The new economic geography explains agglomerations based on a
microeconomic general equilibrium model, witch is usually assumed to be
symmetric in the sense, that regions are of the same size and transport
costs and expenditure shares are the same. As a result, the models can
explain why an agglomeration occurs, but not in witch region. This book
modifies three of the most influential models of the new economic
geography and assumes various asymmetries. It compares the results to
the symmetric cases. Not only theoretical aspects but also methods of
simulation are discussed in detail. This methods can be applied to a
wide variety of models. To show the political implications of the
theoretical results, one of the asymmetric models is applied to the
economical development in germany after reunification. The model is able
to explain the persistent difference in wages between east and west and
the simultaneous incomplete agglomeration in the west.