Urban-Regional Dynamics of the Northeastern Brazilian Semiarid Region in the 21st Century

Abstract

The article analyzes the urban-regional dynamics of the Brazilian Semi-Arid region in the 21^st century, highlighting the growing prominence of medium and small-sized cities in the context of productive and institutional transformations since the 1980s. The methodological approach is exploratory-descriptive, combining quantitative and qualitative analysis of microdata from the IBGE, RAIS/MTE, and the Northeast Constitutional Financing Fund through the Banco do Nordeste. Although the region has experienced significant economic and social progress, partly driven by public policies aimed at social inclusion and productive investments, structural limitations persist, such as weak integration among cities and the concentration of resources in larger urban centers, a result of a historically-structured development model rooted in underdevelopment and recurrent state intervention. The study concludes that, in order to consolidate the Semi-Arid as a dynamic and resilient territory, it is necessary to strengthen urban-regional linkages, promote productive complementarity, and restructure regional development policies with a focus on equity, multiscalar governance, and territorial and environmental sustainability.