BackgroundHealth　workforce　misdistribution　leads　to　severe　inequity　and　low-efficiency　in　health　services　in　the　developing　countries.　Targeting　at　China,　this　research　aims　to　reveal,　visualize　and　compare　the　geographical　distribution　patterns　of　different　subtypes　of　urban　and　rural　health　workforce　and　identify　the　priority　regions　for　health　workforce　planning　and　allocation　policies　designing.MethodsThe　health　workforce　density　(workforce-to-population　ratio)　is　adopted　to　represent　the　accessibility　to　health　workforce　in　each　geographical　unit.　Besides　a　descriptive　geography　of　health　workforce　as　a　whole,　the　local　indicators　of　spatial　association　(LISA)　are　used　to　explore　the　spatial　clusters　of　different　subtypes　of　health　workforce,　which　are　visualized　by　geographical　tools.ResultsResults　reveal　that　regional　disparities　and　spatial　clusters　exist　in　China＇s　health　workforce　distribution,　with　different　types　of　workforce　exhibiting　relatively　different　spatial　distribution　characteristics.　Besides,　huge　urban-rural　disparities　are　found　in　the　distribution　of　health　workforce　in　China.　Unexpectedly　but　intriguingly,　most　of　the　high-high　and　high-low　cluster　area　of　urban　health　workforce　are　concentrated　in　the　western　China　(Xinjiang,　Xizang　etc.),　indicating　the　relative　abundant　stock　of　urban　health　workforce　in　these　units,　while　the　low-low　and　low-high　cluster　area　of　different　types　of　urban　health　workforce　are　mainly　distributed　in　middle　China.　Regarding　the　rural　health　workforce,　there　is　an　obvious　and　similar　low-low　and　low-high　clustering　pattern　in　western　provinces　(Sichuan,　Yunnan)　for　the　licensed　doctors,　pharmacists,　technologists,　which　play　a　critical　role　in　health　services　delivery.ConclusionsDifferent　types　of　health　workforce　displayed　distinct　spatial　distribution　patterns,　while　the　misdistribution　of　rural　health　workforce　imposed　more　challenges　to　the　Chinese　health　sector　due　to　its　poorer　stock　and　more　disadvantaged　positions　of　backward　regions　(i.e.,　low-low　and　low-high　cluster　area).　Subtype-specific　and　region-oriented　health　workforce　planning　and　allocation　policies　are　suggested　to　be　made,　aiming　at　the　urban　and　rural　health　workforce　respectively,　by　prioritizing　the　identified　low-low　and　low-high　cluster　areas.