Guidelines for urban and regional analysis : types of analyses applicable to A.I.D. activities

This report describes types of urban and regional analyses relevant to A.I.D. activities. While not intended to be a "how-to" manual, the report presents guidelines to assist field missions in formulating, justifying, and designing urban and regional projects and programs. It is noted that the type and level of analysis to be implemented depend upon the country situation, development assistance strategy, and types of projects anticipated. Ten types of analyses, of varying degrees of complexity, are discussed and include those of national policies of urban and regional development; the distribution and characteristics of the poor; the distribution of development and underdevelopment; the system of central place service centers; migration; key urban-rural linkages; urban administration and the delivery of essential services; urban employment and functions; and social analysis of the urban poor. Each section provides a brief description of the type of analysis, its relevance to A.I.D. activities, typical questions addressed by the assessment, sources of data, and references (1955, 1964-66) for further information. Three applications of the analyses to project development are presented: to establish network centers for regional development; to improve the well-being of slum residents in the capital city; and to increase employment in an intermediate-sized city.