Spatial differences and evolution of economic development of county-level mature resource cities in karst mountainous region：A case study of Xingwen county, Sichuan Province

Xingwen county is located in the transition zone between Sichuan basin and Yunnan-Guizhou plateau. It covers an area of 1,373 km2 and has jurisdiction over 15 townships with a population of 484,000 and an urbanization rate of 33.19%. The terrain in the county gradually rises from north to south, and large areas of karst landforms occur in the middle and south. There are typical Xingwen-type karsts in Xingwen Stone Field World Geopark. Xingwen county belongs to matured resource-based city at county-level in karst mountainous area, which is dominated by coal, pyrite and limestone mines. Taking the villages and towns of the county as the basic unit, and the last 10 years (2006-2015) as the research period, 15 townships of Xingwen county which is a mountainous and matured resource-based city in karst region at a county level are divided into 4 township groups, namely mining group, tourism and mining group, agriculture group and industry group. The spatial differences and evolution of economic development during the last 10 years (2006-2015) in the county were discussed through analyzing per capita GDP, Theil Index, and separation coefficient. Results show that difference of per capita GDP, Theil Index (increased from 0.1088 to 0.1697, up to 55.97%), and the separation coefficient among villages and towns (the separation factor increased from 2.4041 to 2.8414) have been rising, with an economic spatial difference increasing in the county over the last 10 years. Economic differences in 4 township groups are larger than that among township groups (mean contribution rates for total difference are respectively 70.43% and 29.51%), but rising extent of economic difference among 4 township groups (76.21%) is higher than that in township groups (47.94%). Average Theil index sequence of township groups is as follows, mining group (0.2370)>industrial group (0.0624)> tourism and mining group (0.0581) > agricultural group (0.0108). The Theil Indices of industrial group, mining group and agricultural group increased by 193.13%, 27.69% and 20.18%, respectively, while that of tourism and mining group decreased by 30.95%. The main reasons for spatial difference and evolution of economic development in the county include, economic development being over reliance on resources, development of industrial townships being accelerated by establishment of industrial park, macro-economic effect on mining townships being obvious, double restrictions for tourism and mining townships concluding single exploitation of tourism resources and macro-economic effect on mining, economic development of agricultural township being overall lag and imbalance and so on. In order to promote industrial restructuring and regional coordinated development, these measures should be taken, such as implementing comprehensive development of diversified industries, carrying out differentiated development according to local conditions for the 4 township groups, and paying attention to coordination between economic development and environmental protection, and so on.