City Economical Function and Industrial Development: Case Study along the Railway Line in North Xinjiang in China

Abstract

The area along the North Xinjiang Railway (ANXR) is the region with industry concentration and is the most convenient communication region in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. There are nine cities and eight counties in the region. This paper analyzes the economical functions and industry of the cities in the region from the following aspects: urban scale, the growth pole level, specialization sectors, and the difference of industry gradients using the principal component analysis, cluster analysis, and method of location quotient methods. These analyses clearly indicate the urban function of each city in ANRX at present and find disadvantages of similar urban functions. The results released three modes of industry collaboration for urban development in the coming years, which will provide some references for urban planning in equivalent areas.