Beijing: region in China
What exactly constitutes the spatial extent of the city? For these aggregations, we used the Global Human Settlement Layer Urban Center Database (GHS-UCDB) to define the boundaries of the city. These cities -- or urban centers -- cover areas that are densely populated and built-up, and so may extend beyond the spatial borders of these cities that we may be familiar with. The GHS area is shaded in blue.
View Beijing, China on the sprawlmap
Most recent snapshot: Taking into account the entire (i.e. aggregate) street network in Beijing as of 2014, the overall level of street-network sprawl is 2.63, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.
Trends in street network construction: The SNDis of street construction for the respective time periods are 2.2, 2.96, 3.3 and 3.38. In each period, new street development in Beijing steadily grows more disconnected than in the last. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.75 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.08.
Quantity of street network construction: The street network in Beijing spans a total of 27862 kilometers. The period with the greatest volume of street construction was 1976-1990. These roads have an SNDi of 2.96, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness.
Effect on the aggregate network: New construction in each period adds to the total stock of streets, but does not change streets that have already been built. Therefore, it has a limited effect on the street network as a whole. The SNDis of the aggregate street network in the respective time periods are 2.2, 2.47, 2.49 and 2.63. Overall, the SNDi of the aggregate street network has risen: the street network in Beijing has become more disconnected. This increase has slowed: between 1975 and 1976-1990, SNDi rose by 0.26 points, but between 1991-2000 and 2001-2014, it rose by just 0.14.
The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Beijing rose steadily. To get a sense of how street development has changed in Beijing, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Beijing, Shunyi and Changping. Out of the three cities, Beijing and Changping do not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Beijing peaked in 1976-1990. The level of street-network sprawl in new development in Changping followed a zig-zag trend with an overall increase.
How do development practices in Beijing fare in comparison to others in China? Most recently in 2001-2014, street construction in Beijing was the 15th-most disconnected out of the 34 regions in China. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in China, street construction in Beijing has become more disconnected. Beijing ranked 24th in 1975, 21st in 1976-1990, 11th in 1991-2000 and 15th in 2001-2014.
As of 2014, the city with the most disconnected street network in Beijing is 南口镇 with an SNDi of 3.17, which is in the 40th to 60th percentile of disconnectedness. Conversely, the most connected city is Pinggu with an SNDi of 0.26, which is very well-connected. See trends for these cities: Pinggu, 南口镇
The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Beijing rose steadily. To get a sense of how the aggregate street network has changed in Beijing, we can consider three of its most populous cities: Beijing, Shunyi and Changping. Out of the three cities, Changping does not follow the same trend as the region. The level of street-network sprawl in the aggregate network in Changping peaked in 1991-2000.
To date, Beijing is the 22nd-most disconnected out of the 34 regions in China. Its position in the ranks since 1975 has risen; relative to other regions in China, the street network in Beijing has become more disconnected. Beijing ranked 24th in 1975, 25th in 1976-1990, 25th in 1991-2000 and 22nd in 2001-2014.