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Chinese metropolitan areas have been experiencing urbanization over the past decades, impacting biodiversity, carbon emissions, urban heat islands, and food security. Yet, systematic research on spatio-temporal urbanization patterns and drivers along the urban–rural gradient is rarely reported for northwest China. Here, we use land-use data from 1980 to 2015 to explore land-use change, urbanization intensity, and drivers in northwest China. Our results display direct and indirect effects of urban expansion on farmland loss, but also spatio-temporal heterogeneity in the urbanization patterns. While the earlier years were dominated by infill and land conversion close to city centers, the later years displayed sprawling urbanization following the constraints of terrain and administrative boundaries at the cost of farmland. Our regression analysis of spatial variables found a strong relationship with urban planning factors. The spatial analysis of urbanization patterns revealed indirect land-use change on former farmland. Furthermore, we found that regional geography and historic sites considerably influenced land conversion. Overall, our findings indicate the need for sustainable planning strategies that synthesize approaches to farmland and historic site protection and consideration of regionally specific landscape characteristics.
