{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,22]],"date-time":"2026-06-22T13:07:57Z","timestamp":1782133677793,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":62,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1764028800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Research Project on Higher Education Management of China University of Geosciences","award":["2021FZA02"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021FZA02"]}]},{"name":"Discipline Construction Project of China University of Geosciences","award":["MX2204"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["MX2204"]}]},{"name":"Postgraduate Education and Teaching Reform Research Project of China University of Geosciences","award":["YJGGJ202403"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["YJGGJ202403"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJGI"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The unbalanced allocation of educational resources in kindergartens across China has attracted increasing attention from scholars and the public. However, few studies have examined their spatially imbalanced distribution and its influencing factors. Based on point-of-interest data, this study systematically analyzes the spatially imbalanced distribution characteristics of kindergartens in China from a multiscale perspective using the spatial analysis and spatial regression model to identify the factors influencing its formation pattern. The results reveal that the distribution pattern is \u201cmore in the southeast and fewer in the northwest,\u201d with the Hu Huanyong Line serving as the boundary. Kernel density analysis revealed that areas with a density greater than 0.34 individual\/km2 were primarily concentrated in provincial capitals and major metropolitan areas, exhibiting a gradual decrease outward from these core zones. It also reveals a \u201clarge dispersion and small aggregation\u201d, with a concentration around mega-cities, urban agglomerations, and provincial capitals. Significant spatial auto-correlations were found at all administrative levels, with hotspots distributed in northeast, north, and southeast China. The spatial determinants of kindergartens distribution in China exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity. The findings provide a reference in improving the spatial pattern and the state of unbalanced development of kindergarten education in China, as well as scientific suggestions to optimize resource allocation.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi14120463","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]],"date-time":"2025-11-25T16:31:54Z","timestamp":1764088314000},"page":"463","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Investigating the Imbalanced Patterns and Determinants of Kindergarten Distribution Across China"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Guiling","family":"Tang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Public Administration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China"},{"name":"International Education College, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China"},{"name":"Silk Road Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Feng","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Education College, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China"},{"name":"Silk Road Institute, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,11,25]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"285","article-title":"Spatial pattern and influencing factors of the equalization of basic education public service in China","volume":"38","author":"Wang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Geogr. 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