Spatial structure of national administrative division’s systems

Abstract

The spatial parameters of systems of administrative-territorial division (ATD) are considered: contact number (neighbors number), transportation permeability (average distance between neighbor intersection of administrative border by transportation routes), shapes of administrative-territorial units (some indices, including Morton index), graph theoretical indexes of Karel Kansky described the peculiarities of topological structures of ATD systems (connectivity and form). Main concepts of graph theory which are applied to describe the level of spatial (topological) complexity of ATD network are explained in detail: vertices, edges, circuit (closed round), vertices degree, topological center, circuital framework, topological tier. The technique of assignment of topological tiers in the circuital framework of ATD-system for the analysis of spatial structure of its network for 1st level of hierarchy of 9 nations is applied. Maximal number of topological tiers – 20 – for ATD system on 2nd level hierarchy is revealed on the example of the system of counties of U.S.A. The variation of numbers of topological tiers depending on the level of hierarchy of ATD is shown in the case of Spain: 2 – for 1st level hierarchy, 3 – for 2nd, 7 – for 3th, 24 – for 4th. 5 types of topological structure of national systems of ATD are distinguished: compact roundish, compact, elongated with particular distensions, elongated with parallel connections, linearly elongated with truncated circuital framework.