World tobacco market, capital concentration and spatial organization. Introductory notes to tobacco geography.

Abstract

In this essay we analyze, in an introductory way, the organization and the functioning of the world tobacco market, especially leaf tobacco and its respective spatial configuration. Initially, we present the actual constitution of the world tobacco market, tobacco`s consumption and production geographical areas, and its spatial organization. In a second and final moment, we analyze the reflexes of the economical globalization processes of capital concentration and the economical practices and spatial strategies of multinational tobacco corporations in the development of the world’s leaf tobacco market and its spatial (re)organization.