In recent years a growing number of social scientists have become increasingly interested in the study of location problems. This interest has been fostered by the integration of national economies within broader spaces such as the EU or NAFTA as well as by their impact on the development of regions and cities. Another important reason for this attention is the growing awareness among economists that a comprehensive economic theory can no longer put space aside. Most economic activities are distributed over space, and for such activities space moulds the very nature of competition between firms.

This major collection of classic articles demonstrates the important contribution of location theory and will be an essential source of reference for students or researchers of modern regional science or economic theory.