Impact of livelihood capital on life satisfaction of relocation herdsmen in norther Xinjiang

Since the free settlement project was carried out, the life of a herdsman has undergone major changes. We investigated 459 households in three counties located in northern Xinjiang, China. We analysed the impact of livelihood capital of herdsmen on their life satisfaction by using ordered logit method, on the basis of sustainable livelihood framework and classification of herdsmen. The results show the following. First, regional spatial differences and type heterogeneity exist in household livelihood capital and life satisfaction. Second, the household livelihood capital index was the highest in Fuhai County among pure pastoral herders; the life satisfaction of herdsmen was the highest in Tacheng City, and purely pastoral household satisfaction was higher than that for part-time herding and non-herding households. Third, the household livelihood capital had a significant impact on life satisfaction. Among them, increases in physical capital, financial capital, and social capital were found to increase the life satisfaction of herdsmen, and increases in natural capital and human capital were found to decrease the life satisfaction of herdsmen. Finally, this study provides relevant policy proposals to increase the livelihood capital of herdsmen.