Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty

Contiguous destitute areas (CDAs) in China, characterized by deep poverty and difficulty in alleviating it, have garnered attention for their spatial–temporal development. Using nighttime light (NTL) data from 2000 to 2020, we developed a novel method to identify spatiotemporal changes in CDAs. This...

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Main Authors: Ge Zhai, Jiang Wu, Maoxin Zhang, Cifang Wu, Tingting He
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Land
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/751
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author Ge Zhai
Jiang Wu
Maoxin Zhang
Cifang Wu
Tingting He
author_facet Ge Zhai
Jiang Wu
Maoxin Zhang
Cifang Wu
Tingting He
author_sort Ge Zhai
collection DOAJ
description Contiguous destitute areas (CDAs) in China, characterized by deep poverty and difficulty in alleviating it, have garnered attention for their spatial–temporal development. Using nighttime light (NTL) data from 2000 to 2020, we developed a novel method to identify spatiotemporal changes in CDAs. This is the first classification method based on multi-period continuous threshold judgement to objectively classify counties into expansion, shrinkage, or stability types, and quantify the intensity and ratio of these changes. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, 345 counties expanded, 176 remained stable, and 11 shrank, <b>accounting for 64.85%, 33.08%, and 1.07%</b>, respectively. Dabie Mountains (VI), Luoxiao Mountains (XI), and Wuling Mountains (VII) had higher proportions of expanding counties, while shrinkage was concentrated in Tsinling-Daba mountains (V), VII, Lvliang Mountains (III), and Rocky Desertification Area (X). (2) The peak of expansions occurred between 2008 and 2011. (3) Both expansion and shrinkage intensities and ratios were generally low, with strong expansion primarily in IV and VI. We also found that there is the risk of returning to poverty in the development of the CDAs, such as space shrinking, lack of development impetus, coexisting expansion and shrinkage, and low intensity. It provides reference information for China’s future targeted and sustained poverty reduction policies and systems.
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spelling doaj-art-aaaf7baf48a845d89f260c57893ae39a2025-08-20T02:18:14ZengMDPI AGLand2073-445X2025-04-0114475110.3390/land14040751Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to PovertyGe Zhai0Jiang Wu1Maoxin Zhang2Cifang Wu3Tingting He4School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaSchool of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaCollege of Public Administration & Law, Fujian Agricultural and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, ChinaSchool of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaSchool of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, ChinaContiguous destitute areas (CDAs) in China, characterized by deep poverty and difficulty in alleviating it, have garnered attention for their spatial–temporal development. Using nighttime light (NTL) data from 2000 to 2020, we developed a novel method to identify spatiotemporal changes in CDAs. This is the first classification method based on multi-period continuous threshold judgement to objectively classify counties into expansion, shrinkage, or stability types, and quantify the intensity and ratio of these changes. The results showed that: (1) From 2000 to 2020, 345 counties expanded, 176 remained stable, and 11 shrank, <b>accounting for 64.85%, 33.08%, and 1.07%</b>, respectively. Dabie Mountains (VI), Luoxiao Mountains (XI), and Wuling Mountains (VII) had higher proportions of expanding counties, while shrinkage was concentrated in Tsinling-Daba mountains (V), VII, Lvliang Mountains (III), and Rocky Desertification Area (X). (2) The peak of expansions occurred between 2008 and 2011. (3) Both expansion and shrinkage intensities and ratios were generally low, with strong expansion primarily in IV and VI. We also found that there is the risk of returning to poverty in the development of the CDAs, such as space shrinking, lack of development impetus, coexisting expansion and shrinkage, and low intensity. It provides reference information for China’s future targeted and sustained poverty reduction policies and systems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/751contiguous destitute areas (CDAs)nighttime light (NTL)expansionshrinkagestability
spellingShingle Ge Zhai
Jiang Wu
Maoxin Zhang
Cifang Wu
Tingting He
Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty
Land
contiguous destitute areas (CDAs)
nighttime light (NTL)
expansion
shrinkage
stability
title Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty
title_full Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty
title_fullStr Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty
title_full_unstemmed Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty
title_short Dynamics of Contiguous Destitute Areas in China from 2000 to 2020 and the Risk of Returning to Poverty
title_sort dynamics of contiguous destitute areas in china from 2000 to 2020 and the risk of returning to poverty
topic contiguous destitute areas (CDAs)
nighttime light (NTL)
expansion
shrinkage
stability
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/4/751
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AT maoxinzhang dynamicsofcontiguousdestituteareasinchinafrom2000to2020andtheriskofreturningtopoverty
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