Evolution Of Spatial Economic Structure In Henan Province Since The 1980s

The evolution of spatial economic structure has its own rules. The typical case study can reveal some principle-like things in the evolution of some type of spatial economic structure. This dissertation adopts the research approach of combing different spatial scales, as well as technical measures such as social investigation, mathematical models, mapping using GIS software, to studying the evolution of spatial economic structure in an undeveloped region with fast-speed economic development——Henan province since the 1980s. This dissertation is divided into eight chapters. Chapter one, based on reviews of the practice and theory of regional economic development as the background, clarifies the significance of the study of spatial economic structure, reviews the current literature on this subject and the shortcomings of the current studies in China. Following these situations, this dissertation attends to study evolution of spatial economic structure in Henan province through the combination of the multi-spatial scales. Chapter two first introduces the relevant terms on spatial economic structure, and then discusses two basic forms of the economic activities: centralizing and diffusing. On these bases, this chapter comments on the theories of the evolution of spatial economic structure, and brings forward the evolution mode of spatial economic structure grounded on the multi-economic centers. Moreover, it also discusses the evolutionary mechanism of spatial economic structure from the perspective of the mutual-interactions among regions. Chapter three firstly makes a judgment of the economic development stage in Henan province, and then studies the evolution of spatial economic structure in Henan province with the county as the basic spatial unit, the per capita GDP and its growth rate as the basic measuring index. Moreover, it constructs the spatial autocorrelation model and the linear regression model to analyze the spatial correlation of the economic growth among counties in Henan province. The results show that from 1980, the economic spatial structure in Henan province is in the quick alteration period and its features are in the following: (1)The economic spatial structure is on the stage of space centralizing with the obvious core-periphery pattern. The counties of the high-level economic development in the northern, western and the middle part of the province connect in space, forming the agglomeration district of high-level county. (2) The phenomenon of the multi-economic-center exists in spatial economic structure, and the economic center is in the process of alternating. During the 1980s, the areas along railway, such as Anyang, Xinxiang, Jiaozuo, Luoyang and Sanmenxia, form the economic growth center. Since the 1990s, the economy of the middle part of the province, such as Zhengzhou, Pingdingshan, Xuchang and Luohe, grows up and exceeds that of the previous economy growth center, and accordingly such regions become the new economic center. (3) Seen from the regional economic correlation, the spatial correlation degrees in Henan province is not strong. Every city cause little effect upon the growth of economy in its surrounding counties, and accordingly emerges the strong regional economic polarization. The economic diffusing effects merely exist in the areas of the high-level economic development in the western and northern parts of the province, and the space under the influence of such diffusing effects are comparatively small. So generally speaking, it appears that the economy of Henan province centralizes in the economic centers in the northern and the middle part, in which there exists small scale diffusion. Chapter four first analyses the relationships between industrialization and economic growth in Henan province, and regional differences of industrial development,and further studies the reasons which cause the spatial differences of the industrialization from the interior and the outer factors, such as the central government investment, the rural enterprise investment, and the regional diff...