Abstract
Special economic zones (SEZs) are important in Laos due to their ability to attract foreign investment, realize industrialization, and promote economic globalization. Based on Laos’ SEZs in operation, this study explored land-use intensity, structural evolution and land-use efficiency in Laos’ SEZs via the land-use dynamic degree, information entropy, super-efficiency data envelopment analysis (DEA) and gray relational analysis (GRA). The study determined that the total land-use area in Laos’ SEZs continuously increased from 2014 to 2020. The land-use intensity changes in the SEZs can be divided into three types, i.e., high intensity, medium intensity and low intensity, and most SEZs belonged to the medium-intensity type. The proportion of land used in production systems in Laos’ SEZs increased the most, and the proportion of infrastructure land notably decreased. The overall information entropy of the land-use structure exhibited an initial downward and then an upward trend. In 2018, the land-use efficiency in the Savan-Seno SEZ, Vientiane Industrial and Trade Area, Dongphosy SEZ, and Golden Triangle SEZ was relatively optimal. The basic factors of the industrial space and the factors reflecting international cooperation attributes were highly related to the land-use efficiency in Laos’ SEZs.
Highlights
Special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks have become an important means of promoting economic development in many developing countries
Comprehensive Land-DUusreinCghtahne gsteusdiynpLearoiosd’,StEheZtsotal land-use area of Laos’ SEZs continued to increase During the studfarnoynmupa4el.r8gi3orkodmw, t2thhinera2tt0eo1to4aftlo2l9a1.34n.53d%7-.ukTmshe2isainrset2u0ad2o0y,ffwuLiratthhoeasr’naSentEaiZnlycszreecasostenhtoeifnc8ou.m5e4dpkrmetoh2eiannnscdivraeenalasanevder-uagsee from 4.83 km2 in 201d4yntoam1i3c.3d7egkreme 2ininea2c0h2S0E, Zwfirtohma2n0e14t itnoc2r0e2a0saenodfs8e.l5ec4tsk2m0126a, n2d01a8,naanvde2r0a2g0eas the annual growth rate of 29.45%
Based on the results of the comprehensive land-use dynamic degree (Table 1), this study uses GIS to divide the land-use intensity changes of the SEZs into three categories, i.e., high intensity, medium intensity, and low intensity, according to the natural break method. Those whose land-use dynamic degree is above 61.8800% belong to the high-intensity type, those within the range of 16.8101–61.8800% belong to the medium-intensity type, and those below 16.8101% belong to the low-intensity type
Summary
Special economic zones (SEZs) and industrial parks have become an important means of promoting economic development in many developing countries. The number of SEZs and industrial parks in Southeast Asian countries has increased rapidly [1]. To promote the reform of economic mechanisms, improve the domestic business environment and attract foreign investment, Laos designated the development of SEZs as one of its national strategies and included this objective in the 7th Five-Year National Socioeconomic Development Plan (2011–2015) [3]. SEZs can facilitate the integration of Laos’ economy into regional and international markets, establish a domestic industrial base and promote the modernization of Laos’ economy as an important part of the policy of turning land into capital [4]. It is necessary to examine the actual development of the SEZs in Laos and to provide a reference and basis for the sustainable development of the SEZs in Laos by studying their land-use changes and efficiency
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