Patterns of Regional Income Distribution in Uruguay (1872–2012): A Story of Agglomeration, Natural Resources and Public Policies

In this chapter, we provide a new data set of regional GDP and GDP per capita for Uruguay between 1870 and 2012. As regards the long-term evolution of regional inequality, we find evidence of a persistent decline from the last third of the nineteenth century up to the 1960s with a strong reversal of the process from then on. The first decade of the twenty-first century, however, shows a new decreasing trend in regional inequality. Montevideo has represented a large share, both demographically and economically, over time as consequence of a privileged access to sea and the fact that the city was built around a natural port with excellent conditions. In addition, agglomeration forces identifi…