关键词: 胡焕庸线, 人口分布, 空间格局, 时空演变

Abstract:

Spatial distribution pattern of population and its evolution with the change of time and space is a hotspot and core content for human geography. Under the influence of complex environmental factors like geology, geography, ecology, and resources, population and social economy in western and eastern regions of China exhibit a lopsided development pattern over a long period of time. With the proposed New Urbanization Construction and the Belt and Road strategy, the social economy in western China, or even the whole China, has opportunities and space for development. Under the circumstance, this study on population distribution in different periods and areas in China will provide basis and spatial cognition for the development of relevant sustainable development policies and measures. Population data is acquired from the national statistical yearbook and population census data in different periods, and further built up spatial joint with the county administrative boundary in different periods. The population density is calculated based on the population data and regional area, and revised according to the adjacent years. With the support of geographical information technology, the inverse distance weighted method is used for spatial interpolation of the population density. Because of spatial density and distribution for the sampling points, average population density replaced interpolated results in western China. The study depicts the east-west dividing line of population density and discrepancies of population density in different periods and areas during 1935-2010 using county-level Chinese census data from six stages (1935, 1964, 1982, 1990, 2000, and 2010) with the index of population distribution structure, the Gini coefficient of population density, the movement trace of population center of gravity, and spatial autocorrelation analysis. The results showcase the dividing line of population density and discrepancies of population density in different periods and areas during 1935-2010. Because of the influence of history, environment and economy, the characteristics of population distribution evolution in different periods and areas keep changing in this study. It is known to all that the people are mainly distributed in Southeast China with little area, and population is much sparse in Northwest China, but with the larger area. Even though the population distribution trend of balanced development keeps increasing, the spatial distribution pattern of population has not changed obviously in the whole nation. The Hu Huanyong Line can still be a good summary of the characteristics of population distribution in China. To the west of the Hu Huanyong Line, population density in several provinces keep increasing during 1935-2010, such as Gansu Province and Ningxia and Inner Mongolia autonomous regions. The number of areas with population density with more than 50 people per kilometer increases greatly in the three provincial units. Moreover, the trend transferred to northwest China during 1935-2010. At the same time, the population distribution has obvious spatial autocorrelations in China in the last 80 years. In spatial scale, the hot and cold spots for population distribution have obvious aggregation, with great spatial difference in the whole China. The High-High regions are mainly distributed in South and East China where population density is very high and economy is developing repidly. The Low-Low regions are distributed on both sides of Hu Huanyong Line, namely, Southwest China and Northwest China. The natural environment and living standard are very poor in these regions. The spatial difference of population distribution in the High-Low and Low-High regions is very obvious because of local natural geographical environment and economic development, and these regions are usually distributed around the High-High and Low-Low regions. Thus, it is possible to coordinate the development between eastern and western China. We should understand the connotation and denotation of the question put forward by Premier Li Keqiang based on the natural law and economic development strategy of China in the new period. Meanwhile, people-oriented awareness should be further set up, and the New Urbanization Construction can be used to raise urbanization levels in China, thus improving the standard of living and environment.

Key words: Hu Huanyong Line, population distribution, spatial pattern, evolution with the change of time and space