ABSTRACT
The megaregion is viewed as a platform from which to address a variety of issues. Despite agreement that a megaregion is a large, globally connected urban agglomeration, there is no consensus as to how to delineate its boundaries and how it differs from other urban forms. The scholarly literature is dominated by three distinct analytic approaches: interdependent systems, nodal linkages, and satellite data. We assess the utility of each approach in delineating the boundaries of four megaregions – BosWash, Greater Tokyo, the Amsterdam-Brussels-Antwerp region, and a Global South megaregion – and conclude by proposing a sequence of steps to guide future research.
Delineating megaregion boundaries; differentiation with other urban agglomerations.
Dominant approaches: interdependent systems, nodal linkages, and satellite data.
Megaregion vignettes: BosWash, Tokyo, Amsterdam-Brussels-Antwerp, and Global South.
Comparative analysis requires a clear, broadly accepted definition of megaregion.
Combine dominant approaches to clearly define megaregion and delineate boundaries.
Highlights
Acknowledgements
An early version of this paper was presented at the 2021 North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International. The authors are grateful for feedback received at that event and for comments from Catherine Ross, Adjo Amekudzi-Kennedy, Russ Clark, Beth Mynatt, Jeff Wilson, and participants in the Institute for People and Technology's ‘Think Tank’.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Data availability statement
A categorized list of papers used in the literature review is available upon request from the corresponding author.
Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.