Human activities along southwest border of China: Findings based on DMSP/OLS Nighttime light data

Abstract

Human activities along southwest border of China exert significant influences on sustainable development of regional economy, politics, and environment among countries Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar. However, related empirical studies remain very limited due to the low availability and comparability of small-scale statistic data in that region. Fortunately, Nighttime light (NTL) images provide uniform, consistent and valuable data sources. Using NTL data from 1992 to 2013, this article seeks to contribute the literature by investigating the trend of relative intensity of human activities between China and her southwest neighborhoods. We find that the human activities intensity of Chinese borderland maintained advantage over her neighborhoods, and the trend of this advantage is nonlinear. Regional development policy launched by Chinese government is considered to be a possible explanation.