Spatial distribution characteristics and influencing factors of traditional villages in Henan Province based on geographical detectors

Henan Province, located in the transitional zone between the second and third topographic steps of China, represents a typical mountain–plain transitional area and harbors a large number of traditional villages with distinct characteristics and rich cultural connotations. Taking 1,032 traditional villages in Henan as research objects, this study systematically examines their spatial differentiation patterns and driving mechanisms through integrated applications of ArcGIS spatial analysis, geostatistical methods, and the GeoDetector model. The results show that: (1) The spatial distribution of traditional villages in Henan is uneven and highly clustered, exhibiting a “three cores–one belt–multiple points” structure and a “more in the west, fewer in the east” distribution pattern; (2) At the natural geographic level, traditional villages predominantly occur in plains and low-relief mountainous areas with abundant water resources and suitable elevations, reflecting a site-selection preference for “proximity to mountains and water and residence in warmer areas”; (3) At the socio-cultural level, factors such as locational conditions, transportation accessibility, urbanization rate, and population distribution collectively shape the spatial pattern, leading traditional villages to be concentrated in areas with moderate road network density, an appropriate distance from central cities, medium levels of economic development, and relatively high population agglomeration—demonstrating a socio-environmental orientation of “economy as the foundation and cultural continuity as the core”; (4) Overall, the cultural environment exerts the strongest influence on the spatial distribution of traditional villages, followed by economic development, while the natural environment plays a comparatively weaker role. In addition, significant synergistic enhancement effects exist among the influencing factors. During the formation of traditional villages, natural conditions mainly governed the early site-selection process, whereas socio-economic and cultural factors have been crucial in shaping their persistence and development. This study provides data support and theoretical references for the scientific conservation and sustainable development of traditional villages, and offers valuable insights for advancing research on human–land relationships in China’s mountain–plain transitional zones.