The Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Coupling of Population Distribution and Social Economy in the “Mid-Spine Belt of Beautiful China”

Population distribution and socioeconomic development are pivotal elements for achieving national sustainable development and represent critical aspects of the spatiotemporal heterogeneity and imbalance within the “Mid-Spine Belt of Beautiful China”. This study examines the spatial distribution patterns and evolutionary characteristics of the population from 1935 to 2020 and economic dynamics from 2010 to 2020 in the “Mid-Spine Belt of Beautiful China” through methods such as spatial interpolation, spatial autocorrelation, and other advanced spatial analytical techniques. Furthermore, the article explores the coordination between population and economic development within this region by employing the gravity index and inconsistency index. The findings reveal that the population distribution in the “Mid-Spine Belt of Beautiful China” lacks significant aggregation characteristics, with pronounced spatiotemporal differentiation observed along the “Hu Line”. From 2010 to 2020, socioeconomic indicators exhibited substantial disparities in spatial agglomeration, characterized by marked heterogeneity. Regarding the coordination between population and economic dynamics, this study highlights a progressive reduction in the distance between the centers of population and economic gravity, accompanied by a declining deviation trend. This indicates an improvement in balance and an increase in the degree of coupling over time.