In order to evaluate the distribution characteristics of the arable lands in Northwest China and its status
in the whole country,based on the accomplishments of cultivated land classification at the national level for the five
provinces in Northwest China,the quantitative and grade and spatial distribution characteristics of the arable lands were
analyzed in Northwest China,as well as the influential factors on land qualities. The results showed that medium and low
grade lands were broadly distributed,up to 93.04% of the area. The average arable grade was 11.9,2.1 lower than the
national average level (9.8). The distribution of arable land natural quality and utilization grade were roughly the same
in Northwest China. High-grade arable lands were mainly in Shaanxi,medium-grade arable lands were mainly in Xin-
jiang,and low-grade arable lands were mainly in Gansu and Shaanxi. Arable land area in Qinghai and Ningxia were
small,majority of which was medium or low-grade. In addition,the distributions of arable land economic grade were
slightly different. High-grade arable lands were mainly in Xinjiang,medium-grade arable lands were mainly in Xinjiang
and Shaanxi,and low-grade arable lands were mainly in Gansu and Shaanxi. Qinghai had large area of low-grade arable
lands,and Ningxia had large area of lower-grade lands. The arable land quality of Northwest China was mainly influ-
enced by geomorphological structure,soil conditions and basic farmland constructions. Factors that influenced the varia-
tions in spatial distributions in different provinces were mainly determined by different dominant factors of the provinces,
which further controlled the spatial distribution characteristics of the arable land quality in Northwest China.
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