Walter Christaller (born 1893; died 1969), was a German geographer whose principal contribution to the discipline is Central Place Theory, first published in 1933.

This groundbreaking theory was the foundation of the study of cities as systems of cities, rather than simple hierarchies or single entities.

Basis of theory

Central Place Theory rests on the notion that centralisation is a natural principle of order and that human settlements follow it. Christaller suggest that there are laws determining the number, size and distribution of towns. He was interested only in their functions as markets, thus excluding specialist towns such as mining settelments. He argued that the significance of a town cannot be measured by population alone.

Building the theory

To develop the theory, Christaller made the following simplifying assumptions:

• an isotropic (all flat) surface
• an evenly distributed population
• evenly distributed resources
• similiar purchasing power of all consumers

The theory then relied on two concepts: threshold and range.

• Threshold is the minimum market (population or income) needed to bring about the selling particular good or service.
• Range is the maximum distance consumers are prepared to travel to acquire goods - at some point from the centre cost or inconvenience will outweigh the need for the good.

Every good or service will have a range and a threshold. Some will be similar and from this is a hierarchy of central places can be conceived.

Predictions of the theory

From this he deduced that settlements would tend to form in a triangular lattice, this being the most efficient pattern for travel between settlements (derived from stacking theory).

As high value goods and services developed, the provision of high value goods (which people are prepared to travel greater distance to obtain - i.e. those with a large threshold and long range) will concentrate in a small number of large settlements, creating a hierarchical pattern of settlement.

Thus the theory posited a heirarchy of settlements. Each served a hexagonal hinterland bounded by the next settlement down in the hierarchy and in turn being served by the next settlement up. The hexagonal shape is the most efficient that does not allow overlapping hinterlands.

Each lower order settlement was equidistant from three higher or settlements.

See also

List of geographers