Intermediate cities in Colombia: theoretical debates, functionality, and territorial planning in the national urban system

Abstract

This article examines the role of intermediate cities in Colombia as strategic nodes within the national urban system, from theoretical, functional, and institutional perspectives. Based on a comparative review of Latin American and European authors - including Carrión, Llop, Corrêa, Sposito, Moura, Haesbaert and Raffestin, it argues that urban intermediation is a structural dimension of territorial development rather than a residual category between metropolitan and rural areas. In the Colombian context, intermediate cities perform economic, administrative and symbolic articulation functions but lack formal recognition in planning policies. The study identifies tensions between the functional relevance of these cities and their limited institutional visibility, proposing a national policy that acknowledges their role in decentralization, sustainability and territorial cohesion. It concludes that strengthening intermediate cities requires advancing toward a multilevel governance and multiscalar planning model that integrates Colombia’s natural, built and institutional systems.