Overview of Industry in Brazilian Macroregions: Analysis from Regional Measures and Location

Abstract

Because the large number of industries located in Brazil's Southeast region, living with the existence of less industrialized and less developed regions, arises in the regional matter discussions about the phenomena of concentration and industrial decentralization, in order to give explanations about its origins, developments and economic and social consequences for the country. In this context, this paper aims to verify the behavior of the Brazilian industrial sector by analyzing the movement of its plants among regions. From data obtained from the Annual Relation of Social Information – RAIS of the Ministry of Labor and Employment – MTE, and making use of regional measures and location, the study shows the behavior of the industrial establishments in the macro-regions in the 1990-2010 period, and evidence that regional development policies implemented by federal and state governments were not enough to promote economic development of peripheral regions by attracting industrial establishments, maintaining the Southeast still as a most industrialized region of the country.