PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2009, Vol. 28 ›› Issue (5): 697-704.doi: 10.11820/dlkxjz.2009.05.007

• Original Articles • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Strength and Direction of Regional Economic Linkage in Jiangsu Province Based on Gravity Model

MENG Deyou1|LU Yuqi2   

  1. 1. Department of Environment and Urban Planning, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu 476000|China; |
    2. College of Geographic Science, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210046|China
  • Online:2009-09-25 Published:2009-09-25

Abstract:

Research on regional economic linkage is one of the most important aspects in economic geography and regional research. This paper, taking Jiangsu as an example, calculates the strength of regional linkage  based on the gravity model in combination with network analysis of GIS which is used to acquire the matrix of the shortest travel time between every two cities in Jiangsu Province. The strength of regional economic linkage and disparity charcateristics are analyzed within the southern, central and northern zones and between every two zones in Jiangsu. And the primary directions of regional economic linkage are identified by the strength of regional economic linkage. The results show that: (1) the disparity of the quantity of every zone’s economic linkage is large and the hierarchical feature is very remarkable; and(2) the regional differentiation characteristics of the strength of regional economic linkage are significant, the strength of regional economic linkage within the southern and central zones and between them in Jiangsu Province is stronger; the directions of the regional economic linkage extend along the main roads and the strength weakens with the increase of distance.  Through  the  measurement  and  comparision of regional economic linkage, the main  directions  of  economic linkage are identified clearly, which is not only in favor of finding the direction for regional economic development, but also in favor of coordinating the contact and  cooperation within zones or inter-zones.

Key words: gravity model, Jiangsu Province, regional economic linkage