Given　the　complexity　and　diversity　of　local　conditions　and　institutional　arrangements　that　influence　the　regional　urbanization　in　a　country　like　China,　the　existing　of　regional　disparity　is　predictable　or　even　inevitable.　However,　excessive　imbalance　and　lack　of　coordination　will　induce　a　series　of　social,　economic　and　environmental　problems　that　seriously　threaten　the　sustainability　of　urbanization.　The　aim　is　to　explore　the　changing　trend　of　regional　disparity　through　revisiting　and　comparing　the　differentiated　trajectories　of　urban　development　in　coastal　and　mountainous　regions.　An　index　system　including　19　indices　has　been　developed　to　evaluate　the　integrated　level　of　regional　urbanization　from　four　perspectives:　population,　economy,　society　and　space.　Using　a　coastal　province,　Fujian,　as　a　case　study,　the　comparative　analysis　of　coastal　and　mountainous　urbanization　from　2001　to　2012　has　revealed　that:　1)　the　coast-mountain　gap　has　been　doubled　during　the　past　decade;　2)　the　recent　regional　disparity　is　not　merely　quantitative　but　more　qualitative　and　structural;　3)　large　scale　mountain-to-coast　migration　and　irrational　investment　are　the　main　causes　for　an　uncoordinated　urbanization.　Based　on　these　results,　the　pertinence　and　effectiveness　of　the　‘new-type’　urbanization　strategy　are　discussed　in　view　of　regional　urbanization　regulation　and　suggestions　to　improve　the　‘mountain-coast’　coordination　are　put　forward.　©　2017　Elsevier　Ltd