New tools for the analysis of territorial occupation in Peru: towards a paradigm shift in public administration

Abstract

This article develops the urban-rural continuum methodology as a tool for analyzing the occupation of Peruvian territory. To this end, it discusses the European Commission's method for the delimitation of cities, urban and rural areas together with the current Latin American debates on the subject. In this way, a cell grid spatial classification method using housing density and population number as main indicators is proposed. The results reflect the occupation of Peruvian territory from a different perspective than the dichotomous vision of urban versus rural.  Presenting a gradual view that begins in high-density agglomerations, passes through medium and low-density zones, and ends in practically uninhabited areas, this new way of understanding the occupation of the Peruvian territory is taken to a classification that allows analyzing access and investment in sanitation and electricity services, discussing its usefulness as a tool for public administration. The research recommends using the urban-rural gradient methodology as a tool for designing public policies with greater territorial relevance in Peru.