Research on the dynamic changes and influencing factors of the new urbanization level in Counties of China’s revolutionary old areas

Abstract Counties represent a crucial spatial unit for achieving integrated urban-rural development and coordinated regional development. Promoting new urbanization(NU) at the county level in special-type regions such as revolutionary old base areas is an important pathway to realizing this goal. From the perspective of the Main Functional Zoning framework, this study selects 617 counties across 12 revolutionary old base areas in China as research units. An evaluation index system for new urbanization is constructed, and methods such as the Dagum Gini coefficient and geodetector are employed to reveal the spatial patterns and dynamic changes in county-level new urbanization from 2010 to 2020, as well as to explore the main influencing factors behind its spatial differentiation.The results indicate: (1) From 2010 to 2020, the level of new urbanization in county areas of revolutionary old base areas continued to rise, with an average annual growth rate of 8.59%. Counties with high urbanization levels were mainly concentrated in the Taihang Revolutionary Old Base Area, the Yimeng Revolutionary Old Base Area, and the Hailufeng Revolutionary Old Base Area. Additionally, urban districts and county-level cities with better development foundations also exhibited relatively higher urbanization indices.(2)From the perspective of Main Functional Zones, in both 2010 and 2020, the level of new urbanization followed the order key development zones > major grain-producing areas > key ecological function zones. However, the growth rate showed the opposite trend. The relative disparities between different Main Functional Zones have narrowed over time.(3) Natural conditions, human capital, socio-economic factors, policy support, and locational factors jointly shape the spatial pattern of new urbanization in revolutionary old base areas. Among these, socio-economic factors—represented by indicators such as rural residents’ disposable income and per capita GDP—as well as human capital, play a dominant role, with significant differences observed across various Main Functional Zones.This study offers theoretical insights and policy implications for promoting differentiated and distinctive new urbanization pathways in county areas of revolutionary old base regions.