ITAPERUNA-RJ:

study of interurban centrality from its health and education services

Abstract

Itaperuna, located in the Northwest area of the State of Rio de Janeiro, has played an important role in the regional economic dynamics since the burgeoning of coffee culture, from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 20th. Currently, this City’s relevance is maintained due to the significant participation of its population and the economic activities in the region. The goal of the present study was to analyze Itaperuna's interurban centrality in its immediate geographic region, through an analysis of education and health services. For this work, we adopted methodological procedures, reviewed bibliography, surveyed primary and secondary data, and performed systematization and analysis of information. The results indicate that Itaperuna has shown population growth and economic activities concentrated at the regional level (manufacturing industry, trade and services). Among service activities, education and health showed an outstanding role and were responsible for the regional economic dynamics and the strong population attraction exerted by Itaperuna.