Spatial differentiation of traditional villages using ArcGIS and GeoDa: A case study of Southwest China

In order to explore the role of environmental factors of traditional villages in the large-scale space category and promote the integral protection of traditional village culture, 1767 traditional villages in Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan Province in Southwest China were selected as the objects. With the support of spatial analysis tools such as ArcGIS and GeoDa, the spatial differentiation characteristics of traditional villages and their related factors were analyzed. It was found that the distribution of traditional villages in Southwest China is uneven, and in the overall distribution pattern, there are six spatial agglomeration areas in the east of Guizhou and the central and western regions of Yunnan, as well as large discrete distribution areas in other traditional villages. Traditional villages are influenced by natural factors such as topography, elevation, etc. in terms of spatial differentiation, as well as human, economic and social development environment factors such as population, ethnic composition, regional economic development level, central town, road traffic, etc., and show certain regular characteristics. From the perspective of integrity protection of large-scale traditional village culture, we should make the protection plan for traditional village cultural ecological areas, implement flexible and differentiated traditional village protection strategies, enhance the connectivity level of various development elements of traditional villages in regional scope, and promote the development of global tourism based on traditional villages. • The spatial differentiation characteristics of traditional villages & their related factors were analyzed. • Implement flexible and differentiated traditional village protection strategies • Enhance the connectivity level of various development elements of traditional villages in regional scope • Promote the development of global tourism based on traditional villages.