How Does Urban Spatial Structure Affect Economic Growth? Evidence from Landsat Data in China

Employing Landsat data, quantitative indicators relating to urban spatial structure in China-including an urban compactness ratio and an urban elongation ratio-from 2007 to 2016 were selected and quantified. The panel data model indicated that urban compactness was negatively correlated with the urban GDP. Urban elongation was positively correlated with the urban GDP. But the urban elongation and the consumption of land resources cannot sustain urban economic growth in the long run. Therefore, to give full play to the economic benefits of spatial agglomeration and to curb the extensive elongation of urban spatial structure, there is an urgent need to reform the current urbanization mode and employ a market mechanism, changing the single government-regulated mode into a multi-subject cooperative mode.