ABSTRACT
Settlements are places for people to live together and do economic, political, and cultural activities (Sun et al. 2007). Rural settlements are all residential areas outside of city and town, which are settlement places for farmers’ production and life (Marco 2011; Anurag 2011). Spatial distribution of rural settlements is a comprehensive reflection of nature, society, economy, and historical development in the region. In China, there are many people and little land, large areas of land are used for construction of agriculture; rural residential land in China still lacks scientific and orderly management, presents a scattered layout, poor living conditions, and environment problems. Analysis of the current rural residential spatial distribution characteristics is of great significance for better spatial layout optimization of rural settlements., also it is an urgent need for building a new socialist countryside.
