Abstract: Hierarchical structure is one of the three structures in urban system, reflecting the variation of cities in scale, concentration or dispersion of the urban population, and it is of help for understanding the phase of urban system. This paper analyses the characteristics of urban system in Anhui Province. It is found that this region exhibits a city-size distribution following the rank-size rule. The urban primacy index is low, the scale effect is inevident, the urban scale is small in whole, the development of metropolis and big cites is not enough, medium-sized cities is prominent and the spatial distribution of cities is not equal. The urban system is in kinesis variation, scale structure is stable comparatively and is concentrating continuously, with primacy city developing potentially. And cities in different levels have different trends and characteristics of changes. The paper put forward several measures such as to escalate the construction of the Wanjiang urban area, speed the development of urban group in north Anhui, and to enhance the level of medium-sized cities and central towns in south Anhui.

Key words: urban system, hierarchical structure, rank-scale distribution, Anhui province