Transformation of Urban System in the Yangtze River Delta from 1990 to 2010:Based on the Census Data

Agglomeration economy and specialization are the two major forces in the transformation of regional urban system, but their affections depend on the cities’ type.The agglomeration economy can promote the developing of the center cities, while the specialization can mainly stimulate the developing of the peripheral cities.Using the census data from 1990 to 2010, we draw the conclusion that although the urban scale in the Yangtze River Delta has been greatly increased,the urban system is becoming flat and the developing speed of the medium-small-sized cities is faster,which indicates the specialization is the most important force in the transformation of urban system in the Yangtze River Delta.