Hunan Provincial Department of Cultural & Tourism

About Hunan

2022-05-24 Hunan Province is situated in south-central China and in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It is named "Hunan" because most of its areas are located to the south of the Dongting Lake and it is sometimes called "Xiang" for short after the Xiangjiang River, which is the largest river running through the province.

Large Medium Small

Hunan Province is situated in south-central China and in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River. It is named "Hunan" because most of its areas are located to the south of the Dongting Lake and it is sometimes called "Xiang" for short after the Xiangjiang River, which is the largest river running through the province. Its capital is Changsha. More information is detailed below:

Area: 211,800 square kilometers (10th largest provincial-level division in China).

Population: 68.602 million (7th nationwide).

Ethnic groups: 50+ (e.g., Han, Tujia, Miao, Dong, Yao).

Administrative division: 14 cities (autonomous prefectures) and 122 counties (county-level cities and districts).

Climate: Hunan has a humid, subtropical climate with four distinct seasons. It has abundant sunshine and copious rainfall. With an extensive network of clear rivers, it boasts lush vegetation and long frost-free periods.

Resource: Its diversified landforms, dominated by mountains and hills, makes it home to abundant minerals. It’s also one of China’s—and even the world’s—gene bank because of its biological diversity.

Hunan is famous for its picturesque scenery, such as Dongting Lake, Xiangjiang River, Zhangjiajie, Langshan Mountain and Mount Hengshan, the list goes on.

Hunan has a profound culture. The historical relic sites like Chengtou Mountain and Laosicheng and cultural heritages like Xiang embroidery, Hunan porcelain are all witness of Hunan’s long-standing and glorious history. The stories of Wei Yuan, Zeng Guofan, Chairman Mao, Yuan Longping, etc. spread far and wide around the globe. It’s also a gathering place for more than 50 ethnic groups, including Han, Tujia, Miao, Dong and Yao.

Hunan has advanced transportation and extensive logistics networks. As a land of milk and honey, it enjoys high reputation at home and abroad for its bounty resources and firecrackers and porcelain. Besides, Hunan cuisines come with various flavors and its broadcasting and publication industry tops the country.

In the 21st century, the province adheres to the philosophy of innovative, coordinated, green, open and shared development by fully implementing the strategy of “innovation and openness” and forges ahead bravely to build a beautiful and happy Hunan.