China’s urbanisation evolution and metropolitan area expansion, based on the Prolonged Artificial Nighttime-light Dataset (PANDA, 1984–2020)

ABSTRACTChina’s massive urbanisation development will undoubtedly serve as a global reference. Due to the uncertainty of statistical data, nighttime light (NTL) data have emerged as alternative data for urbanisation evaluation. Here, the application of the Prolonged Artificial NTL Dataset of China (1984–2020) has been newly expanded. Total-value statistical, complex NTL index (CNLI), NTL concentration degree, rank-size rule, and Markov transfer matrix were used to systematically mine information about urban change from multiple perspectives. China’s urbanisation exhibited rapid growth and outwards expansion. The total percentage increase in NTL brightness and NTL area was 409.38% and 302.58%, respectively. The Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration of East China had the fastest urbanisation (CNLI Trend = 0.0057/a, p < 0.01). Low NTL areas transitioned to medium NTL areas, and high and extremely-high NTL areas diffused to medium NTL areas. The cities in Eastern China and Southern China typically exhibited extremely-high type NTL areas, whereas other cities primarily exhibited medium NTL areas. The gaps between city sizes decreased over time (q Trend =  – 0.0200/a, p < 0.01). Lowest-ranked cities exhibited the highest stability (>95%) in city size type transition. The spatiotemporal changes in NTL obtained were of great significance for monitoring urban expansion patterns, making government decisions, and quantifying China’s sustainable development.