THINKING ABOUT SMALL CITIES IN BAHIA: THE CASE OF PARAMIRIM IN THE SOUTHWEST BAIANO

Abstract

Considering the relationship between the population and the public administration, the ruralities in the urban area, and its regional insertion, the present study aimed to understand the urban-regional dynamics of the small town of Paramirim (BA). Four dimensions of analysis were established that supported this work: (i) population dimension, (ii) dependence of the population concerning the municipal public administration, (iii) field-city relations and ruralities in the urban, and (iv) insertion of the small town in a regional urban network. In methodological terms, a survey of secondary data was carried out (population, economic activities, and formal job positions by sector of activity), and questionnaires were applied to the population residing in the city. It was concluded that the delimited analysis dimensions were fundamental for understanding the socio-spatial dynamics of Paramirim (BA), revealing the importance of municipal administration in job generation, the intensity of field-city relations, and the presence of ruralities in the urban space of Paramirim (BA), as well as, the dependency of the population of the city concerning a regional urban system.