Research On Sizes And Development Models Of Small Towns And Cites In Arid Area Of Northwestern China Based On The Regional Environmental Carrying Capacity

Northwest drier than usual due to the drought in most areas, ecosystem structure is relatively simple in this area. The self-recovery capability is very weak. When the ecosystem of arid areas damaged, it is very difficult to restore. The ecosystem of arid areas is very fragile. Currently, in the arid area of northwestern China, the contradiction between the urban development and the ecological environment is extremely prominent. Under such circumstances, the reasonable size and the appropriate development model of the arid northwest region of small towns and cites are particularly important.Environmental degradation has accelerated in recent years because economic development activities have been inconsistent with a sustainable environment. The concept of 'environmental carrying capacity' implies an optimum level of development and population size based on a complex of interacting factors. Development studies which have explicitly recognized environmental carrying capacity have shown that this approach can be used to promote economic activities which are consistent with a sustainable social and physical environment. The concept of environmental carrying capacity provides a framework for integrating physical, socioeconomic, and environmental systems into urban planning for a sustainable environment.This article based on the needs of urban planning, studied the relevant literature at home and abroad. In this paper, we established a specifically model and indicator of environmental carrying capacity for the small towns and cites of arid northwest region. We apply the results of this model, for identifying the size and the development model of northwest arid region of small towns.For the needs of future development model and size of small cities and towns in arid area of northwestern China, it is very necessary to analysis the threshold of environmental carrying capacity of this regional. This city size include both of the population size of development and the socio-economic development level. And the size of urban based on the regional environmental carrying capacity is corresponding with the environment. By analysis regional environmental carrying capacity, we can reveal the main contradiction between the environment and the development.In order to better choose the mode of development of each small town in these areas, we established a new model of the relative environmental carrying capacity. This model can be used to evaluate the relative geographical unit environmental carrying capacity, and to analyze the various geographical units between the developments of environmental conditions the difference. According to these differences and combined with other conditions, we can better choice the development model. In this text Usu as an example, by analyzing the environmental carrying capacity for the small towns chose the size and development model which can adapt to the environment and sustainable development.