Evaluation of the degree of coordinated development of population, resource, environment and economy in contiguous areas of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, China

Principal component analysis method was used to evaluate the development level of population, resources, environment and economy of 75 counties in contiguous areas of Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou, China. The degree of coordinated development of these four systems was measured using the coordination development model and associated spatial differences were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) There was a significant regional distribution in the degree of coordinated development of population, resources, environment and economy in contiguous areas of Sichuan-Yunnan-Guizhou. (2) The development of population-resource-environment-economy was uncoordinated in most of the 75 counties. (3) The uncoordinated recession regions were primarily related to lags in resources, followed by lags in economy. (4) The incoordination between resources and other systems was significant.