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Investigating the rank‐size relationship of urban areas using land cover maps
Author(s) -
Kinoshita Tsuguki,
Kato Etsushi,
Iwao Koki,
Yamagata Yoshiki
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl035163
Subject(s) - zipf's law , rank (graph theory) , geography , interception , land cover , cover (algebra) , logarithm , physical geography , land use , cartography , mathematics , statistics , combinatorics , ecology , mechanical engineering , mathematical analysis , engineering , biology
We investigated the possibility that the rank‐size rule can be applied to the relationship between urban size and rank order. Accordingly, using a global land cover data set, we clustered contiguous urban grid cells, calculated the area in each cluster, and ranked urban areas in each of the countries studied. This research revealed that Zipf's law can be applied to the relationship between urban area and rank order as well as to city populations. Comparisons were made in some countries, and it was shown that the urban area rank‐size rule was free from administrative boundaries. Finally, in Japan, using land‐use maps for several times in recent history, changes in rank‐size were investigated. As a result, it was found that the slopes for urban areas did not change vis‐à‐vis their rank in a double logarithmic graph and that only the x and y interception changed.