Types, Distribution Characteristics, and Development Strategies of Rural Characteristic Industry in Xi’an Metropolitan Area

China’s urbanization development has entered the “second half”, which is at a critical stage of transition from the middle stages to the mature stage. The metropolitan area formed by the mega-city radiating the development of surrounding cities and counties is an important spatial carrier of urbanization. The rural characteristic industry is the main path to promote regional economic development and urban-rural integration in the metropolitan area. Exploring the development characteristics of rural characteristic industries in the metropolitan area has important theoretical and practical signifi cance for promoting the eff ective connection between urban-rural integration and rural revitalization of the metropolitan area and improving the development quality of the metropolitan area. Take the Xi’an metropolitan area as an example and adopt kernel density analysis and other methods to reveal the spatial diff erentiation rules of rural characteristic industries. On this basis, the three-dimensional development strategy of “industry-spatial-institutional” for the development of the rural characteristic industry is proposed, to provide theoretical reference for the development of rural characteristic industry in metropolitan areas.