ABSTRACT
Numerous cases of population shrinkage have been found in cities of both North and South economies. Among these cases, population shrinkage in resource-dependent cities (RCs) that developed in relation to extracting and processing natural resources is particularly acute. Different from other types of shrinking cities, the population shrinkage of RCs is predictable but usually unavoidable because most economic transition strategies are developed after decline has begun, and with few successful cases reported. This chapter presents a detailed analysis on the population shrinkage of China’s RCs and discusses the distinctiveness of the phenomenon within China’s specific context. Based on the spatial characteristics of population shrinkage, the study identified six morphologic types of population shrinkage in China’s RCs. Furthermore, the study presented four typical drivers for this phenomenon in China’s RCs: lack of industrial support; maladjustment to market-oriented reformation; poor urban environment; and natural population decline.
