VON THÜNEN'S ISOLATED STATE AND THE AREA AROUND ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA.

This paper compares the agricultural patterns in the immediate umland of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with the crop theory in von Thünen's Isolated State. Although many of the assumptions upon which the Isolated State was built are not met in the study area, several striking empirical parallels can be seen. First, there is a ninety-five square mile eucalyptus forest surrounding the capital city, producing firewood and building material for the city. Even more significant is the shape of the forest which resembles the theoretical patterns suggested by Thünen that resulted from the introduction of an improved transportation surface into the Isolated State along which costs were drastically reduced. Eucalyptus forests are also found around smaller towns over much of Ethiopia in accordance with the idea that the small town in the Isolated State would produce its own land use zones. Vegetable production is found in close proximity to the city although vegetable and milk production do not occur together as suggested by Thünen. It is argued that this practice causes the milk supply of Addis Ababa to fall short of demand. In zones 3, 4, and 5 in the Isolated State, Thünen placed three zones of mixed farming of decreasing intensity. In the equivalent zone in the study area incipient zonation was discovered. A discussion of the problems associated with the Economic Man assumption in a plural society is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]