Abstract
This thesis ventures to understand and explain aspects of the complex system of land usage, housing and transportation in cities. It proposes theoretical models and uses empirical analysis to aid its goal of explaining some stylized facts and anecdotal evidence available in the field of urban economics. It contributes to the literature on urban-transportation by proposing a theoretical model of industrial organization in the freight industry. The model sheds light on the nature of competition between freight carriers competing in transport price and service frequency. Another theoretical contribution is an economic model of squatting (illegal occupation of land), a widespread phenomenon observed especially in the cities of the developing world. This model has the potential to aid policy analysis of land use and housing in cities across the developing nations. A third contribution is a study that uses empirical methods to provide descriptive evidence regarding slum housing in Indonesia. It provides an understanding of the correlation between socio-economic attributes of households and the quality of dwellings occupied by these households. Overall, the dissertation carries out an economic analysis of various currently under-explored and less-understood aspects of urban and transportation economics.