THE INTERIORIZED URBAN NETWORK IN THE UPPER WEST OF POTIGUAR, UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF PAU DOS FERROS, RN, BRAZIL

Abstract

The connections and (re)organizations of territories occur through urban networks in their scalar diversity. In recent decades, we have observed a new dynamic in the Brazilian urban network that points to an intensification of interiorized urbanization in the Northeast region, characterized by small and medium-sized cities, far from the large centers located on the coast. Despite these changes that have occurred in the interior urban networks, the studies that deal with urban networks are mostly related to medium-sized cities and large metropolises. Therefore, there is a need for studies that address interior urban networks, in order to understand the dynamics of these spaces, as well as to plan regional public policies. We propose to analyze the interiorized urban network in the Alto Oeste Potiguar, led by the city of Pau dos Ferros. To achieve the proposed objective, we adopted a qualitative approach with a descriptive design, and among the results obtained, it is possible to identify a reorganization of the inland urban network in the Alto Oeste Potiguar region, in which Pau dos Ferros constitutes an important node that defines the meanings of urbanization in this part of the semi-arid territory.