Latin American Integration Route and the State of Mato Grosso do Sul: productive characterization, threats, and possibilities of promotion

The Latin American Integration Route (RILA) corresponds to the materialization of an old desire to integrate the peoples of South America. This route will connect important municipalities in Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chile. In the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), it will connect important municipalities, and bring opportunities and threats. The objective of the study was to analyze the productive structure of the municipalities in Mato Grosso do Sul that will be directly affected by the RILA to better understand this process. For this purpose, we used an Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (Spatial EDA) and the spatial Locational Quotient (sLQ) of the sectorial jobs of the municipalities of the State. The results point out a spatial inequality in productive sectors, delimiting “sectorial islands”. In the industrial sector, the northeastern regions and the surroundings of the capital, Campo Grande, stand out. The northeast region of the State also stands out in the Civil Construction sector and, together with the north-central part of the MS, in the agriculture and livestock sector. In the trade sector, the southern region of the MS stands out, with proximity to Paraguay. In the services sector, there is a relative concentration in the capital and the extreme south of the State. In conclusion, we point out the urgent need for public policies to expand opportunities and mitigate the threats of integration managed by the route.