Distribution characteristics of rural road in the Loess Hilly Plateau ：A case study of Yangou Watershed

Abstract Rural road takes charge of the dual tasks including rural agricultural production and associated socio-economic activities. Therefore, rational allocation of road density could promote rural economy, andreduce soil erosion too. Yangou Watershed had been taken as a case to study the rural road density, andrelated factors for the Loess Plateau region. By using ArcGIS software and other statistical ways, factorssuch as the land use types, distance from village, and village position in the watershed had beenanalyzed. The results were as follows： 1 ) the average road density of the watershed was 3. 73 km/km²,where that of arable land was 5. 25 km/km²，orchards was 4. 59 km/km², forest land was 2. 74 km/km².2) The smaller the distance of road from the village center, the higher the road density. Within thedistance 0. 5 km ： the average road density was 4. 67 km/km², where that of arable land was 5. 40 km/km², orchards was 4. 65 km/km²，forest land was 4. 03 km/km²； Within the distance 1. 0 km ： the average road density was 3. 87 km/km², where that of arable land was 6. 09 km/km², orchards was 5. 10km/km², forest land was 2. 88 km/km². 3) The rural road density depends firstly on the forest roaddensity, and also on the village position, the village economic development, etc. The results couldbenefit on the rational rural roads allocation.