GHSL-based China’s Urban Boundaries

Accurately defining urban entity boundaries is crucial for analyzing urban expansion trends, understanding the impacts of urbanization on the environment, and planning and achieving sustainable urban development. In recent years, multiple global urban boundary products have emerged. However, cities’ definitions, formation processes, and morphology vary significantly across countries, making it particularly challenging to use a uniform method to delineate urban boundaries. This study proposes a top-down approach to urban boundary identification that considers China’s urban characteristics, ultimately constructing a high-precision GHSL-based China’s urban boundaries (GCUB) dataset for 2000, 2005, 2010, 2015, and 2020.The GCUB dataset outperforms existing urban boundary products in consistency and accuracy, with an impressive overall accuracy rate of 91.65%, effectively delineating urban boundaries across various regions and types within China.