ABSTRACT
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei Province, the largest city in central China and one of nations most important industrial cities, transportation hubs, and science and education centres. Wuhan has three national development zones, including Wuhan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Hanyang, East Lake New Technological Development Zone in Wuchang and Wujiashan Economic and Technological Development Zone in Hankou. The whole administrative region covers 8,494 square kilometres. By the end of 2012, Wuhan had a population of 8.2 million residents registered with local hukou and 10.1 million total residents of which the urban population accounts for 7.4 million. The urban built-up area is 520 square kilometres. The multi-centred structure of Wuhan provides some new insights beyond those associated with past research findings. The latter emphasizes a monocentric structure and finds spatial patterns from inner to outer areas in a wide array of social and economic variables.
