Paper short abstract:

This study search for similarities and contrasts between two coastal settlements, Algarve (Portugal) and Paraná (Brazil), by exploring aspects such as identification of centralities and connectivities and characterization of coastal urban centers through social and urban morphology indicators.

Paper long abstract:

On both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, two shorelines, one in the northern hemisphere - Algarve's coast (Portugal) and the other in the south - Paraná's coast (Brazil), present urban settlements with a growing strategic importance regard to environmental, cultural and socio-economic aspects. Both urban settlements suffered an intense urban evolution during the last decades due to the increasing demand for areas of leisure and tourism.

This study search for the similarities and contrasts between these coastlines settlements by exploring three main aspects: 1) Identification of the centralities and connectivities of the coasts; 2) Characterization of the coastal urban centers through social and urban indicators; and 3) Classification of urban centers according with urban morphology and geometry.

The mains tools used are the exploratory spatial data analysis, enabling revealing results of territorial dynamics and patterns of spatial correlations between the urban centers of the two coastlines, combined with the morphologic aspects of the "Projecto Orla" (Project of Integrated Management for the Maritime Coast" guidelines (2006), to read coastal settlements' front and to identify the main features in the occupancy mode.

The different procedures of urban centres and urban networks are defined by the complexity of dimensional, functional and spatial structures, understanding politics and contributors that defines the cities of today, providing database for further studies and urban planning.