Population redistribution and modelling of Shanghai City in the 1990s

Using the data of the 4th and the 5th population censuses and four methods of dividing urban districts of Shanghai, the authors analyzed population redistribution from 1990 to 2000 and modelled population density distribution in 1990 and 2000. The results reflect a tendency of dramatic population decrease in central city and increase in suburban areas in the 1990s, a phenomenon of significant population suburbanization. During the 10 years, the population distribution of Shanghai becomes more homogeneous than before. The diffusion of population from city center to suburbs of Shanghai has a close relationship with the city's 'circle' construction pattern, especially with the inner ring road which had been built in the earlier years. The diffusion is also a short distance one, and the changes of population density occur mainly within a distance of 16 km. The result also indicates that Cubic model is the optimal one to describe population density distribution of Shanghai both in 1990 and 2000, and the exponential model is not the best.