Land Use Change and Its Driving Force Analysis in the Central Area of Chongqing City from 1986 to 2007

Using the case study of central area in Chongqing City,based on the Landsat TM images 1986,2000 and 2007 for central area in Chongqing City,as well as actual land use maps and socioeconomic and demographic data,we analyzed the dynamic changes of urban land use/land cover as well as driving factors in the central area of Chongqing from 1986 to 2007.The present land use situation,the dynamic degree of land use and a land use conversion matrix were introduced to describe the temporal and spatial variation of urban land use.The results show that there were major changes in the land use structure in the study area from 1986 to 2007.The areas of shrub land and construction land had a net increase,while the cropland use types presented a net decrease,and the forestland decreased first and then increased.The major patterns of 1and use change were the conversions of the cropland to construction land and forestland,and in particular to urban construction areas.The land use comprehensive indices were 279.3 in 1986,281.4 in 2000 and 282.3 in 2007,respectively,and the dynamic degrees of all land uses,especially,the shrub land and construction land changed a lot during the 21 years.The reasons for change and mechanism of land use include development of economy and population,landscape,industrialization policy of politics and economy.The development of economy is the main driving force,the state macroscopic policies play an important role in the structural changes of land use in this region,too.