, Cobar, Bourke
- Small towns – Peak Hill, Trangie
Website: NSW’s EVOCITIES
Article:Bernard Salt’s ‘Sponge City Effect’
Connectography 