Measurement of Digital Rural Development Levels and Spatial Differences in Gansu Province

Digital villages are a key pillar of the rural revitalization strategy and a core driver of balanced urban-rural development.Based on panel data from 80 counties in Gansu Province from2018 to 2023,an evaluation index system for the development level of digital villages in Gansu Province was constructed,comprising four dimensions and 17 specific indicators:digitalization of infrastructure,digitalization of industrial development,digitalization of rural governance,and digitalization of residents’ lives.The CRITIC-TOPS IS model,Gini coefficient decomposition,and Moran’s index were comprehensively applied to reveal regional differences and spatio-temporal evolution characteristics.The study found that:（1） Spatial and temporal differences are significant:from 2018 to 2023,the overall level of digital rural development in Gansu Province showed an upward trend,with a spatial pattern characterized by a stable aggregation of ’ high in the northwest and low in the southeast,highlighting regional imbalance.（2） Regional differences are pronounced:the gap between counties followed a trend of first widening then narrowing,with the internal differences within the Gannan Plateau region contributing the highest proportion to the overall disparity.（3） Strong spatial correlation:the central-eastern part of the Hexi Corridor has formed a high-high clustering zone,while the Gannan Plateau and its surrounding areas remain locked in a low-low state,with sparse distributions of high-low and low-high dispersed zones.Therefore,it should strengthen government macro-regulation and regional coordinated development to drive the comprehensive development of digital villages in Gansu Province.