Spatiotemporal Evolution of the Coupling Coordination Relationship of “Population–Environment” Development in the Xi’an Metropolitan Area

Abstract

In China, the metropolitan area is an important spatial carrier to promote high-quality urbanization as well as the coordinated development of large, medium, and small cities and regions. The environment is an important factor affecting the quality of life among urban populations, and anthropogenic activity significantly impacts the natural and built environments. Considering the Xi’an metropolitan area as a case study, we selected three subsystems across three cross-sections in 2000, 2010, and 2020: population agglomeration, natural ecological development, and urban environmental development. We used the entropy weight method, coupling the coordination model and correlation analysis to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns, coupling coordination relationship, and related development factors of the “population–environment” system. The results showed that the development of the “population–environment” system in Xi’an exhibits stratification and differentiation between the center, core, and periphery circles. The coupling coordination level of “population–environment” is slowly improving, while most districts and counties have been on the verge of incoordination. Furthermore, the coupling coordination relationship of each district and county could be further classified into five types. Accordingly, this paper discusses corresponding and differentiated strategies to promote the healthy and sustainable development of regional populations and the environment for districts and counties.