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Is spatial distribution of China’s population excessively unequal? A cross-country comparison

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  • Kyung-Min Nam

    (The University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

This study explores whether China’s population distribution is excessively biased toward large cities or coastal regions. The test is based on a fixed effects model estimated from a 5-year panel dataset for 101 countries, and two spatial inequality measures are computed from $$0.25^{\circ }\times 0.25^{\circ }$$ 0 . 25 ∘ × 0 . 25 ∘ population grids for a parallel cross-country comparison. The results show that the spatial Gini coefficient for China does not deviate from a general trend, while Moran’s I index is biased upward. This suggests that the spatial inequality of China’s population distribution tends to be more obvious at the regional level than at the city level.

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  • Kyung-Min Nam, 2017. "Is spatial distribution of China’s population excessively unequal? A cross-country comparison," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 59(2), pages 453-474, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:anresc:v:59:y:2017:i:2:d:10.1007_s00168-017-0839-0
    DOI: 10.1007/s00168-017-0839-0
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C10 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods and Methodology: General - - - General
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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