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City Size Distribution in China: Are Large Cities Dominant?

Author

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  • Zelai Xu

    (China-Africa Development Fund and at CEMA, Central University of Finance and Economics, China. China-Africa Development Fund, FI0, Tower C, Chemsunny World Trade Centre, No. 28 Fuxingmennei Street, Xicheng District Beijing, 10031, P.R. China, xuzelaipku@hotmail.com)

  • Nong Zhu

    (INRS-UCS, 385 rue Sherbrooke Est, Montréal, Québec, H2X 1E3, Canada, Nong.Zhu@ucs.inrs.ca)

Abstract

This paper examines the evolution of the size distribution of Chinese cities. Since the relaxation of restrictions on rural—urban migration in the 1980s, China has experienced rapid urban growth. However, cities of different sizes have experienced varying patterns of growth. First, the evolution of city size distribution in China is described by documenting the growth in city size and in the number of existing cities. Then, focusing on the period from 1990 to 2000, the urban evolutionary trend is analysed by means of the Pareto law estimation and the mobility of cities between different size groups is examined with the Markov transition matrix. The convergence hypothesis in the city population growth process is also tested. The results suggest that, contrary to the expected dominance of large city growth, the Chinese city size distribution evened out during the 1990s, with small cities growing more rapidly than large cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Zelai Xu & Nong Zhu, 2009. "City Size Distribution in China: Are Large Cities Dominant?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 46(10), pages 2159-2185, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:urbstu:v:46:y:2009:i:10:p:2159-2185
    DOI: 10.1177/0042098009339432
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Wu, Jian-Xin & He, Ling-Yun, 2017. "How do Chinese cities grow? A distribution dynamics approach," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 470(C), pages 105-118.
    3. Iris Claus & Les Oxley & Ming Lu & Guanghua Wan, 2014. "Urbanization And Urban Systems In The People'S Republic Of China: Research Findings And Policy Recommendations," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(4), pages 671-685, September.
    4. Valente J. Matlaba & Mark J. Holmes & Philip McCann & Jacques Poot, 2013. "A Century Of The Evolution Of The Urban System In Brazil," Review of Urban & Regional Development Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 25(3), pages 129-151, November.
    5. Kyung-Min Nam, 2017. "Is spatial distribution of China’s population excessively unequal? A cross-country comparison," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(2), pages 453-474, September.
    6. Xin Li & Kyung-Min Nam, 2017. "One country, two “urban” systems: focusing on bimodality in China’s city-size distribution," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(2), pages 427-452, September.
    7. Chao Li & John Gibson, 2016. "Pareto's Law and City Size in China: Diverging Patterns in Land and People," Working Papers in Economics 16/09, University of Waikato.

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