This article presents the findings of a study of the spheres of urban influence with regard to all cities in China(not including Hong Kong,Macao and Taiwan Province of China)in the years 1990,2000 and 2009.An optimized gravity model with comprehensive time distance was used to carry out a detailed analysis of the spatial patterns of Chinese spheres of urban influence and the spatial characteristics of urban agglomerations.Such urban agglomerations are characterized by high density population and a developed economy,which are also considered as the national competition unit.This paper initially identifies four spatial patterns of urban agglomerations based on the spatial layout of city groups during their evolution.Some basic characteristics of urban agglomerations are outlined,including the number of cities,the size of cities and the functions of urban centers.These characteristics are examined by using statistical methods and Geographic Information System(GIS).The main findings from this research are that the development stages and structures of urban agglomerations in China vary significantly.It is also clear that the stages and evolution of spatial patterns are strongly affected and dominated by both policy and location factors.
A number of urban and regional plans have been developed with the advancement of urbanization and regional integration, among which the delineation of sphere of urban influence and improvement of integration between the city and its hinterland have be- come vital important for guiding practices. In terms of delineating sphere of urban influence, existing studies have been focused on static study by using single year data or single method, resulting in a lack of time-series longitudinal analysis or comprehensive analysis based on multiple methods This study emphasizes on comparing two methods from both the theoretical and empirical perspective. Both gravity model and improwd field model are applied to the selected study area for measurements and comparison, to explore their strengths and weaknesses. A research framework for comprehensive analysis on delineating sphere of urban influence is proposed. In the end, the differences of deli：aeating methods are illustrated and the feasibility of comprehensive analysis is discussed. Recommendations are provided for selecting appropriate methods for delineating sphere of urban influence or developing regional hierarchy system plans and urban spatial structure schemes.
The Zhujiang (Pearl) River Delta is one of the most developed Extended Metropolitan Regions (EMR) in China.With the rapid urbanization,the agglomeration of population and industries has emerged,which has led to dramatic changes of spatial structure and land use in this region.With data of high resolution TM remote sensing images and Google Earth maps,this paper identified and analyzed the spatial pattern of the Zhujiang River Delta EMR using Envy and ArcGIS tools.It was found that 1) the industrial land uses were expanding substantially,particularly on the bank sides of the Zhujiang River estuary;2) large-scale housing developments were concentrated in the fringe of metropolitan areas such as those of Guangzhou and Shenzhen;3) a regional transportation network with the spatial pattern of ″1 circle +2 pieces + 3 axes″ had significantly affected the location choice of manufacture enterprises.At the same time,both highly specialized land use and severely mixed land use patterns were identified.As a consequence of the latter,land use efficiency of the whole EMR areas was reduced.Moreover,ecologic and environmental problems were severe.Based on the above analysis,suggestions were given from the viewpoint of spatial safety,land use efficiency,and the reorganization of spatial structure in the Zhujiang River Delta EMR.
