IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i3p522-d1603748.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatial Characteristics and Factors Influencing the Rural Development Level of Chinese Counties on the Basis of Point Data

Author

Listed:
  • Min Zhao

    (School of Architecture and Planning, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China)

  • Qi Chen

    (School of Architecture and Planning, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China)

  • Jun Zhang

    (School of Architecture and Planning, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China)

  • Qianwen Xu

    (School of Architecture and Planning, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China)

  • Peng Li

    (School of Business and Tourism, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, China)

Abstract

Measuring the rural development level of counties is helpful for identifying regional differences and proposing targeted strategies. In this study, 44,743-point data were selected from 17 types of rural lists in China, and a four-dimensional indicator system was constructed following the “point-to-area” principle, to analyse the spatial differentiation and factors influencing rural development levels. The results reveal that the characteristic points of rural development present a “polarized” pattern along the Hu Huanyong Line, with four agglomeration cores in Southeast China. The third quadrant, delineated by the Hu Huanyong Line and the Botai Line, has the lowest rural development level. Meanwhile, the eastern coastal area and the northern coastal area lead in average rural development level among eight socioeconomic zones. Beijing, Tianjin, and Shanghai have either the highest or second highest levels in overall and dimensional development, whereas Tibet has the lowest level. Moreover, the cultural level in most counties remains at a relatively low level or below. The key factors influencing this pattern include the natural environment and economic production, especially river density, cultural resources, and general public budget expenditure per capita. This study deepens the understanding of rural development, aiming to inform global sustainable rural development assessment.

Suggested Citation

  • Min Zhao & Qi Chen & Jun Zhang & Qianwen Xu & Peng Li, 2025. "Spatial Characteristics and Factors Influencing the Rural Development Level of Chinese Counties on the Basis of Point Data," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-25, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:522-:d:1603748
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/522/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/3/522/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jianwen Shi & Xiuyun Yang, 2022. "Sustainable Development Levels and Influence Factors in Rural China Based on Rural Revitalization Strategy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Hashemi, Niloofar & Ghaffary, Gholamreza, 2017. "A Proposed Sustainable Rural Development Index (SRDI): Lessons from Hajij village, Iran," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 130-138.
    3. Jiang, Changjun & Li, Jintao & Liu, Jilai, 2022. "Does urbanization affect the gap between urban and rural areas? Evidence from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 82(PB).
    4. Hennebry Barraí & Stryjakiewicz Tadeusz, 2020. "Classification of Structurally Weak Rural Regions: Application of a Rural Development Index for Austria and Portugal," Quaestiones Geographicae, Sciendo, vol. 39(2), pages 5-14, June.
    5. Allen, Cameron & Metternicht, Graciela & Wiedmann, Thomas, 2016. "National pathways to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): A comparative review of scenario modelling tools," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 199-207.
    6. Leonardo Casini & Fabio Boncinelli & Caterina Contini & Francesca Gerini & Gabriele Scozzafava, 2019. "A Multicriteria Approach for Well-Being Assessment in Rural Areas," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 143(1), pages 411-432, May.
    7. Zang, Yuzhu & Liu, Yansui & Yang, Yuanyuan & Woods, Michael & Fois, Francesca, 2020. "Rural decline or restructuring? Implications for sustainability transitions in rural China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    8. Cecilia Rubio & María Clara Rubio & Elena Abraham, 2018. "Poverty Assessment in Degraded Rural Drylands in the Monte Desert, Argentina. An Evaluation Using GIS and Multi-criteria Decision Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 137(2), pages 579-603, June.
    9. Geng, Yuqing & Liu, Liwen & Chen, Lingyan, 2023. "Rural revitalization of China: A new framework, measurement and forecast," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    10. He Li & Hua He & Jian Zhang, 2022. "Study on Rural Development Evaluation and Drivers of Sustainable Development: Evidence from the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region of China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-21, August.
    11. Monsalve, Fabio & Zafrilla, Jorge Enrique & Cadarso, María-Ángeles, 2016. "Where have all the funds gone? Multiregional input-output analysis of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 62-71.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Viccaro, Mauro & Romano, Severino & Prete, Carmelina & Cozzi, Mario, 2021. "Rural planning? An integrated dynamic model for assessing quality of life at a local scale," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    2. Aleksandra Tešin & Aleksandra S. Dragin & Maja Mijatov Ladičorbić & Tamara Jovanović & Zrinka Zadel & Tamara Surla & Kristina Košić & Juan Manuel Amezcua-Ogáyar & Alberto Calahorro-López & Boris Kuzma, 2024. "Quality of Life and Attachments to Rural Settlements: The Basis for Regeneration and Socio-Economic Sustainability," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-19, August.
    3. Xiaojuan Yang & Weiwei Li & Ping Zhang & Hua Chen & Min Lai & Sidong Zhao, 2023. "The Dynamics and Driving Mechanisms of Rural Revitalization in Western China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-26, July.
    4. Ye Tian & Qin Liu & Yiting Ye & Zhaofang Zhang & Ribesh Khanal, 2023. "How the Rural Digital Economy Drives Rural Industrial Revitalization—Case Study of China’s 30 Provinces," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-18, April.
    5. Ida Kubiszewski & Kenneth Mulder & Diane Jarvis & Robert Costanza, 2022. "Toward better measurement of sustainable development and wellbeing: A small number of SDG indicators reliably predict life satisfaction," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(1), pages 139-148, February.
    6. Chi, Yuan & Liu, Dahai & Wang, Jing & Wang, Enkang, 2020. "Human negative, positive, and net influences on an estuarine area with intensive human activity based on land covers and ecological indices: An empirical study in Chongming Island, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    7. Ying Lu & Walter Timo de Vries, 2023. "Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Rural Development in China over the Past 40 Years," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    8. Xiaowei Shi & Peitian Su & Yanle Xia & Heng Zhang & Yuzhuo Shen & Bonoua Faye & Yujing Wang & Lei Liu & Ruhao Xue, 2025. "Assessing Rural Habitat Suitability in Anhui Province: A Socio-Economic and Environmental Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-21, March.
    9. Zhixiu Li & Shixi Cheng & Lin Xiao & Yangyang Wei & Tianchuan Fang, 2025. "Sustainability Benefit Evaluation and Optimization of Rural Public Spaces Under Self-Organization Theory," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-34, January.
    10. S. Vögele & K. Govorukha & P. Mayer & I. Rhoden & D. Rübbelke & W. Kuckshinrichs, 2023. "Effects of a coal phase-out in Europe on reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(1), pages 879-916, January.
    11. Luciano Barcellos-Paula & Iván De la Vega & Anna María Gil-Lafuente, 2021. "The Quintuple Helix of Innovation Model and the SDGs: Latin-American Countries’ Case and Its Forgotten Effects," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-23, February.
    12. Whelan, Adele & McGuinness, Seamus & Barrett, Alan, 2021. "Review of International Approaches to Evaluating Rural and Community Development Investment and Supports," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS124.
    13. Guang Han & Ping Zhai & Liqun Zhu & Kongqing Li, 2023. "Economic Incentives, Reputation Incentives, and Rural Residents’ Participation in Household Waste Classification: Evidence from Jiangsu, China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-15, October.
    14. Xue Jiang & Xiaoya Song & Hongyu Zhao & Haoran Zhang, 2021. "Rural Tourism Network Evaluation Based on Resource Control Ability Analysis: A Case Study of Ning’an, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-16, April.
    15. Xiuling Ding & Qian Lu & Lipeng Li & Apurbo Sarkar & Hua Li, 2023. "Does Labor Transfer Improve Farmers’ Willingness to Withdraw from Farming?—A Bivariate Probit Modeling Approach," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-27, August.
    16. Xiaozeng Wang & Jiabin Chen & Xingyan Du, 2024. "Understanding the impact of Internet access on farmers' willingness to participate in farmer professional cooperatives," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(7), pages 349-361.
    17. Banacloche, Santacruz & Gamarra, Ana R. & Lechon, Yolanda & Bustreo, Chiara, 2020. "Socioeconomic and environmental impacts of bringing the sun to earth: A sustainability analysis of a fusion power plant deployment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    18. Nabernegg, Stefan & Bednar-Friedl, Birgit & Muñoz, Pablo & Titz, Michaela & Vogel, Johanna, 2019. "National Policies for Global Emission Reductions: Effectiveness of Carbon Emission Reductions in International Supply Chains," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 146-157.
    19. Qian, Qian & Wang, Junbang & Zhang, Xiujuan & Wang, Shaoqiang & Li, Yingnian & Wang, Qinxue & Watson, Alan E. & Zhao, Xinquan, 2022. "Improving herders’ income through alpine grassland husbandry on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C).
    20. Yanjun Wang & Yanjun Chen & Wang Zhang & I-Chen Chao & Hang Li, 2024. "The Impact of Rural Tourism on Rural Culture Evidence from China," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, November.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:3:p:522-:d:1603748. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.