Spatial Distribution Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Traditional Villages in Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

Abstract

This study comprises 669 national and local traditional villages in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Using the ArcGIS software platform, the nearest neighbor index, coefficient of variation, and kernel density tools are used to describe the distribution density characteristics of traditional villages; the imbalance index method and the Gini coefficient are used to describe the equilibrium index of the distribution of traditional villages in municipalities and geographical subdivisions. This study demonstrates that Guangxi’s traditional villages are spatially distributed with “one main and two vices”. Traditional villages are unevenly concentrated in Guilin City and the northern parts of Hezhou and Liuzhou. They are geographically concentrated in the Yuecheng Ling mountain range and Guibei’s surrounding flat areas, Guizhong’s Shengtang Mountain range, and the Guidong’s alluvial river plains. Traditional villages are more prevalent in mountainous areas, and their construction and development take the water resources of rivers and flood protection into account. The research results of this paper have an important guiding significance for considering the internal rules of the spatial distribution of traditional villages in Guangxi, so as to provide some data support for the protection planning of traditional villages in Guangxi.