聯合國2011年統計調查，已開發國家的都市多面臨人口衰退的窘境，其中尤以中小型城市為甚。過去的五十年間，有370個10萬人以上的都市，至少萎縮了10％(Oswalt & Rieniets, 2006)。原因多為全球化的影響，大都會的發展使經濟程度發展較低的中小型都市人口衰退、產業外移，導致其都市空間的衰敗，進入「萎縮城市(Shrinking Cities)」的困境。根據內政部主計處2011年公布的台灣人口統計資料，台灣中、南及東部城市已開始出現人口逐年衰退的現象。若此現象符合萎縮城市的進程，則以人口成長為導向的現行規劃體制或應予調整。
為能配合未來以萎縮為趨勢的空間規劃需求，故本研究以探討台灣中小型城市是否已出現萎縮城市現象為目的，可分為以下兩點。1. 以Wiechmann (2007)對萎縮城市的定義為基礎，做為檢視台灣萎縮城市的判定原則，找出其分佈地區。2. 將台灣的萎縮城市，依其空間特性作分類，找出屬於台灣萎縮城市的類型。
本研究論述建構之方法為歸納推論法的類同法。提出研究問題後，以文獻分析法來建立研究假設，再以實證分析來驗證假設是否成立。首先藉由回顧萎縮城市發展脈絡，及探討都市發展相關理論的探討，將相關文獻及理論歸納、整理分析，作為本研究理論推導之基礎；再以統計分析方法，以各鄉鎮市區都市之人口普查資料及工商業普查資料為母體，進行敘述性統計分析作為實證測試的研究假設。依研究假設可將台灣各鄉鎮市區依人口與產業結構的變化分為「都市化」、「去中心化」、「去工業化」和「萎縮城市」四種空間發展變遷的類型；再將萎縮城市現象地區依人口及產業結構的衰退程度與萎縮時程再各分做四類。最後依據實證結果，將結論以整體、萎縮時間序列與萎縮空間結構分別描述其現象。並考慮後續研究的完善，給予針對研究假設可調整的建議項目。

Developed cities throughout the world are facing population decline, especially in the small and medium-sized cities. Because of the global competition expansion of large metropolitan, the small and medium-sized cities at the periphery have resulted in demographics and industries migrating abroad, leading to a plight of “Shrinking Cities”. Demographics statistical data of Taiwan shows that population decline has taken place in the southern and eastern cities.
The study investigate the process of the small and medium-sized cities, which have suffered serious shrinking recently. 1) Determine the shrinking city in Taiwan and to find their distributions based on the definition as the principles.2) Classify the shrinking cities with the spatial structure, and identify the development pattern of it in Taiwan.
The method of the study framework is correspondence of inductive reasoning. Take it as a theoretical derivation basis of "shrinking cities", compare with the transformation of demography and industry, to construct a suitable discourse in Taiwan. Establish an empirical test model by the descriptive statistical analysis of demography and industry statistical data. According to the demography and industry statistical data of each unit, divide it into four spatial patterns, "urbanization", "decentralization", "deindustrialization" and "shrinking cities".
Divide shrinking cities into 4 categories in time series and spatial structure by the transformation of demography and industry. Finally, described by three ways: on the whole, shrinking time series and shrinking spatial structure. Sum up with the unique models in Taiwan, which can help to develop the future plans of urban planning and to redefine the direction.

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