IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i10p3648-d175052.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Exploring Determinants of Urban Form in China through an Empirical Study among 115 Cities

Author

Listed:
  • Man Yuan

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
    Hubei Engineering and Technology Research Center of Urbanization, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Yan Song

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
    Department of City and Regional Planning, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Liang Guo

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
    Hubei Engineering and Technology Research Center of Urbanization, Wuhan 430074, China)

Abstract

This study aims to analyze and explain the factors that influence the urban form of Chinese cities through an empirical analysis of a cross-sectional dataset of 115 cities in 2000 and 2010. Four spatial metrics, including population density, a contiguity index, a fractal dimension index, and a shape index, are used to quantify urban form. The paper compares urban form across four economic zones and across cities of different sizes. Ordinary least square and first-difference regression models are used to analyze the determinants of urban form. The results show that urban sprawl in China is characterized by decreased population density and greater irregularity and complexity of urban built-up areas. Metrics, such as Gross Domestic Product, population, transportation costs, and economical structure are associated with urban form in different ways, and urban expansion based on large-scale industrialization and real estate development is unsustainable in the new era.

Suggested Citation

  • Man Yuan & Yan Song & Liang Guo, 2018. "Exploring Determinants of Urban Form in China through an Empirical Study among 115 Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-14, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3648-:d:175052
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3648/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/10/3648/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Reid Ewing & Robert Cervero, 2010. "Travel and the Built Environment," Journal of the American Planning Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 76(3), pages 265-294.
    2. Deng, Xiangzheng & Huang, Jikun & Rozelle, Scott & Uchida, Emi, 2008. "Growth, population and industrialization, and urban land expansion of China," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 96-115, January.
    3. Song, Yan & Zenou, Yves, 2006. "Property tax and urban sprawl: Theory and implications for US cities," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 519-534, November.
    4. Shanzi Ke & Yan Song & Ming He, 2009. "Determinants of Urban Spatial Scale: Chinese Cities in Transition," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(13), pages 2795-2813, December.
    5. Karen C. Seto & Robert K. Kaufmann, 2003. "Modeling the Drivers of Urban Land Use Change in the Pearl River Delta, China: Integrating Remote Sensing with Socioeconomic Data," Land Economics, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 79(1), pages 106-121.
    6. Jan K. Brueckner, 2000. "Urban Sprawl: Diagnosis and Remedies," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 23(2), pages 160-171, April.
    7. Jiawen Yang & Qing Shen & Jinzhen Shen & Canfei He, 2012. "Transport Impacts of Clustered Development in Beijing: Compact Development versus Overconcentration," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(6), pages 1315-1331, May.
    8. Walid Oueslati & Seraphim Alvanides & Guy Garrod, 2015. "Determinants of urban sprawl in European cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(9), pages 1594-1614, July.
    9. Brand, Christian & Tran, Martino & Anable, Jillian, 2012. "The UK transport carbon model: An integrated life cycle approach to explore low carbon futures," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 107-124.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Xu, Gang & Zhou, Zhengzi & Jiao, Limin & Zhao, Rui, 2020. "Compact Urban Form and Expansion Pattern Slow Down the Decline in Urban Densities: A Global Perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    2. Chaosu Li & Yan Song & Li Tian & Wei Ouyang, 2020. "Urban Form, Air Quality, and Cardiorespiratory Mortality: A Path Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-14, February.
    3. Song, Weize & Yang, Wenqing & Wang, Na & Wang, Can & Li, Zheng & Ou, Yifu & Zhang, Xiaoling, 2024. "How does industrial transformative process shape the spatial dynamics of urban development?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    4. Shijie Li & Chunshan Zhou & Shaojian Wang & Shuang Gao & Zhitao Liu, 2019. "Spatial Heterogeneity in the Determinants of Urban Form: An Analysis of Chinese Cities with a GWR Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    5. Carlos Bueno-Suárez & Daniel Coq-Huelva, 2020. "Sustaining What Is Unsustainable: A Review of Urban Sprawl and Urban Socio-Environmental Policies in North America and Western Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-36, May.

    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. Walid Oueslati & Seraphim Alvanides & Guy Garrod, 2015. "Determinants of urban sprawl in European cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 52(9), pages 1594-1614, July.
    2. Ortuño-Padilla, Armando & Fernández-Aracil, Patricia, 2013. "Impact of fuel price on the development of the urban sprawl in Spain," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 180-187.
    3. Joachim Zietz & Heiko Kirchhain, 2023. "Determinants of Urban land development: A panel study for U.S. metropolitan areas," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 50(6), pages 1486-1501, July.
    4. De Tong & Jun Chu & Qing Han & Xuan Liu, 2022. "How Land Finance Drives Urban Expansion under Fiscal Pressure: Evidence from Chinese Cities," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Joseph DeSalvo & Qing Su, 2017. "Determinants of Urban Sprawl: A Panel Data Approach," Working Papers 0217, University of South Florida, Department of Economics.
    6. Guastella, Gianni & Pareglio, Stefano & Sckokai, Paolo, 2017. "A Spatial Econometric Analysis of Land Use Efficiency in Large and Small Municipalities," SAS: Society and Sustainability 253216, Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM).
    7. DiBartolomeo, Jeffrey A., 2020. "Commuting speed as a proxy for the value of time," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    8. Barbara Ermini & Raffaella Santolini, 2017. "Urban sprawl and property tax of a city’s core and suburbs: evidence from Italy," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(9), pages 1374-1386, September.
    9. Shijie Li & Chunshan Zhou & Shaojian Wang & Shuang Gao & Zhitao Liu, 2019. "Spatial Heterogeneity in the Determinants of Urban Form: An Analysis of Chinese Cities with a GWR Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    10. Liotta, Charlotte & Viguié, Vincent & Lepetit, Quentin, 2022. "Testing the monocentric standard urban model in a global sample of cities," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    11. Wenjia Zhang & Ming Zhang, 2018. "Incorporating land use and pricing policies for reducing car dependence: Analytical framework and empirical evidence," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(13), pages 3012-3033, October.
    12. József Lennert & Jenő Zsolt Farkas & András Donát Kovács & András Molnár & Rita Módos & Dorián Baka & Zoltán Kovács, 2020. "Measuring and Predicting Long-Term Land Cover Changes in the Functional Urban Area of Budapest," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(8), pages 1-20, April.
    13. Ahlfeldt, Gabriel M. & Pietrostefani, Elisabetta, 2019. "The economic effects of density: A synthesis," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 93-107.
    14. Bento, Antonio M. & Franco, Sofia F. & Kaffine, Daniel, 2011. "Is there a double-dividend from anti-sprawl policies?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 61(2), pages 135-152, March.
    15. D'Agata, Alessia & Alaimo, Leonardo Salvatore & Cudlín, Pavel & Salvati, Luca, 2023. "Easy come, easy go: Short-term land-use dynamics vis à vis regional economic downturns," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    16. Guan Li & Zhongguo Xu & Cifang Wu & Yuefei Zhuo & Xinhua Tong & Yanfei Wei & Xiaoqiang Shen, 2019. "Inside or Outside? The Impact Factors of Zoning–Land Use Mismatch," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, December.
    17. De Vos, Jonas & Van Acker, Veronique & Witlox, Frank, 2014. "The influence of attitudes on Transit-Oriented Development: An explorative analysis," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 326-329.
    18. Silvia Beghelli & Gianni Guastella & Stefano Pareglio, 2020. "Governance fragmentation and urban spatial expansion: Evidence from Europe and the United States [Governance-Fragmentierung und urbane räumliche Expansion: Erkenntnisse aus Europa und den USA]," Review of Regional Research: Jahrbuch für Regionalwissenschaft, Springer;Gesellschaft für Regionalforschung (GfR), vol. 40(1), pages 13-32, April.
    19. Shen, Qing & Chen, Peng & Pan, Haixiao, 2016. "Factors affecting car ownership and mode choice in rail transit-supported suburbs of a large Chinese city," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 31-44.
    20. Pratama, Andhika Putra & Yudhistira, Muhammad Halley & Koomen, Eric, 2022. "Highway expansion and urban sprawl in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).

    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:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:10:p:3648-:d:175052. 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.