The productive structure and economic function of the territory: the case of the Federal District

Abstract

This article analyzes the productive structure of the Federal District (DF) using classic indicators of regional economics—the Location Quotient (LQ), the Krugman Index, and the Specialization Coefficient (SC)—applied to the 87 economic activity divisions of the CONCLA/IBGE classification. The results reveal a paradoxical structural configuration, characterized by high productive diversity (index of 0.95) and full coverage of national economic activities, coexisting with a strong concentration of employment in specific niches, notably public administration, health, and specialized services. It is argued that this configuration does not stem from traditional industrial specializations or endogenous production linkages, but from the Federal District’s metropolitan function as a center for administrative coordination and the provision of complex services. It is concluded that the Federal District’s economy is not characterized by traditional productive specialization, but by a functional-administrative structure marked by productive diversity, low sectoral specialization, and a concentration of production in state coordination functions.