Population, territory and sustainable development

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Chapter VII
REGIONAL INEQUALITIES WITHIN COUNTRIES:
THE ROLE OF INTERNAL MIGRATION
A. INTRODUCTION
Levels of economic and social development vary within each country, not only at aggregate geographical
scales —which reveal contrasts between rural and urban situations or between rich and poor regions—
but also at more disaggregated scales between municipalities or neighbourhoods within the same
metropolitan area.
This chapter draws attention to the territorial inequality existing between major regions of
countries or at least between major administrative divisions (MADs) in a country. The focus is on
regional territorial inequality as opposed to other types of territorial inequality, such as between urban and
rural areas, municipalities of conurbations or districts within cities, which will be dealt with in other
chapters. Two facets of this territorial inequality are shown for South America and Mexico in maps VII.1
and VII.2.
Differences in mortality rates reveal the most dramatic inequality, that is, inequality concerning
the right to life. Map VII.1 shows countries where MADs with infant mortality rates of 10 per thousand or
less exist alongside others where the rate is three times as high. Map VII.2, on the other hand, shows
economic inequality, measured in this case in terms of per capita GDP. The contrast is clear, for example
between MADs where per capita GDP is US$ 10,000 or more (for the most part metropolitan MADs or
natural resource enclaves) and MADs, where it does not exceed US$ 2,500 (for the most part in the
Andean area of the Plurinational State of Bolivia), Ecuador and Peru, as well as in north-west Argentina
and north-east Brazil.
The inequalities shown on maps VII.1 and VII.2 are undeniable but are still the subject of debate.
Governments usually declare their intention of reducing them and, to this end, implement initiatives of
different kinds. Politicians tend to champion the same cause, especially those in the least developed and
most disadvantaged regions, which suffer the frustration of being denied the conveniences and benefits
enjoyed elsewhere in the country. This inequality is cause for concern because it tends to be selfperpetuating
and, as pointed out in ECLAC (2010a), is an obstacle to sustainable development. Residents
in disadvantaged territories have less access to public goods and services, and this narrows their
opportunities and prevents them from exercising their rights; in this sense, the pursuit of greater territorial
equality goes hand in hand with the pursuit of greater social equity. According to a significant number of
researchers and experts, these inequalities lead to squandering, inefficiency and the unsustainable use of
resources. A chapter on territorial inequalities was included in ECLAC (2010a) not just for social policy
reasons (or in pursuit of greater social equity), but also for economic reasons (in pursuit of greater
aggregate productivity).