von

'---'

1.

Built

one

2.

Studied
productive

3.

Methods

of

the

world's

the effects
activity.
in

many

first

geographic

of distance

ways

Thunen

and

constitute

transportation

the

models.
costs

foundations

of

4.

Isolated
State model because von Thunen wanted to
country
devoid
of outside
influences
that would
disturb
the economy.

5.

'---'

on the

modern

Ioca.ion

location

theory.

establish
a self-contained
the internal
workings
of

He made a number of limiting

assumptions:
a.
Soil and climate
uniform
throughout
the region.
b.
No river valleys
or mountains
would interrupt
a completely
flat land
surface.
c.
There would be a single
centrally-positioned
city in the Isolated
State.
The latter would be surrounded
by an empty,
unoccupied
wilderness.
d.
Farmers
would transport
their own products
to market
by oxcart,
directly
overland
and straight
to the central
city.

6. Von Thunen concluded that farm products would be raised in a series of

concentric
zones outward
from the central
market
city.
a.
Nearest to the city would be grown those crops that perished
easily or
yielded
the highest
returns.
This readily
accessible
farmland
was in
great demand
and therefore
more expensive.
b.
Farther away would be potatoes
and grains.
c.
Since transport
costs to the city increased
with distance,
there would
be a line beyond which it would be uneconomical
to produce
crops.
d.
This would be the wilderness
zone.
7.

Von Thunen's
model incorporated
four zones or rings of agricultural
around
the market
center.
a.
Zone of intensive
farming
and dairying.
b.
Zone of forest used for firewood
and timber, which were still
important
building
material
in his time.
c.
Zone of increasingly
extensive
field crops.
d.
Zone of ranching
and animal products.
e.
Wilderness.

8.

that changed Von Thunen's

model:
Transport
routes
may serve certain
sectors
more effiCiently
others.
b.
Physical
barriers
can impede
communications.
c.
iExternal economic
influences
invade
every area.
d.
When using Yon Thunen'~
model, add these variables
later.

9.

land

use

Factors

a.

x.>

of

Model

no Ionqer

centered

on

a single

city

but

rather

on

vast

than

urbanized

areas.
I

Inference of Von Thunen's Model to Continental United

States

Assumptions
1. New York City the only market
2. Crops ranked by rent paying ability
3. No terrain or climatic variation

Assumptions
1. New York City the only market
2. Crops ranked by rent paying ability
3. No terrain variation
4. Climatic variation considered