Spatial Analysis of the Evolvement of Urban and Rural Economic Disparity in Yunnan Province, China

The per capita disposable income of urban households and the per capita net income of rural households in Yunnan Province are selected as the variable indices. Data are from the Yunnan Statistical Yearbook and the Yunnan Statistical Yearbook[7-8]. Theil index and RHL value are used to carry out quantitative research on the occurrence, development and change of urban and rural economic disparity in Yunnan Province, China. Regression analysis on the evolvement trend of urban and rural economic disparity and spatial analysis on the convergence and divergence of urban and rural disparity caused by economic growth in Yunnan Province are carried out. Result shows that cities in Yunnan Province show a downward convergence; while rural areas show a downward divergence in the years 1978-2007, causing the economic disparity between urban and rural areas. Therefore, urban and rural disparity increases in Yunnan Province and the development of rural areas lags far behind the development of urban areas. Urban and rural economic disparity in Yunnan Province shows an inverted “U” shape of Kuznets Curve. In order to promote the coordinated development of urban and rural economy, suggestions are put forward, such as adopting the unbalanced development strategy, accelerating the overall economic development, promoting the development of small and medium-sized cities, enhancing the integration of urban and rural economics, appropriately supporting rural areas under poverty, and fully exerting the comparative advantage.