Spatial Economic Connection and Network Structure of Urban Agglomerations in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River——by Using the Methods of Transportation Cost and Network Analysis

By using the methods of transportation cost and network analysis,this paper focuses on exploration of the spatial linkage and network structure's characteristics of urban agglomerations in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.The findings of the study are as follows: firstly,urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River could be divided into three levels in terms of transportation and logistics competitiveness: Wuhan city,Changsha city and Nanchang city have been firstly ranked and among three cities Wuhan hold a safe lead;secondly,within the Hunan,Hubei and Jiangxi provinces,roughly equal and relatively connected spatial patterns of transportation cost are formed.It is obviously reflected at Changsha-zhuzhou-xiangtan area for its more evenly distributed urban agglomeration as well as more intensive connected transportation and logistics network.The position of transportation and logistics hub in Wuhan city takes a prominent place,which holds the distinctive position comparing with the other two urban agglomerations and is definitely deemed as the leading city to promote development of transportation and logistics as well as economic network in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River;thirdly,it shows that economic relation between Wuhan metropolitan area and Changsha-zhuzhou-xiangtan urban agglomeration happens frequently and closely under the current situation,by contrast,urban agglomeration around the Poyang lake has been marginalized;lastly,Poyang lake urban agglomeration's status in the Mid-Yangtze river has yet to be improved and urgently integrated.Nanchang,Xinyu and Jingdezhen would be serve as a bridge as Jiangxi province integrates into urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.