Spatial and temporal distribution of rural settlements and influencing mechanisms in Inner Mongolia, China

Revealing the patterns and influencing mechanisms of spatial and temporal distribution of rural settlements is crucial for rural revitalization and sustainable development. However, our limited understanding of the rural settlements in China’s ethnic minority border areas has hindered the process of their agricultural and rural modernization. Based on data on rural settlements in Inner Mongolia, China in four periods between 1990 and 2020, this study reveals its spatial and temporal distribution characteristics and describes the dynamic transformation process of settlement. Using a geographical detector approach, 17 factors are explored to identify the influencing mechanisms of each factor on the distribution of rural settlements in different regions. The results show obvious regional differences in the spatial distribution of rural settlements in Inner Mongolia, with the largest kernel density values in the west (Hetao irrigation area) and higher kernel densities in the central (Hohhot) and the east (Chifeng and Tongliao). While rural population decreases, rural settlements expand into cultivated land, grassland, and unused land resources. Its spatial distribution is significantly influenced by the factors of distance to cultivated land, distance to towns, and population density. The east of the study area is mainly controlled by temperature, while vegetation type and vegetation coverage have a greater impact in the west. The interactions between two influencing factors possess bilinear or nonlinear enhancement relationships. This study enriches the understanding of the rural settlements in ethnic minority border areas, which provide reference for the improvement of rural human settlement environment in Inner Mongolia.