Abstract: The vulnerability analysis originated from natural disasters research, while being applied in human-land integrated system gradually. Then economic vulnerability was proposed by some researchers, which means the strong instability of an area's economy development, sensitive to changes or disturbances outside and with a significant loss. As an important part in current vulnerability research, the urban economic vulnerability provides a new perspective for human-land system, also provide available reference for decision making and management for sustainable and healthy urban development. According to the conception of vulnerability, this paper established an index system, including three components of exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity, to evaluate the urban economic vulnerability in Hexi Corridor region and its five cities. The vulnerability was evaluated and some obstacle factors hindering vulnerability's reduction were analyzed by entropy TOPSIS. The results are not only referenced for guiding Hexi Corridor's sustainable development, but also enrich urban vulnerability connotation.They show that:(1) Stage characteristics of Hexi Corridor's urban economic vulnerability is obvious in 2006-2015, which shows a downward trend in 2006-2011 and an increasing trend in 2012-2015; (2) The urban economic vulnerability of Hexi Corridor is also characterised by spatial distribution which experienced from higher in east and west, lower in middle to overall high; (3) The obstacle factors gradually translate from adaptability to exposure; (4) Considering the major obstacles in each city of Hexi Corridor, targeted optimization measures are suggested, provides references to Hexi Corridor's sustainable development.

Key words: Hexi Corridor, vulnerability, entropy-TOPSIS method, obstacle degree model