ABSTRACT
Cities and towns are spatial constructs: the sectoral structure of their economies and their demographic characteristics imply economic roles, socio-political organisational arrangements and management challenges that are different from those in ‘rural’ areas. This is not to say that they can be analysed in isolation. External economic and development assistance policies and processes, political changes and domestic economic and social policies impact on urban and rural areas alike, but their implications and the scope for local response differs. Spatial analysis focuses on the interrelationships between sectoral characteristics and policies as they play themselves out in areas (regions, cities or localities) with particular spatial, geographical and natural resource characteristics.
