Spatial distribution and agglomeration measurement of specialized villages in Henan Province

Abstract

Rural prosperity means national prosperity. Specialized villages (SVs) are the typical model of village economic development and the important starting point to realize rural revitalization. Funded by the Henan Provincial Agricultural Work Office, this study investigated nearly 1200 and 1500 SVs in Henan Province in 2009 and 2018 through questionnaire surveys. Based on the definition of SVs and the evaluation of village economy, 487 and 668 SVs were selected respectively for the two years. Using spatial autocorrelation, nearest neighbor index, and kernel density estimation methods, we explored the spatial changes of SVs in Henan Province. The research found that: 1) In terms of spatial patterns, the SVs in Henan Province had changed from local agglomeration to full-scale diffusion, showing the distribution characteristics of "large-scale dispersion and small-scale aggregation". The number of SVs in southern Henan and southwestern Henan were relatively small. 2) In terms of zoning differences, the core-periphery spatial structure of SVs had gradually faded, and the "V-shaped" partition in the past had gradually changed into a "T-shaped" partition. There were significant differences in the density of SVs in different districts, and there existed the phenomenon of darkness under the lights at the junction of the districts. 3) In terms of the characteristics of change, the spatial distribution of SVs showed an expanding trend, with the center of gravity moved to the southeast. The number of SVs in eastern Henan had increased significantly. 4) In terms of the degree of agglomeration, the agglomeration areas of SVs had changed from a single core to multi-cores. Many secondary agglomeration centers were formed, and the agglomeration extreme value decreased. In some areas, there was a "disappearance under growth".