Spatial and Temporal Patterns of Urban Land Use Structure in Small Towns in China

This study analyzes the spatial and temporal characteristics of urban land use structure of more than 18,000 small towns in China by using the National Urban Land Use Survey Data between 2009 and 2013. It finds that the urban land area of small towns expanded rapidly during the research period. The spatial pattern of urban land use structure in small towns exhibits significant regional differences. Small towns in developed coastal regions, particularly those located in global urban areas, have a higher urban land use scale relative to small towns in central and western regions. However, the urban land use scale of small towns located in less developed inland areas has grown faster. The spatial distribution of urban stock land in small towns is mainly influenced by demographic and socio-economic factors. However, the spatial distribution of new urban land is primarily influenced by the land supply policy, which is tilted toward the central and western regions. In terms of structure, the proportion of production and living land in small towns is high, while the proportion of public services and facilities land is low. This trend is being strengthened, with commercial service land and industrial, mining, and storage land becoming the major drivers for the rapid rise of urban land in small towns. The allocation of construction land quotas should be consistent with the direction of population movement and the demands of socioeconomic development.