Abstract：Nantong is located in the north corner of the Yangtze River Delta where Yangtze River joins the Yellow Sea, Nantong is at the vertex of the T-shaped first-grade development axis of our country, facing Shanghai, the largest international trade center in China, across the Yangtze River. The evolution of Nantong urban system spatial structure is carrying forward along with the land growth from northwest to southeast, along with the towns' quantity growth from zero to many, along with the urban spatial structure growth from simple to complex, along with the towns' scale growth from small to large and along with urban connection growth from loose to close. Through researching, we draw the following conclusions: firstly, the development of Nantong urban system spatial structure is pushing with the land from northwest to southeast. Haian and Baipu towns are the oldest towns in Nantong areas; Secondly, Formation and development of Nantong city urban is affected by various factors, such as the land size, the change of coastline and bank line, the extension of sea walls and canals, the formation and development of central city and so on, but mans' activities are the most important factors except land size; Thirdly, In different periods, evolution of Nantong city urban spatial structure has different characteristics: in the historical period beginning, the old town spatial structure is simple, loose, small-scale urban; in the historical period evening, town spatial structure started to compact and form Tongzhou city as the center of the urban system; the recent town spatial structure comes dense, and scale vaster, grade clear, cities and towns tie closely.Fourth, Urban distributed in axis along the canal, coastline, sea walls and Yangtze River shoreline, etc. The transportation nodes developed into county town or central city. From the Wudai Shiguo Dynasty Tongzhou city came into being, to the Song Dynasty it became central city in the Nantong areas. Because of Tongzhou city had a good site and sea defense.
姜爱萍, 陆玉麒. 中心城市形成前南通市域城镇的形成与时空演变特征[J]. 人文地理, 2013, 28(6): 62-67.
JIANG Ai-ping, LU Yu-qi. THE GROWTH AND TIME SPATIAL EVOLUTIONARY CHARACTERISTICS OF NANTONG URBAN SYSTEM BEFORE THE CENTRAL CITY COMES INTO BEING. HUMAN GEOGRAPHY, 2013, 28(6): 62-67.
