Central place theory is a geographical theory that seeks to explain the number, size and location of human settlements in an urban system. The theory was conceived, primarily by W. Christaller and A. Lösch, in order to explain size and number of cities and their spacing in a territory. It relies on a definition that considered settlements simply as 'central places' providing services to a scattered population, and on optimisation principles (which take transport costs into account). The theory stands on the limit between geography and spatial economy, and may be claimed by both disciplines. The theory is basically formalised in a static way, several derived models are proposed which represent equilibrium states, but its authors have suggested tracks that should allow making it evolve.
[Citation] Central Places Theory, hypergeo.eu
