*3.1. Temporal Interpretation of Land-Use Change and Environmental Health Risks in Changzhou* 3.1.1. Evolution of Urbanization and Land Use

In the past decades, Changzhou experienced rapid urbanization (Figure 2). In 2003, the urbanization rate (the proportion of the urban population) was 56.45%. In 2018, it reached 72.5%. The built-up area also increased rapidly during the period. The built-up area was 92.28 km<sup>2</sup> in 2003, and 300 km<sup>2</sup> in 2018. There was massive growth in industrial land along with Changzhou's urban expansion: the industrial land area increased from 25.91 km2 to 95.64 km<sup>2</sup> during the study period, with a growth rate of 269.12% (Figure 2).

**Figure 2.** Urbanization evolution and land use change of Changzhou from 2003 to 2018.
