Abstract With the rapid development of the urban economy and society, the appearance of the aging phenomenon was becoming an inevitable result gradually. Aging of the population has become one of the major issues and has received increasing attention. Under such situations, this paper analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics and formation mechanisms of the elderly population in Lanzhou based on the fifth census data in 2000 and the sixth census data in 2010. The results showed that: in terms of the space growth of elderly, elderly population in Lanzhou City increased with rapid speed, the population growth difference among municipal districts was significant, and the gap was relatively moderate between blocks. From the angle for the spatial distribution, the proportion of elderly population presents an obvious layered spatial structure and the crest value center of proportion became multicenter. The proportion of elderly keeps growing and that the differences were significant in proportion between blocks. The number of high elderly population density blocks was increasing and the area was expanding. The gap was relatively moderate between blocks, and the overall trend of elderly population distribution shows a space structure of "double columnar peak body",which was consistent with the structure of overall population in Lanzhou. In the aspect of internal structure,the oldest old increased with rapid speed, and the age structure constantly aging at the same time. Moreover,while the sex ratio of elderly population was declined, the sex ratio of oldest old was ascended. Meanwhile,the number of empty-nest families was increased, and the burden of elderly support was aggravated. As a whole, the revolution is under combined influences of history, society development rule, policy of fertility and population migration.
2015, Vol. 30 
