Research on the spatiotemporal variation of rural-urban transformation and its driving mechanisms in underdeveloped regions: Gansu Province in western China as an example

Rural-urban transformation is a process of morphological and functional change of rural system consisting of three dimensions: population, land and industry. Gansu Province is characterized by relatively poor economic development, low per capita income and low level of urbanization, and is thus a typical underdeveloped region in China. By constructing a comprehensive evaluation index system for population-land-industry system at a county scale and a model for quantifying rural-urban transformation degree, this paper quantitatively analyzed rural-urban transformation in Gansu Province and explored its spatiotemporal variation and driving forces by means of hotspot identification and geographical detector model. This paper attempts to clarify rural socioeconomic transformation and development, reveal regional differences in rural development mechanisms, and explore related policies and measures that are suitable for regional characteristics. The results will help coordinate the relationship between urban-rural integration and the construction of a well-off society in underdeveloped regions, explore new modes of rural-urban transformation, and improve the institutional mechanism of regional urban-rural integration. These can provide useful information for region-specific planning and strategic decision making. In addition, this study is conducive to implementing Belt and Road, improving urban and rural layout, and promoting rural sustainable development and rural revitalization in northwest China.