Department of Planning and Regional Development, School of Engineering, University of Thessaly Pedion Areos, 38334 Volos, Greece, Tel: +302421074462, e-mail: regiolab@prd.uth.gr, http://www.prd.uth.gr Available online at: http://www.prd.uth.gr/research/DP/2005/uth-prd-dp-2005-14_en.pdf Discussion Paper Series, 11(14): 255-280 The Greek Urban System: Concentration or Deconcentration and Estimation of Metropolitan Concentration George Petrakos Associate Professor of Spatial Economics, University of Thessaly, Department of Planning and Regional Development, South and East European Development Center, Tel. (+30) 24121074468 Fax. (+30) 2421074385 e-mail: petrakos@prd.uth.gr Sotiris Pavleas Urban and Regional Planner, Ph.D. Candidate University of Thessaly, Department of Planning and Regional Development, South and East European Development Center, Dr. Ageliki Anagnostou Research Fellow University of Thessaly, Department of Planning and Regional Development, South and East European Development Center, Abstract Metropolitan evolution involves a variety of broad, long-term perspectives that focus on demographic changes and sectoral economic parameters. Metropolitan change and its several diachronic phases are also considered to be the main factors that determine urban system transitions. Emphasis is placed on analyzing the way metropolitan evolution and the level of metropolitan concentration reacts on city size distribution in national level and especially in the Greek urban system. A selective review of the literature provides a significant perspective and background on the stages of metropolitan evolution and its effects on city-size distribution. The Greek urban system is a highly concentrated system and there exist opposing arguments whether the growth of the capital Athens is in an increasing or in a decline state during the last two decades. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the matter above, using the application of rank-size distribution for the Greek cities and the decades included in the period of 1951-2001 (concerning two levels: cities over 10.000 and small towns over 5.000 habitants). The level of metropolitan concentration in Greece is then estimated using a unique method, which considers more complex parameters than the population analogies. Key words: Greek Urban System, city rank-size distribution, metropolitan concentration/deconcentration October 2005