Quality Evaluation and Obstacle Identification of Human Settlements in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau Based on Multi-Source Data

Hejie Wei, Yingying Gao, Qing Han, Ling Li, Xiaobin Dong, Mengxue Liu and Qingxiang Meng ()
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Hejie Wei: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Yingying Gao: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Qing Han: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Ling Li: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Xiaobin Dong: Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Mengxue Liu: Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
Qingxiang Meng: College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 9, 1-21

Abstract: The unique high/cold environment of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau (QTP) limits the natural distribution of the population living there and threatens local residents’ health. Thus, exploring the quality of human settlements in this area is of great significance. In this study, 5 first-level indicators and 25 second-level indicators were initially selected, and the entropy TOPSIS method was used to determine the weight of each indicator and evaluate the quality of the human settlements in each county of the QTP. Then, the coefficient of variation and spatial autocorrelation were used to analyze the spatial differences in human settlement quality. Finally, the obstacle degree model was used to identify those obstacles that affect the quality of the human settlements in the QTP. This study has gathered important findings. (1) The human settlement quality in these counties can be divided into 18 high-level areas, 45 mid- and high-level areas, 44 mid-level areas, 79 mid- and low-level areas, and 28 low-level areas. (2) In terms of spatial patterns, the north is higher than the south, the east is slightly higher than the west, and the surrounding area is higher than the interior. (3) In the clustering model, the high–high clustering trend is mainly concentrated in the north of the QTP, whereas the south-central part of the QTP and the zone where Tibet, Qinghai, and Sichuan meet exhibit obvious low–low clustering. (4) The variability of human settlement quality occurs in the order of Sichuan < Yunnan < Gansu < Xinjiang Autonomous Region < Tibet Autonomous Region < Qinghai. (5) The main first-level obstacles affecting human settlement quality in the counties of the QTP are living conditions, construction level of public service facilities, and infrastructure. The main second-level obstacles are the number of living service facilities, the number of residential districts, and the density of the road networks.

Keywords: Qinghai–Tibet Plateau; human settlements; entropy TOPSIS; obstacles (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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