PROGRESS IN GEOGRAPHY ›› 2016, Vol. 35 ›› Issue (11): 1340-1351.doi: 10.18306/dlkxjz.2016.11.004

• Orginal Article • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Accessibility and urban economic linkages of counties in Shanxi Province

Qinqin SHI1,2(), Jiangjiang KANG3, Fengxian LU1,2,*(), Kaina ZHAO1, Shixin REN1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle & Lower Yellow River Regions, Ministry of Education, College of Environment and Planning, Henan University, Kaifeng 475004, Henan, China;
    2. Henan Collaborative Innovation Center for Coordinating Industrialization, Urbanization and Agriculture Modernization in Central Economic Zone, Zhengzhou 450046, China
    3. The Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China
  • Online:2016-11-25 Published:2016-11-25
  • Contact: Fengxian LU E-mail:shiqinqin_1314@126.com;lfxhenu@126.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41671536

Abstract:

Using weighted mean travel time model, gravity model, principal component analysis, geostatistical analyst, exploratory spatial data analysis, and correlation and regression analysis methods and techniques, this study conducted an in-depth analysis of accessibility and urban spatial connections of 107 county-level administrative units in Shanxi Province. The results are as follows. First, accessibility of cities in Shanxi Province is highest in the highly urbanized area of the Taiyuan Basin and gradually decreases outward, which presents a core-periphery distribution pattern. Locally, accessibility in the eastern part is better than the west, and the south is better than the north. Second, economic connections at the county scale form an one core, one circle, and three groups spatial pattern; the overall linkages of cities differ and show a provincial capital and cities with higher overall strength centric distribution pattern. Peripheral county-level units along the Yellow River in the west present weak connections with other units and the overall linkages are small too. Cities in Shanxi Province have close connections with Beijing, Shijiazhuang, Xi'an, Ji'nan, and Zhengzhou and have weak connections with Yinchuan, Lanzhou, and other western provincial capital cities. Third, economic strength, transportation condition, location, urbanization level, and relief of land surface are the main influencing factors of economic connections at the county scale in Shanxi Province.

Key words: accessibility, economic linkage at county scale, spatial pattern, influencing factor, Shanxi Province