Mega-regions in China - A spatial analysis of settlement patterns using Earth observation data

Abstract

Recent accelerated dynamics of urbanization produce new spatial entities at a new scale. These regions feature superior economic output, productivity, workforce, innovation and markets; conceptualized as mega-regions they consist of an extended network of metropolitane centers. The predominantly visible result at regional scale is the growth and convergence of the built environment into a complex network of once separated cities. Recent developments in Earth observation allow analyzing the settlement patterns at unprecedented geometric resolution. This paper presents a method to identify conjugation lines between relevant urban nodes and to evaluate the degree of settlement continuity (as indicator for convergence of cities). For the case of China, it is shown how nodes within the suggested mega-regions (which are usually classified by economic and demographic measures) feature a distinct spatial connectivity of their settlements. Beyond mega-regions, the analysis allows to identify similar settlement continuities across China hinting at new emerging urban networks.