Temporal and spatial characteristics of population migration in China from 1995 to 2015

Based on the census data, this paper estimates the O-D migration flow and migration rate between prefectures (cities) in China from 1995 to 2015. Applying the methods of GIS spatial analysis and social network analysis, this paper reveals the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of population migration in China in the past 20 years. It is found that: (a) China’s population migration has gradually moved from a relatively inactive “low activity era” with the participation of some regions to a relatively active “high activity era” with the participation of most regions. (b) The temporal and spatial evolution process of regional types of population migration shows the characteristics of continuous diffusion in active areas (cities) and significant reduction in inactive areas (cities). (c) The population migration network is bounded by the “Hu Huanyong line”, and the migration flows on the east and west sides are “dense in the east and sparse in the west” and have great gap. This spatial pattern has strong stability and tenacity. (d) Under the background of the continuous enhancement of population migration within the province, the “ebb and flow” of the attraction of the three coastal city agglomerations in the inter-provincial migration and the increasing attraction of the Southwest region, the flow field structure of population migration in the East, Central and West regions is as follows: the internal differentiation and influence scope of the main urban agglomerations in the coastal region are weakened; the Central region (except Hubei Province) has failed to evolve independent communities with provinces as units; in the West region, the Northwest is relatively stable and the Southwest is continuously changing.