Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: MARIA JOSIANE DA PAIXÃO

POPULATION SPATIAL MOBILITY: PENDULAR FLOWS IN RIO GRANDE DO NORTE

Spatial mobility of the population; Geographic space; Commuting; Immediate region of Natal

The spatial mobility of population involves the movement of people in time and space.To assist in approaching this theme, the research has as its core concept the geographic space, by Milton Santos (2006), to understand the transformations and the simultaneous processes of production and functioning of space, which, being a human product, is a reflection of social conditions and, in turn, interferes in the dynamics of displacements, favoring a greater dynamics of population flows in time and space.This research aims to analyze the commuting flows in Rio Grande do Norte – daily trips that do not involve a change of residence –, with a greater focus on the flows from the municipalities of the Immediate Region of Natal (RIMN) towards the capital.Data from the 2010 demographic census show that Natal; capacity to attract population goes beyond its territorial limits and influences nearby municipalities;while those smaller and further away are repulsive areas, have little economic dynamism and do not offer all levels of schooling, which largely motivates commuting, especially between the municipalities of the RIMN.As a methodology, a bibliographic and documental review was used, with a quali-quantitative approach, in a descriptive and explanatory perspective of the phenomenon and the facts.Data on intercity commutes in the municipalities of the RIMN and on the sociodemographic profile, collected by the 2010 demographic census, based on the variables Work and Study, were represented by graphs followed by discussion.From this data, as well as from its organization, it is possible to identify the paths taken and who are the people behind these flows.However, a greater number of pendular movements were observed in the municipalities of: Parnamirim, São Gonçalo, Macaíba, Ceará-Mirim and Extremoz, daily towards Natal.In the later stage, questionnaires will be applied to residents of these municipalities in order to better understand the dynamics of these flows, the route, the frequency, the transport used and the reasons, that is, in the dissertation, with data from the field research, it will be possible to present who are these people and understand how these commuting trips towards Natal are configured.