Abstract
This article reports a multi-scale analysis of polycentric urban development in 22 Chinese city-regions. Using fine-grained population data, our analysis contrasts polycentric development patterns at multiple geographical scales. We present a typology of Chinese city-regions based on both (1) their inter-city polycentricity and (2) the intra-city polycentricity of the individual cities that comprise these urban regions. Overall, we find only limited levels of association between inter-city and intra-city polycentricity. The Pearl River and Yangtze River Deltas have high levels of inter-city and intra-city polycentricity. Most city-regions in Central and Western China are characterized by a primate urban system and low levels of inter-city polycentricity. We hypothesize the major economic, political, and geographical processes underlying observed patterns.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 953-972 |
Journal | Environment and Planning B: Urban Analytics and City Science |
Volume | 45 |
Issue number | 5 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2017 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- China
- Polycentricity
- Inter-city
- Intra-city
- Multi-scale
- ITC-ISI-JOURNAL-ARTICLE
- n/a OA procedure