Von Thunen

The Von ThÐ"јnen Model

Dateline: 06/02/97

The Von ThÐ"јnen model of agricultural land use was created by farmer and amateur economist J.H. Von ThÐ"јnen. His model was created before industrialization and is based on the following limiting assumptions:

• The city is located centrally within an "Isolated State" which is self sufficient and has no external influences.

• The Isolated State is surrounded by an unoccupied wilderness.

• The land of the State is completely flat and has no rivers or mountains to interrupt the terrain.

• The soil quality and climate are consistent throughout the State.

• Farmers in the Isolated State transport their own goods to market via oxcart, across land, directly to the central city. Therefore, there are no roads.

• Farmers act to maximize profits.

In an Isolated State with the foregoing statements being true, Von ThÐ"јnen hypothesized that the following pattern would develop:

There are four rings of agricultural activity surrounding the city. Dairying and intensive farming occur in the ring closest to the city. Since vegetables, fruit, milk and other dairy products must get to market quickly, they would be produced close to the city (remember, we don't have refrigerated oxcarts!)

Timber and firewood would be produced for fuel and building materials in the second zone. Before industrialization (and coal power), wood was a very important fuel for heating and cooking. Wood is very heavy and difficult to transport so it is located as close to the city as