Hunan

For other places with the same name, see Hunan (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Henan Province.
Hunan
湖南
Province
Province of Hunan
Name transcription(s)
 • Chinese湖南省 (Húnán Shěng)
 • AbbreviationHN / 湘 (pinyin: Xiāng)
(clockwise from top)
Map
Map showing the location of Hunan Province
Map showing the location of Hunan Province
Coordinates: 28°06′46″N 112°59′00″E / 28.11265°N 112.98338°E / 28.11265; 112.98338
CountryChina
Named for湖, hú – lake
南, nán – south
"South of the lake"
Capital
(and largest city)		Changsha
Divisions14 prefectures, 122 counties, 1,933 townships (2018), 29,224 villages (2018)
Government
 • TypeProvince
 • BodyHunan Provincial People's Congress
 • Party SecretaryShen Xiaoming
 • Congress chairmanShen Xiaoming
 • GovernorMao Weiming
 • CPPCC chairmanMao Wanchun
 • National People's Congress Representation116 deputies
Area
[1]
 • Total210,000 km2 (80,000 sq mi)
 • Rank10th
Highest elevation
(Mount Lingfeng)
2,115.2 m (6,939.6 ft)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • Total66,444,864
 • Rank7th
 • Density320/km2 (820/sq mi)
  • Rank13th
DemonymHunanese
Demographics
 • Ethnic compositionHan – 90%
Tujia – 4%
Miao – 3%
Dong – 1%
Yao – 1%
Other peoples – 1%
 • Languages and dialectsChinese varieties:
Xiang, Gan, Southwestern Mandarin, Xiangnan Tuhua, Waxiang, Hakka, Yue
Non-Chinese languages:
Xong, Tujia, Mien, Gam
GDP (2023)[3]
 • TotalCN¥ 5,001 billion (9th)
US$ 710 billion
 • Per capitaCN¥ 75,938 (14th)
US$ 10,776
ISO 3166 codeCN-HN
HDI (2022)0.781[4] (15th) – high
Websitehunan.gov.cn
enghunan.gov.cn
Hunan
"Hunan" in Chinese characters
Chinese湖南
Xiang[fu˩˧ lan˩˧][5]
Literal meaning"South of the (Dongting) Lake"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinHúnán
Bopomofoㄏㄨˊ   ㄋㄢˊ
Wade–GilesHu2-nan2
IPA[xǔ.nǎn] ⓘ
Wu
RomanizationWu去 noe平
Xiang
IPA[fu˩˧ lan˩˧][5]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationWùh-nàahm
JyutpingWu4-naam4
IPA[wu˩nam˩]
Southern Min
Tâi-lôÔo-lâm

Hunan[a] is an inland province of China. Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze watershed, it borders the province-level divisions of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, Guangdong and Guangxi to the south, Guizhou to the west, and Chongqing to the northwest. Its capital and largest city is Changsha, which abuts the Xiang River. Hengyang, Zhuzhou, and Yueyang are among its most populous urban cities. With a population of just over 66 million as of 2020 residing in an area of approximately 210,000 km2 (81,000 sq mi), it is China's 7th most populous province, the fourth most populous among landlocked provinces, the second most populous in South Central China after Guangdong and the most populous province in Central China. It is the largest province in South-Central China, the fourth largest among landlocked provinces, and the 10th most extensive province by area.

Hunan's nominal GDP was US$724 billion (CNY 4.6 trillion) as of 2021, appearing in the world's top 20 largest sub-national economies, with its GDP (PPP) being over US$1.1 trillion.[6][7] Hunan is the 9th-largest provincial economy of China, the fourth largest in South Central China, the third largest in Central China and the fourth largest among landlocked provinces. Its GDP (nominal) per capita exceeded US$10,900 (69,300 CNY), making it the third-richest province in the South Central China region after Guangdong and Hubei.[6] As of 2020, Hunan's GDP (nominal) reached 605 billion US dollars (CNY 4.18 trillion),[8][9] exceeding that of Poland, with a GDP of US$596 billion and Thailand, with a GDP of US$501 billion, the 22nd and 25th largest in the world respectively.[10]

The name Hunan literally means "south of the lake".[11] The lake that is referred to is Dongting Lake, a lake in the northeast of the province. Vehicle license plates from Hunan are marked Xiāng (Chinese: 湘), after the Xiang River, which runs from south to north through Hunan and forms part of the largest drainage system for the province. The area of Hunan was under Chinese rule as far back as 350 BC. Hunan was the birthplace of communist revolutionary Mao Zedong,[12] who became the Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party and the founding father of the People's Republic of China. Hunan today is home to some ethnic minorities, including the Tujia and Miao, along with the Han Chinese, who make up a majority of the population. Varieties of Chinese spoken include Xiang, Gan and Southwestern Mandarin.

Wulingyuan was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.[13] Changsha, the capital, is located in the eastern part of the province; it is now an important commercial, manufacturing and transportation centre.[14] The busiest airports serve domestic and international flights for Hunan, including Changsha Huanghua International Airport, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport and Changde Taohuayuan Airport.[15] Hunan is the seat of the Yuelu Academy (later become Hunan University), which is one of the four major academies over the last 1000 years in ancient China.[16] As of 2023, Hunan hosts 137 institutions of higher education, ranking fifth among all Chinese provinces .[17] In 2017, two major cities in Hunan (Changsha and Xiangtan) ranked in the top 500 cities in the world by scientific research output, as tracked by the Nature Index.[18]

History

[edit]
Fenghuang, a traditional town of Hunan

Hunan's primeval forests were first occupied by the ancestors of the modern Miao, Tujia, Dong and Yao peoples. The province entered written Chinese history around 350 BC, when the province became part of the Zhou dynasty. After Qin conquered the Chu in 278 BC, the region came under the control of Qin, and then the Changsha Kingdom during the Han dynasty. At this time, and for hundreds of years thereafter, the province was a magnet for settlement of Han Chinese from the north, who displaced and assimilated the original indigenous inhabitants, cleared forests and began farming rice in the valleys and plains.[19] The agricultural colonization of the lowlands was carried out in part by the Han people, which managed river dikes to protect farmland from floods.[20] To this day, many of the small villages in Hunan are named after the Han families who settled there. Migration from the north was especially prevalent during the Eastern Jin dynasty, Sixteen Kingdoms and the Northern and Southern dynasties periods, when the north was mostly ruled by non-Han ethnic groups (Five Barbarians) and in perpetual disorder.

During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, Hunan was home to its own independent regime, Ma Chu.

Hunan and Hubei became a part of the province of Huguang until the Qing dynasty. Hunan province was created in 1664 from Huguang, renamed to its current name in 1723.

Hunan became an important communications center due to its position on the Yangzi River. It was an important centre of scholarly activity and Confucian thought, particularly in the Yuelu Academy in Changsha. It was also on the Imperial Highway constructed between northern and southern China. The land produced grain so abundantly that it fed many parts of China with its surpluses. The population continued to climb until, by the nineteenth century, Hunan became overcrowded and prone to peasant uprisings. Some of the uprisings, such as the ten-year Miao Rebellion of 1795–1806, were caused by ethnic tensions. The Taiping Rebellion began in the south in Guangxi Province in 1850. The rebellion spread into Hunan and then further eastward along the Yangzi River valley. Ultimately, it was a Hunanese army (Xiang Army) under Zeng Guofan who marched into Nanjing to put down the uprising in 1864.

Invading Japanese soldiers firing across the Miluo River during the Battle of Changsha in World War II

In 1920, a famine raged throughout Hunan and killed an estimated 2 million Hunanese civilians.[21] This sparked the Autumn Harvest Uprising of 1927. It was led by Hunanese native Mao Zedong, and established a short-lived Hunan Soviet in 1927. The Communists maintained a guerrilla army in the mountains along the Hunan-Jiangxi border until 1934. Under pressure from the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces, they began the Long March to bases in Shaanxi Province. After the departure of the Communists, the KMT army fought against the Japanese in the second Sino-Japanese war. They defended Changsha until it fell in 1944. Japan launched Operation Ichigo, a plan to control the railroad from Wuchang to Guangzhou (Yuehan Railway). Hunan was relatively unscathed by the civil war that followed the defeat of the Japanese in 1945. In 1949, the Communists returned once more as the Nationalists retreated southward.

In the 1950s, General Wang Zhen coerced thousands of Hunanese women into sexual servitude at PLA units in Xinjiang.[22]

As Mao Zedong's home province, Hunan supported the Cultural Revolution of 1966–1976.[citation needed] However, it was slower than most provinces in adopting the reforms implemented by Deng Xiaoping in the years that followed Mao's death in 1976.

In addition to CCP Chairman Mao Zedong, a number of other first-generation communist leaders were also from Hunan: Chinese President Liu Shaoqi; CCP Secretaries-General Ren Bishi and Hu Yaobang; Marshals Peng Dehuai, He Long, and Luo Ronghuan; Wang Zhen, one of the Eight Elders; Xiang Jingyu, the first female member of the CCP's central committee; Senior General Huang Kecheng; and veteran diplomat Lin Boqu. An example of a more recent leader from Hunan is former Chinese Premier Zhu Rongji.

Geography

[edit]
Main article: Geography of Hunan

Hunan is located on the south bank of the Yangtze River, about halfway along its length, situated between 108° 47'–114° 16' east longitude and 24° 37'–30° 08' north latitude. Hunan covers an area of 211,800 square kilometres (81,800 square miles), making it the 10th largest provincial-level division. The east, south and west sides of the province are surrounded by mountains and hills, such as the Wuling Mountains to the northwest, the Xuefeng Mountains to the west, the Nanling Mountains to the south, and the Luoxiao Mountains to the east. Mountains and hills occupy more than 80% of the province, and plains less than 20%. At 2,115.2 meters above sea level, the highest point in Hunan province is Lingfeng (酃峰).[23][24][25]

The Xiang, the Zi, the Yuan and the Lishui Rivers converge on the Yangtze River at Lake Dongting in the north of Hunan. The center and northern parts are somewhat low and a U-shaped basin, open in the north and with Lake Dongting as its center. Most of Hunan lies in the basins of four major tributaries of the Yangtze River.

Lake Dongting is the largest lake in the province and the second largest freshwater lake of China.

The Xiaoxiang area and Lake Dongting figure prominently in Chinese poetry and paintings, particularly during the Song dynasty when they were associated with officials who had been unjustly dismissed.[26]

Changsha (which means "long sands") was an active ceramics district during the Tang dynasty, its tea bowls, ewers and other products mass-produced and shipped to China's coastal cities for export abroad. An Arab dhow dated to the 830s and today known as the Belitung Shipwreck was discovered off the small island of Belitung, Indonesia with more than 60,000 pieces in its cargo.[citation needed] The salvaged cargo is today housed in nearby Singapore.

Hunan's climate is subtropical; further, under the Köppen climate classification, the climate is classified as being humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa), with short, cool, damp winters, very hot and humid summers, and plenty of rainfall. January temperatures average 3 to 8 °C (37 to 46 °F), while July temperatures average around 27 to 30 °C (81 to 86 °F). Average annual precipitation is 1,200 to 1,700 millimetres (47 to 67 in). The Furongian Epoch in the Cambrian Period of geological time is named for Hunan; Furong (芙蓉) means "lotus" in Mandarin and refers to Hunan which is known as the "lotus state".[27]

Administrative divisions

[edit]
Main article: List of administrative divisions of Hunan

Hunan is divided into fourteen prefecture-level divisions: thirteen prefecture-level cities and an autonomous prefecture:

Administrative divisions of Hunan
Division code[28] Division Area in km2[29] Population 2010[30] Seat Divisions[31]
Districts Counties Aut. counties CL cities
430000 Hunan Province 210,000.00 65,683,722 Changsha city 36 61 7 18
430100 Changsha city 11,819.46 7,044,118 Yuelu District 6 1 2
430200 Zhuzhou city 11,262.20 3,855,609 Tianyuan District 5 3 1
430300 Xiangtan city 5,006.46 2,748,552 Yuetang District 2 1 2
430400 Hengyang city 15,302.78 7,141,462 Zhengxiang District 5 5 2
430500 Shaoyang city 20,829.63 7,071,826 Daxiang District 3 6 1 2
430600 Yueyang city 14,897.88 5,477,911 Yueyanglou District 3 4 2
430700 Changde city 18,177.18 5,747,218 Wuling District 2 6 1
430800 Zhangjiajie city 9,516.03 1,476,521 Yongding District 2 2
430900 Yiyang city 12,325.16 4,313,084 Heshan District 2 3 1
431000 Chenzhou city 19,317.33 4,581,778 Beihu District 2 8 1
431100 Yongzhou city 22,255.31 5,180,235 Lengshuitan District 2 8 1
431200 Huaihua city 27,562.72 4,741,948 Hecheng District 1 5 5 1
431300 Loudi city 8,107.61 3,785,627 Louxing District 1 2 2
433100 Xiangxi Autonomous Prefecture 15,462.30 2,547,833 Jishou city 7 1

The fourteen prefecture-level divisions of Hunan are subdivided into 122 county-level divisions (35 districts, 17 county-level cities,, 63 counties, 7 autonomous counties). Those are in turn divided into 2587 township-level divisions (1098 towns, 1,158 townships, 98 ethnic townships, 225 subdistricts, and eight district public offices). At the year end of 2017, the total population is 68.6 million.[1]

Urban areas

[edit]
Population by urban areas of prefecture & county cities
# City Urban area[32] District area[32] City proper[32] Census date
1 Changsha[b] 2,963,218 3,092,213 7,040,952 2010-11-01
(1) Changsha (new district)[b] 230,136 523,660 see Changsha 2010-11-01
2 Hengyang 1,115,645 1,133,967 7,148,344 2010-11-01
3 Zhuzhou[c] 999,404 1,055,150 3,857,100 2010-11-01
(3) Zhuzhou (new district)[c] 94,326 383,598 see Zhuzhou 2010-11-01
4 Yueyang 924,099 1,231,509 5,476,084 2010-11-01
5 Xiangtan 903,287 960,303 2,752,171 2010-11-01
6 Changde 846,308 1,457,419 5,714,623 2010-11-01
7 Yiyang 697,607 1,245,517 4,307,933 2010-11-01
8 Liuyang 588,081 1,279,469 see Changsha 2010-11-01
9 Chenzhou 582,971 822,534 4,583,531 2010-11-01
10 Shaoyang 574,527 753,194 7,071,735 2010-11-01
11 Yongzhou 540,930 1,020,715 5,194,275 2010-11-01
(12) Ningxiang[d] 498,055 1,166,138 see Changsha 2010-11-01
13 Leiyang 476,173 1,151,554 see Hengyang 2010-11-01
14 Huaihua 472,687 552,622 4,741,673 2010-11-01
15 Liling 449,067 947,387 see Zhuzhou 2010-11-01
16 Loudi 425,037 496,744 3,784,634 2010-11-01
17 Changning 332,927 810,447 see Hengyang 2010-11-01
18 Miluo 321,074 692,080 see Yueyang 2010-11-01
19 Yuanjiang 281,097 666,270 see Yiyang 2010-11-01
20 Zhangjiajie 250,489 494,528 1,478,149 2010-11-01
21 Lianyuan 245,360 995,515 see Loudi 2010-11-01
22 Lengshuijiang 238,275 327,146 see Loudi 2010-11-01
23 Linxiang 225,054 498,319 see Yueyang 2010-11-01
24 Zixing 215,707 337,294 see Chenzhou 2010-11-01
25 Jishou 212,328 302,065 part of Xiangxi Prefecture 2010-11-01
26 Xiangxiang 210,799 788,216 see Xiangtan 2010-11-01
27 Hongjiang 197,753 477,996 see Huaihua 2010-11-01
28 Wugang 187,436 734,870 see Shaoyang 2010-11-01
29 Jinshi 156,230 250,898 see Changde 2010-11-01
30 Shaoshan 27,613 86,036 see Xiangtan 2010-11-01
  1. ^ 湖南, Húnán Shěng, Xiang Chinese: [fu˩˧ lan˩˧],[5] Mandarin: [xu˧˥ nan˧˥]
  2. ^ a b New district established after census: Wangcheng (Wangcheng County). The new district not included in the urban area & district area count of the pre-expanded city.
  3. ^ a b New district established after census: Lukou (Zhuzhou County). The new district not included in the urban area & district area count of the pre-expanded city.
  4. ^ Ningxiang County is currently known as Ningxiang CLC after census.
 
 
Most populous cities in Hunan
Source: China Urban Construction Statistical Yearbook 2018 Urban Population and Urban Temporary Population[33]
Rank Pop. Rank Pop.
Changsha
Changsha
Hengyang
Hengyang 		1 Changsha 3,744,300 11 Yongzhou 574,500 Zhuzhou
Zhuzhou
Changde
Changde
2 Hengyang 1,437,900 12 Leiyang 573,000
3 Zhuzhou 1,152,600 13 Loudi 516,800
4 Changde 997,900 14 Ningxiang 472,700
5 Yueyang 892,000 15 Jishou 315,000
6 Chenzhou 842,000 16 Changning 300,000
7 Xiangtan 817,700 17 Wugang 290,000
8 Shaoyang 712,300 18 Liuyang 260,100
9 Yiyang 668,200 19 Liling 247,500
10 Huaihua 624,000 20 Xiangxiang 235,000

Politics

[edit]
Main articles: Politics of Hunan, List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China, Government of Hunan, and Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese Communist Party
Young Mao Zedong statue in Changsha

The politics of Hunan is structured in a dual party-government system like all other governing institutions in mainland China.

The Governor of Hunan is the highest-ranking official in the People's Government of Hunan. However, in the province's dual party-government governing system, the Governor has less power than the Hunan Chinese Communist Party Provincial Committee Secretary, colloquially termed the "Hunan CCP Party Chief".

Economy

[edit]

As of the mid-19th century, Hunan exported rhubarb, musk, honey, tobacco, hemp, and birds.[34] The Lake Dongting area is an important center of ramie production, and Hunan is also an important center of tea cultivation.

Hunan was a major recipient of China's investment in industrial capacity during the Third Front campaign.[35]: 298 

In recent years, Hunan has grown to become an important center for steel, machinery and electronics production, especially as China's manufacturing sector moves away from coastal provinces such as Guangdong and Zhejiang.[36]

The Lengshuijiang area is noted for its stibnite mines, and is one of the major centers of antimony extraction in China.[37]

Hunan is also well known for a few global makers of construction equipment such as concrete pumps, cranes, etc. These companies include Sany Group, Zoomlion and Sunward. Sany is one of the world's major players. The city of Liuyang is the world's top center for manufacturing fireworks.[38]

Hunan is the 9th-largest provincial economy of China, the third largest in the Central China region after Henan and Hubei, the fourth largest in the South Central China region after Guangdong, Henan and Hubei and the fourth largest among inland provinces after Henan, Sichuan and Hubei.[6] As of 2021, Hunan's nominal GDP was US$724 billion (CNY 4.6 trillion), appearing in the world's top 20 largest sub-national economies with its GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) being over US$1.1 trillion,[6][7] and its GDP (nominal) per capita exceeded US$10,900 (69,300 CNY), making it the 2nd richest in the Central China region after Hubei and the 3rd richest in South Central China region after Guangdong and Hubei.[6]

As of 2020, Hunan's GDP (nominal) was US$605 billion,[8][9] making it larger than the economies of Poland (the 22nd biggest in the world), Thailand (the 2nd largest in ASEAN), and Nigeria (the largest in Africa).[10]

Historical GDP of Hunan Province for 1952 –present (SNA2008)[39]
(purchasing power parity of Chinese Yuan, as Int'l. dollar based on IMF WEO October 2017[40])
year GDP GDP per capita (GDPpc)
 based on mid-year population 		Reference index
GDP in millions real
growth
(%) 		GDPpc exchange rate
1 foreign currency
to CNY
CNY USD PPP
(Int'l$.) 		CNY USD PPP
(Int'l$.) 		USD 1 Int'l$. 1
(PPP)
2016 3,155,137 475,007 901,236 8.0 46,382 6,983 13,249 6.6423 3.5009
2015 2,917,217 468,373 821,867 8.5 43,157 6,929 12,159 6.2284 3.5495
2014 2,728,177 444,126 768,414 9.5 40,635 6,615 11,445 6.1428 3.5504
2013 2,483,465 400,999 694,307 10.1 37,263 6,017 10,418 6.1932 3.5769
2012 2,233,833 353,875 629,107 11.4 33,758 5,348 9,507 6.3125 3.5508
2011 1,981,655 306,815 565,299 12.8 30,103 4,661 8,587 6.4588 3.5055
2010 1,615,325 238,618 487,925 14.6 24,897 3,678 7,520 6.7695 3.3106
2009 1,315,627 192,597 416,667 13.9 20,579 3,013 6,517 6.8310 3.1575
2008 1,162,761 167,422 366,016 14.1 18,261 2,629 5,748 6.9451 3.1768
2007 948,599 124,750 314,637 15.1 14,942 1,965 4,956 7.6040 3.0149
2006 772,232 96,870 268,350 12.8 12,192 1,529 4,237 7.9718 2.8777
2005 662,345 80,856 231,670 12.2 10,606 1,295 3,710 8.1917 2.8590
2000 355,149 42,901 130,603 9.0 5,425 655 1,995 8.2784 2.7193
1995 213,213 25,531 78,117 10.3 3,359 402 1,231 8.3510 2.7294
1990 74,444 15,564 43,724 4.0 1,228 257 721 4.7832 1.7026
1985 34,995 11,917 24,966 12.1 626 213 447 2.9366 1.4017
1980 19,172 12,795 12,820 5.2 365 244 244 1.4984 1.4955
1975 11,840 6,366 10.3 239 129 1.8598
1970 9,305 3,780 17.6 211 86 2.4618
1965 6,532 2,653 13.2 170 69 2.4618
1960 6,407 2,603 -1.0 176 71 2.4618
1955 3,583 1,376 18.5 104 40 2.6040
1952 2,781 1,251 86 39 2.2227

Economic and technological development zones

[edit]
  • Changsha National Economic and Technical Development Zone

The Changsha National Economic and Technology Development Zone was founded in 1992. It is located east of Changsha. The total planned area is 38.6 km2 (14.9 sq mi) and the current area is 14 km2 (5.4 sq mi). Near the zone is National Highways G319 and G107 as well as Jingzhu Highway. Besides that, it is very close to the downtown and the railway station. The distance between the zone and the airport is 8 km (5.0 mi). The major industries in the zone include high-tech industry, biology project technology and new material industry.[41]

  • Changsha National New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone
  • Chenzhou Export Processing Zone

Approved by the State Council, Chenzhou Export processing Zone (CEPZ) was established in 2005 and is the only export processing zone in Hunan province. The scheduled production area of CEPZ covers 3km2. The industrial positioning of CEPZ is to concentrate on developing export-oriented hi-tech industries, including electronic information, precision machinery, and new-type materials. The zone has good infrastructure, and the enterprises inside could enjoy the preferential policies of tax-exemption, tax-guarantee and tax-refunding. By the end of the "Eleventh Five-Year Plan", the CEPZ achieved a total export and import volume of over US$1 billion and provided more than 50,000 jobs. It aimed to be one of the first-class export processing zones in China.[42]

  • Zhuzhou National New & Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone

Zhuzhou Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone was founded in 1992. Its total planned area is 35 km2 (14 sq mi). It is very close to National Highway G320. The major industries in the zone include biotechnology, food processing and heavy industry. In 2007, the park signed a cooperation contract with Beijing Automobile Industry, one of the largest auto makers in China, which will set up a manufacturing base in Zhuzhou HTP.[43]

Demographics

[edit]
Ethnic minority-inhabited areas in Hunan
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1912[44] 27,617,000—    
1928[45] 31,501,000+14.1%
1936-37[46] 28,294,000−10.2%
1947[47] 25,558,000−9.7%
1954[48] 33,226,954+30.0%
1964[49] 37,182,286+11.9%
1982[50] 54,008,851+45.3%
1990[51] 60,659,754+12.3%
2000[52] 63,274,173+4.3%
2010[53] 65,683,722+3.8%
2020[2]66,444,864+1.2%

As of the 2000 census, the population of Hunan is 64,400,700 consisting of forty-one ethnic groups. Its population grew 6.17% (3,742,700) from its 1990 levels. According to the census, 89.79% (57,540,000) identified themselves as Han Chinese and 10.21% (6,575,300) as minority groups. The minority groups are Tujia, Miao, Dong, Yao, Bai, Hui, Zhuang, Uyghurs and so on.

In Hunan, ethnic minority languages are spoken in the following prefectures.

Religion in Hunan[54][note 1]

  Chinese Buddhism，Taoist traditions and Chinese folk religions (20.19%)
  Christianity (0.77%)
  Other religions or not religious people[note 2] (79.04%)

Hunanese Uyghurs

[edit]

Around 5,000 Uyghurs live around Taoyuan County and other parts of Changde.[55][56][57][58] Hui and Uyghurs have intermarried in this area.[59][60][61] In addition to eating pork, the Uygurs of Changde practice other Han Chinese customs, like ancestor worship at graves. Some Uyghurs from Xinjiang visit the Hunan Uyghurs out of curiosity or interest.[62] The Uyghurs of Hunan do not speak the Uyghur language, instead, Mandarin Chinese is spoken as their native language.[63]

Religion

[edit]
See also: Christianity in Hunan

The predominant religions in Hunan are Chinese Buddhism, Taoist traditions and Chinese folk religions. According to surveys conducted in 2007 and 2009, 20.19% of the population believes and is involved in ancestor veneration, while 0.77% of the population identifies as Christian.[54] The reports didn't give figures for other types of religion; 79.04% of the population may be either irreligious or involved in worship of nature deities, Buddhism, Confucianism, Taoism, folk religious sects.

In 2010, there are 118.799 Muslims in Hunan.[64]

Notable people

[edit]
See also: Category:People from Hunan

Being the educational and political in the late Qing Era, Hunan became the center of revolution and reformation, and it was the birthplace of many famous Chinese scholars, politicians, and generals, including the most influential and controversial figure of China in the 20th century, Mao Zedong.

Culture

[edit]
Main article: Culture of Hunan

As of 2022, Hunan's culture and related industries achieved an added value of CN¥250.65 billion (US$37.27 billion), accounting for 5.27% of the province's GDP. Among them, the added value of cultural services was CN¥150.20 billion (US$22.33 billion), the added value of cultural manufacturing was CN¥78.28 billion (US$11.64 billion), the added value of cultural wholesale and retail was CN¥22.17 billion (US$3.30 billion).[65]

In 2023, there are 655 art groups, 149 mass art galleries and cultural centers, 148 public libraries, 180 museums and memorial halls, 108 radio and television stations, 5.853 million cable TV users, and 27.441 million fiber optic Internet broadband users all connected to cable TV. The comprehensive population coverage rate of radio is 99.43%, and the comprehensive population coverage rate of television is 99.77%. There are 137 national intangible cultural heritage protection lists and 410 provincial intangible cultural heritage protection lists. 12,078 books, 235 periodicals, and 44 newspapers have been published, with a total print run of 590 million books, 80 million periodicals, and 500 million newspapers.[3]

Language

[edit]

Hunan is a region with complex dialects. The dialects in the province include Xiang, Southwestern Mandarin, Gan, Hakka, and some local dialects whose identities have not yet been determined, such as Xiangnan Tuhua and Waxiang dialect. In areas where ethnic minorities live, many people can speak their own ethnic language and communicate in Chinese.

Yongfeng chili sauce

Cuisine

[edit]

Hunanese cuisine is noted for its near-ubiquitous use of chili peppers, garlic, and shallots. These ingredients give rise to a distinctive dry-and-spicy (干辣; gānlà) taste,[66] with dishes such as smoked cured ham and stir-fried spicy beef being prime examples of the flavor.[66]

Music

[edit]

Huaguxi is a local form of Chinese opera that is very popular in Hunan province.

Tourism

[edit]

Located in the south central part of the Chinese mainland, Hunan has long been known for its natural environment. It is surrounded by mountains on the east, west, and south, and by the Yangtze River on the north. For thousands of years, the region has been a major center of agriculture, growing rice, tea, and oranges. China's first all glass suspension bridge was also opened in Hunan, in Shiniuzhai National Geological Park.[67]


Panoramic view of Mount Heng

Education and research

[edit]
See also: List of universities and colleges in Hunan

As of 2023, Hunan hosts 137 institutions of higher education, ranking fifth together with Sichuan (137) among all Chinese provinces after Jiangsu (168), Henan (168), Guangdong (162), and Shandong (156).[17][69] Hunan is also the seat of 12 adult higher education institutions.[70] Two major cities in Hunan (Changsha and Xiangtan) were ranked in the top 500 cities in the world by scientific research output, as tracked by the Nature Index in 2017.[18] There are three national key universities under Project 985 (Hunan University, Central South University and the National University of Defense Technology) in Hunan, the third highest after Beijing and Shanghai. Hunan Normal University in Changsha is the key construction university of the national 211 Project, and Xiangtan University in Xiangtan is a key university jointly built by Hunan Province and the Ministry of Education and a member of national Project 111. These five national key universities are included in the Double First-Class Construction of Hunan Province. As of 2024, they are ranked among the top 500 globally by the Nature Index. Among them, Hunan University and Central South University are in the top 50.[71]

Hunan University and Central South University are the only two Project 985 universities in Changsha, Hunan to appear in the world's top 200 of the Academic Ranking of World Universities and the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking.[72][73] Hunan Normal University, the National University of Defense and Technology and Changsha University of Science and Technology located in Changsha, were ranked in the world's top 701 of the Academic Ranking of World Universities.[73]

Hunan Agricultural University in Changsha, the University of South China in Hengyang, Hunan University of Technology in Zhuzhou and Xiangtan University in Xiangtan were ranked in the top 801–900 globally by the Academic Ranking of World Universities.[74][75][76][77] Hunan University of Science and Technology in Xiangtan and Central South University of Forestry and Technology in Changsha were ranked number 988 and number 1429 respectively in the 2022 Best Global Universities by the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking.[72][78] As of 2023, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine in Changsha ranked the best in the Central China region and 26th nationwide among Chinese Medical Universities.[79]

National key public universities

[edit]

Changsha City

[edit]

Xiangtan City

[edit]

Provincial key public universities

[edit]

Changsha City

[edit]

Hengyang City

[edit]

Jishou City

[edit]

Loudi City

[edit]

Shaoyang City

[edit]

Xiangtan City

[edit]

Yueyang City

[edit]

Zhuzhou City

[edit]

General undergraduate universities (public)

[edit]

Changsha City

[edit]

Hengyang City

[edit]

Xiangtan City

[edit]

Yongzhou City

[edit]

Chenzhou City

[edit]

General undergraduate universities (private)

[edit]

Vocational and technical colleges/universities

[edit]

Transport

[edit]

Airports

[edit]

There are several airports in Hunan provinces, including Changsha Huanghua International Airport, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport, Changde Taohuayuan Airport, Chenzhou Beihu Airport, Huaihua Zhijiang Airport, Shaoyang Wugang Airport, Yongzhou Lingling Airport, and Yueyang Sanhe Airport. The busiest airports serve domestic and international flights for Hunan, including Changsha Huanghua International Airport, Zhangjiajie Hehua International Airport and Changde Taohuayuan Airport.[15] Notably, as of 2021, Changsha Huanghua International Airport was one of the 50 busiest airports in the world,[80] the 12th busiest civil airport in China, the second busiest in South Central China after Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and the busiest in Central China.[15]

Railways

[edit]

The Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway passes through Hunan.

Sports

[edit]
Yiyang Olympic Stadium
See also: Helong Sports Center Stadium

Professional sports teams in Hunan include:

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The data was collected by the Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) of 2009 and by the Chinese Spiritual Life Survey (CSLS) of 2007, reported and assembled by Xiuhua Wang (2015)[54] in order to confront the proportion of people identifying with two similar social structures: ① Christian churches, and ② the traditional Chinese religion of the lineage (i. e. people believing and worshipping ancestral deities often organised into lineage "churches" and ancestral shrines). Data for other religions with a significant presence in China (deity cults, Buddhism, Taoism, folk religious sects, Islam, et al.) was not reported by Wang.
  2. ^ This may include:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Doing Business in China – Survey". Ministry Of Commerce – People's Republic Of China. Archived from the original on 5 August 2013. Retrieved 5 August 2013.
  2. ^ a b "Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 3)". National Bureau of Statistics of China. 11 May 2021. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2021.
  3. ^ a b "zh: 2023年湖南省国民经济和社会发展统计公报". hunan.gov.cn. March 22, 2024. Archived from the original on April 25, 2024. Retrieved June 19, 2024.
  4. ^ "Human Development Indices (8.0)- China". Global Data Lab. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  5. ^ a b 鲍厚星; 崔振华; 沈若云; 伍云姬 (1999). 长沙方言研究. 江苏教育出版社. pp. 66, 83.
  6. ^ a b c d e "Decoding China's 2021 GDP Growth Rate: A Look at Regional Numbers". China Briefing News. 2022-02-07. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  7. ^ a b "Hunan Province's Regional GDP Hit 4.6 Trillion Yuan in 2021". www.enghunan.gov.cn. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  8. ^ a b "Top 10 provincial regions in China by GDP 2020". ex.chinadaily.com.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  9. ^ a b rsatax (2021-06-11). "Investing in Hunan". rsa-tax. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  10. ^ a b "2020 GDP (current US$) - Poland, Thailand, Nigeria". data.worldbank.org. Archived from the original on 2022-09-20. Retrieved 2022-06-15.
  11. ^ (in Chinese) Origin of the Names of China's Provinces Archived 2016-04-27 at the Wayback Machine, People's Daily Online.
  12. ^ Schram, Stuart R. (Stuart Reynolds), 1924-2012. (1967). Mao Tse-tung. Harmondsworth: Penguin. ISBN 0140208402. OCLC 7874661.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ "Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2019-06-11. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  14. ^ Planet, Lonely. "Changsha travel | Hunan, China". Lonely Planet. Archived from the original on 2019-07-11. Retrieved 2019-06-12.
  15. ^ a b c 2021年民航机场吞吐量排名 (PDF) (in Chinese). Civil Aviation Administration of China. 2022-03-22. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-03-24. Retrieved 2022-03-23.
  16. ^ Fan Chengda (1126-1193). Shigushanji(石鼓山记)："天下有书院四：徂徕、金山、岳麓、石鼓。"
  17. ^ a b "全国普通高等学校名单 - 中华人民共和国教育部政府门户网站". hudong.moe.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2024-06-21. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  18. ^ a b "The top 500 cities by scientific output in 2017 | Nature Index 2018 Science Cities | Supplements | Nature Index". www.natureindex.com. Archived from the original on 2020-10-02. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
  19. ^ Harold Wiens. Han Expansion in South China. (Shoe String Press, 1967).
  20. ^ Brian Lander. State Management of River Dikes in Early China: New Sources on the Environmental History of the Central Yangzi Region . T'oung Pao 100.4-5 (2014): 325–362
  21. ^ Dianda, Bas (15 March 2019). Political Routes to Starvation: Why Does Famine Kill?. Vernon Press. ISBN 9781622735082.
  22. ^ Turland, Jesse. "Op-Ed in China Draws Backlash for Advocating Women 'Warm Rural Bachelor's Beds'". thediplomat.com. The Diplomat. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  23. ^ "湖南6座最高山峰,桂东竟然占了两座，知道的人绝对不超过1%,周末赶紧约起来！". Sohu. Archived from the original on 2018-04-08. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
  24. ^ 湖南"新高度"——酃峰. Xinhua Hunan. 2013-09-26. Retrieved 2015-07-29.[dead link]
  25. ^ Wang, Shuo (王砚) (2016-01-30). Pei, Li (裴力) (ed.). 最美的山峰：酃峰海拔2115.2米湖南第一高峰. 潇湘晨报. Archived from the original on 2018-04-08. Retrieved 2018-04-08.
  26. ^ Alfreda Murck (2000). Poetry and Painting in Song China: The Subtle Art of Dissent. Harvard Univ Asia Center. ISBN 978-0-674-00782-6. Archived from the original on 2017-01-10. Retrieved 2016-10-03.
  27. ^ Peng, Shanchi; Babcock, Loren; Robison, Richard; Lin, Huanling; Rees, Margaret; Saltzman, Matthew (30 November 2004). "Global Standard Stratotype-section and Point (GSSP) of the Furongian Series and Paibian Stage (Cambrian)" (PDF). Lethaia. 37 (4): 365–379. Bibcode:2004Letha..37..365P. doi:10.1080/00241160410002081. Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 November 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  28. ^ 中华人民共和国县以上行政区划代码 (in Simplified Chinese). Ministry of Civil Affairs. Archived from the original on 2015-04-02. Retrieved 2015-12-11.
  29. ^ Shenzhen Bureau of Statistics. 《深圳统计年鉴2014》 (in Simplified Chinese). China Statistics Print. Archived from the original on 2015-05-12. Retrieved 2015-05-29.
  30. ^ Census Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China; Population and Employment Statistics Division of the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China (2012). 中国2010人口普查分乡、镇、街道资料 (1 ed.). Beijing: China Statistics Print. ISBN 978-7-5037-6660-2.
  31. ^ Ministry of Civil Affairs (August 2014). 《中国民政统计年鉴2014》 (in Simplified Chinese). China Statistics Print. ISBN 978-7-5037-7130-9.
  32. ^ a b c 国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 (2012). 中国2010年人口普查分县资料. Beijing: China Statistics Print. ISBN 978-7-5037-6659-6.
  33. ^ Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of the People's Republic of China(MOHURD) (2019). 中国城市建设统计年鉴2018 [China Urban Construction Statistical Yearbook 2018] (in Chinese). Beijing: China Statistic Publishing House. Archived from the original on 2020-07-18. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  34. ^ Roberts, Edmund (1837). Embassy to the Eastern Courts of Cochin-China, Siam, and Muscat. New York: Harper & Brothers. p. 123. Archived from the original on 2013-10-16. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
  35. ^ Lan, Xiaohuan (2024). How China Works: An Introduction to China's State-led Economic Development. Translated by Topp, Gary. Palgrave Macmillan. doi:10.1007/978-981-97-0080-6. ISBN 978-981-97-0079-0.
  36. ^ "Hunan Province: Economic News and Statistics for Hunan's Economy". Archived from the original on 2011-10-08. Retrieved 2011-10-31.
  37. ^ Wen, B.; Zhou, J.; Tang, P.; Jia, X.; Zhou, W.; Huang, J. (2022). "Antimony (Sb) isotopic signature in water systems from the world's largest Sb mine, central China". Journal of Hazardous Materials. 446. Bing Wen. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130622. PMID 36580776. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  38. ^ Government, Hunan. "Hunan Government Website International-enghunan.gov.cn". www.enghunan.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2009-02-08. Retrieved 2009-02-20.
  39. ^ Historical GDP of Hunan Province published on Hunan Statistical Yearbook 2017, ALSO see Hunan GDP Revision (Chinese) Archived 2017-12-22 at the Wayback Machine
  40. ^ Purchasing power parity (PPP) for Chinese yuan is estimate according to IMF WEO (October 2017 Archived 2006-02-14 at Archive-It) data; Exchange rate of CN¥ to US$ is according to State Administration of Foreign Exchange, published on China Statistical Yearbook Archived 2015-10-20 at the Wayback Machine.
  41. ^ "Changsha Economic & Technology Development Zone | China Industrial Space". Archived from the original on 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  42. ^ "Chenzhou Export Processing Zone | EPZ | China Industrial Space". Archived from the original on 2011-08-26. Retrieved 2010-06-08.
  43. ^ "Zhuzhou Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone | China Industrial Space". Archived from the original on 2016-02-24. Retrieved 2016-02-02.
  44. ^ 1912年中国人口. Ier.hit-u.ac.jp. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  45. ^ 1928年中国人口. Ier.hit-u.ac.jp. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  46. ^ 1936-37年中国人口. Ier.hit-u.ac.jp. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  47. ^ 1947年全国人口. Ier.hit-u.ac.jp. Archived from the original on 13 September 2013. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  48. ^ 中华人民共和国国家统计局关于第一次全国人口调查登记结果的公报. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Archived from the original on August 5, 2009.
  49. ^ 第二次全国人口普查结果的几项主要统计数字. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012.
  50. ^ 中华人民共和国国家统计局关于一九八二年人口普查主要数字的公报. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Archived from the original on May 10, 2012.
  51. ^ 中华人民共和国国家统计局关于一九九〇年人口普查主要数据的公报. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012.
  52. ^ 现将2000年第五次全国人口普查快速汇总的人口地区分布数据公布如下. National Bureau of Statistics of China. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012.
  53. ^ "Communiqué of the National Bureau of Statistics of People's Republic of China on Major Figures of the 2010 Population Census". National Bureau of Statistics of China. Archived from the original on July 27, 2013.
  54. ^ a b c China General Social Survey 2009, Chinese Spiritual Life Survey (CSLS) 2007. Report by: Xiuhua Wang (2015, p. 15) Archived September 25, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  55. ^ stin Jon Rudelson, Justin Ben-Adam Rudelson (1992). Bones in the sand: the struggle to create Uighur nationalist ideologies in Xinjiang, China. Harvard University. p. 30. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  56. ^ Ingvar Svanberg (1988). The Altaic-speakers of China: numbers and distribution. Centre for Mult[i]ethnic Research, Uppsala University, Faculty of Arts. p. 7. ISBN 91-86624-20-2. Archived from the original on 2013-05-28. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  57. ^ Ingvar Svanberg (1988). The Altaic-speakers of China: numbers and distribution. Centre for Mult[i]ethnic Research, Uppsala University, Faculty of Arts. p. 7. ISBN 91-86624-20-2. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  58. ^ Kathryn M. Coughlin (2006). Muslim cultures today: a reference guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 220. ISBN 0-313-32386-0. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  59. ^ Chih-yu Shih, Zhiyu Shi (2002). Negotiating ethnicity in China: citizenship as a response to the state. Psychology Press. p. 133. ISBN 0-415-28372-8. Archived from the original on 2011-12-13. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  60. ^ Chih-yu Shih, Zhiyu Shi (2002). Negotiating ethnicity in China: citizenship as a response to the state. Psychology Press. p. 137. ISBN 0-415-28372-8. Archived from the original on 2011-12-13. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  61. ^ Chih-yu Shih, Zhiyu Shi (2002). Negotiating ethnicity in China: citizenship as a response to the state. Psychology Press. p. 138. ISBN 0-415-28372-8. Archived from the original on 2011-12-13. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  62. ^ Chih-yu Shih, Zhiyu Shi (2002). Negotiating ethnicity in China: citizenship as a response to the state. Psychology Press. p. 136. ISBN 0-415-28372-8. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  63. ^ Chih-yu Shih, Zhiyu Shi (2002). Negotiating ethnicity in China: citizenship as a response to the state. Psychology Press. p. 133. ISBN 0-415-28372-8. Archived from the original on 2013-05-29. Retrieved 2010-06-28.
  64. ^ "Muslim in China, Muslim Population & Distribution & Minority in China". www.topchinatravel.com. Archived from the original on 2021-11-03. Retrieved 2021-08-04.
  65. ^ "zh: 2022年湖南文化及相关产业增加值占GDP比重为5.27%". hunan.gov.cn. February 19, 2024. Retrieved July 29, 2024.
  66. ^ a b Eats, Serious. "A Song of Spice and Fire: The Real Deal With Hunan Cuisine". www.seriouseats.com. Archived from the original on 2019-06-05. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  67. ^ "China's first glass-bottom bridge opens". CNN. 28 September 2015. Archived from the original on 2015-09-30. Retrieved 2015-09-29.
  68. ^ "Fenghuang Ancient City". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Archived from the original on 2019-06-05. Retrieved 2019-06-05.
  69. ^ "全国高等学校名单 - 中华人民共和国教育部政府门户网站". www.moe.gov.cn. Retrieved 2023-12-28.
  70. ^ "全国高等学校名单 - 中华人民共和国教育部政府门户网站". www.moe.gov.cn. Archived from the original on 2022-06-19. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  71. ^ "2024 Research Leaders: Leading academic institutions | Nature Index". www.nature.com. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
  72. ^ a b "US News Best Global Universities Rankings in Changsha". U.S. News & World Report. 2023-09-20. Archived from the original on 2022-04-16. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
  73. ^ a b "ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2023-09-29. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  74. ^ "ShanghaiRanking-Hunan Agricultural University". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  75. ^ "ShanghaiRanking-Hunan University of Technology". www.shanghairanking.com. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  76. ^ "ShanghaiRanking-Xiangtan University". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  77. ^ "ShanghaiRanking-University of South China". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2023-08-15. Retrieved 2023-08-15.
  78. ^ "Best Global Universities Rankings: Xiangtan City". U.S. News & World Report. 2021-10-26. Retrieved 2022-08-15.
  79. ^ "ShanghaiRanking's Best Chinese Universities Ranking". www.shanghairanking.com. Archived from the original on 2023-07-21. Retrieved 2023-07-21.
  80. ^ "2021 Airport Traffic Report" (PDF). Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. April 2022. p. 32. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2023-06-05. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
[edit]
Look up Hunan in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hunan&oldid=1257097456"