The paper econometrically investigates the determinants of industrial agglomeration in 2001, taking as reference recently developed measures. The considered explanatory variables comprised sector-level variables and local infrastructure and incentive policies variables. The evidence showed that variables reflecting input utilization and knowledge spillovers at sector-level had important impacts on agglomeration. Among variables at the municipality-level only infrastructure factors appeared to exert some effect on agglomeration (in terms of telephone availability). The local incentive policies pertaining tax exemptions and technical support for micro and small firms did not have any important effect on industrial agglomeration.

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The purpose of the paper is to investigate geographic distribution of Brazilian industrial sectors over the last three decades. Sectors are analysed by levels of concentration and also to which type of states they moved to. In an econometric model, it is investigated which forces could better explain Brazilian industry location. The main results show that investment in infrastructure in the 70s and the opening of trade in the 90s played an important role in the location of Brazilian industry.

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The aim of this paper is to analyze the Brazilian case to identify its industrial cores and peripheries. The study is based on two sets of data: the first describes 35600 industrial firms, and the second has information on the economic, social and urban structure of 5507 cities (2000). Our main conclusion is: the Brazilian economic space is a mixed case. It is not a set of disconnected or isolated industrial islands, but it is still behind a full regional economic integration.

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