Zhuzhou (株洲)

1. Introduction

Zhuzhou City, abbreviated as Zhu, historically known as Jianning, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hunan Province, People's Republic of China, located in the eastern part of Hunan Province. The city borders Changsha City to the north, Xiangtan City and Hengyang City to the west, Chenzhou City to the south, and Pingxiang City and Ji'an City of Jiangxi Province to the east. Situated at the western foothills of the Luoxiao Mountains, with the Nanling Mountains to the south and reaching the Changsha Basin to the north, the terrain is higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest. The main rivers include the Lushui River in the north and the Mishui River in the south, both flowing from east to west into the Xiang River. The city covers a total area of 12,262 square kilometers, with a permanent population of approximately 3.88 million. Zhuzhou is a national comprehensive reform pilot zone for a resource-saving and environment-friendly society, one of China's first key industrial cities, and an important railway hub in China. The People's Government of Zhuzhou City is located at No. 58 Tiantai Road, Tianyuan District.

Zhuzhou is both an emerging immigrant city with a "locomotive spirit" as its urban ethos and a city with historical roots. The mausoleum of Emperor Yan, an ancestor of the Chinese nation, is located in Yanling County within the city. Zhuzhou's urban positioning is that of an ecologically livable city characterized by modern industrial civilization, where industries such as electric locomotives, aircraft engines, cemented carbide, and chemical products maintain leading competitiveness nationwide. Additionally, leveraging its well-developed and convenient railway transportation network, the small commodity markets and clothing, footwear, and hat markets in Lusong District hold leading positions throughout the central-southern region.

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2. History

Zhuzhou was anciently known as Jianning, also called Zhuzhou. During the Three Kingdoms period, the Eastern Wu established Jianning County under Changsha Commandery in the area of present-day Lusong District, Zhuzhou City, marking the beginning of Zhuzhou's establishment as a county. The place names "Zhuzhou" and "Zhuzhou" first appeared in literary collections of the Southern Song Dynasty. The origin of the two characters "Zhu" and "Zhou" is explained in two ways: one suggests that "Zhu" may have been taken from "Zhu" in Zhutian (Zhuzhou and Zhutian are several miles apart, and Zhutian was already quite famous during the Five Dynasties period), and "Zhou" was taken from the ancient term for the banks of the Xiang River as "zhou," thus combining to form the place name; the other suggests that because the area had many "zhu" trees (a type of evergreen oak), and "zhu" (槠) and "zhu" (株) are homophones, it was named "Zhuzhou." Since its official naming as Zhuzhou in the first year of the Shaoxi era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1190), the name Zhuzhou has been used to this day.

2.1 Ancient History

• In ancient times, the Yan Emperor Shennong, the ancestor of the Chinese nation, was buried at Luyuan Slope in present-day Yanling County, Zhuzhou City.
• During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, Zhuzhou belonged to Qianzhong Commandery of the State of Chu.
• In 223 BCE, Qin conquered Chu, and Zhuzhou became part of Qianzhong Commandery.
• In 202 BCE, the Changsha Kingdom was established, and Zhuzhou was part of its territory.
• In the 19th year of the Jian'an era of the Eastern Han Dynasty (214 CE), Sun Quan carved out the area east of Xiangnan County and the eastern bank of the Xiang River in Liling and Xiu counties to establish Jianning County. The county seat was built along both banks of the Jianning River in present-day Jiefang Street and Nanhu Street, Qingyun Mountain, Zhuzhou City, under Changsha Commandery, marking the beginning of Zhuzhou's establishment as a county.
• In the second year of the Taiping era of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (257 CE), the seat of Jianning County was moved from Zhuzhou to Gantian (present-day Gantian Village, Lukou District, where the ruins of the ancient Jianning city still exist).
• In the first year of the Baoding era of the Wu Kingdom during the Three Kingdoms period (266 CE), the seat of Jianning County was moved back to Zhuzhou.
• From 265 to 420 CE, during the Jin Dynasty, the seat of Jianning County remained in Zhuzhou, under Changsha Commandery of ancient Jingzhou.
• From 420 to 589 CE, during the Southern Dynasties period, Jianning County was under Changsha Commandery of Xiangzhou.
• In the ninth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (589 CE), Emperor Wen of Sui conquered the Chen Dynasty and abolished Jianning County, merging it into Xiangtan County.
• In the fourth year of the Wude era of the Tang Dynasty (621 CE), Jianning County was reestablished under Nanyun Prefecture (the prefectural seat was in present-day You County).
• In the first year of the Zhenguan era of the Tang Dynasty (627 CE), Nanyun Prefecture was abolished, and Jianning County was dissolved. The territory of Jianning County was divided between Xiangtan and Liling counties.
• In the 34th year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1908), Zhuzhou Ting was established. The "Zhuzhou Civil Administration Office" was located in present-day Zhangshuping, Lusong District.
• In the first year of the Republic of China (1912), the Qing Dynasty fell, and the nearly five-year-old "Zhuzhou Ting" administrative system was abolished. Zhuzhou was once again placed under the jurisdiction of Xiangtan County.

2.2 Modern and Contemporary History

• In 1934 (the 23rd year of the Republic of China), Zhuzhou Town was established under Xiangtan County.
• In 1947 (the 36th year of the Republic of China), Zhuzhou Town, Baiguan Township, and Zhaoyang Township of Xiangtan County were merged to form Zhuzhou Township.
• On August 3, 1949, Zhuzhou was occupied by the Chinese Communist Party. Zhuzhou District was established under Xiangtan County, governing Zhuzhou Township and Ouling Township.
• In 1951, Zhuzhou City was separated from Xiangtan County and placed under Changsha Special District. On June 29, the Changsha Special District Commissioner's Office ordered the establishment of the Zhuzhou Municipal People's Government, which officially began operations on July 1 (actually July 17).
• In 1953, Zhuzhou City was changed to a province-administered city.
• In March 1956, Zhuzhou was upgraded to a prefecture-level city, directly led by the provincial committee, becoming the first prefecture-level city in Hunan Province besides the provincial capital, Changsha.
• On March 1, 1983, with the approval of the State Council, Zhuzhou City implemented a city-administering-county system, transferring You County, Chaling County, Liling County, and Ling County from the former Xiangtan Prefecture to the jurisdiction of Zhuzhou City.
• On June 19, 2018, with the approval of the State Council, Zhuzhou County was abolished, and Zhuzhou City's Lukou District was established.

3. Geography

Zhuzhou has a subtropical monsoon climate with distinct seasons, abundant rainfall, and ample sunlight and heat. The frost-free period exceeds 286 days, and the annual average temperature ranges from 16°C to 18°C. It is a truly fertile land suitable for the growth of various crops, making it a famous high-yield grain area in Hunan Province and an important national commodity grain base. The first county (city) in the Yangtze River basin to achieve a grain yield of over one ton per mu was Liling City under Zhuzhou's jurisdiction. The region is rich in natural resources, with over 40 types of proven mineral deposits, including coal, iron, tungsten, lead, zinc, gold, tin, uranium, molybdenum, copper, silver, niobium, tantalum, rare earths, fluorite, gypsum, silica soil, kaolin, limestone, and granite, earning it the reputation of a "hometown of non-ferrous metals." The abundant agricultural and mineral resources, combined with the diverse characteristics of its climate, soil, geology, and vegetation, provide excellent conditions for multi-level development.

The geomorphological structure of Zhuzhou City is as follows: water bodies cover 637.27 square kilometers, accounting for 5.66% of the total area; plains cover 1,843.25 square kilometers, accounting for 16.37%; low hills cover 1,449.86 square kilometers, accounting for 12.87%; high hills cover 738.74 square kilometers, accounting for 6.56%; hills cover 1,916.61 square kilometers, accounting for 17.02%; and mountains cover 4,676.47 square kilometers, accounting for 41.52%. Mountains are mainly concentrated in the southeastern part of the city, hills are more common in the central and northern regions, and plains are distributed along both banks of the Xiang River.

Zhuzhou City is located on the western foothills of the Luoxiao Mountains, on the sloping terrain from the Nanling Mountains to the Jianghan Plain. In general, the terrain of Zhuzhou is higher in the southeast and lower in the northwest.

| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Annual | |-------------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|------------| | Record high °C | 24.1 | 30.9 | 32.9 | 35.8 | 36.5 | 38.0 | 39.6 | 40.3 | 37.8 | 35.1 | 32.1 | 24.4 | 40.3 | | Record high °F | 75.4 | 87.6 | 91.2 | 96.4 | 97.7 | 100.4 | 103.3 | 104.5 | 100.0 | 95.2 | 89.8 | 75.9 | 104.5 | | Average high °C | 8.8 | 11.2 | 15.4 | 22.2 | 27.2 | 30.4 | 34.0 | 33.2 | 28.9 | 23.6 | 17.9 | 12.0 | 22.1 | | Average high °F | 47.8 | 52.2 | 59.7 | 72.0 | 81.0 | 86.7 | 93.2 | 91.8 | 84.0 | 74.5 | 64.2 | 53.6 | 71.7 | | Daily mean °C | 5.3 | 7.5 | 11.4 | 17.7 | 22.6 | 26.1 | 29.5 | 28.5 | 24.3 | 18.9 | 13.2 | 7.5 | 17.7 | | Daily mean °F | 41.5 | 45.5 | 52.5 | 63.9 | 72.7 | 79.0 | 85.1 | 83.3 | 75.7 | 66.0 | 55.8 | 45.5 | 63.9 | | Average low °C | 2.6 | 4.9 | 8.4 | 14.2 | 18.9 | 22.6 | 25.8 | 24.9 | 20.8 | 15.4 | 9.6 | 4.2 | 14.4 | | Average low °F | 36.7 | 40.8 | 47.1 | 57.6 | 66.0 | 72.7 | 78.4 | 76.8 | 69.4 | 59.7 | 49.3 | 39.6 | 57.8 | | Record low °C | -5.7 | -7.9 | -0.9 | 2.5 | 9.8 | 13.1 | 18.6 | 16.9 | 12.7 | 3.2 | -1.1 | -11.5 | -11.5 | | Record low °F | 21.7 | 17.8 | 30.4 | 36.5 | 49.6 | 55.6 | 65.5 | 62.4 | 54.9 | 37.8 | 30.0 | 11.3 | 11.3 | | Average precipitation mm | 76.4 | 102.6 | 150.2 | 186.1 | 188.9 | 209.8 | 125.7 | 124.3 | 73.9 | 79.9 | 76.4 | 51.3 | 1,445.5 | | Average precipitation inches | 3.01 | 4.04 | 5.91 | 7.33 | 7.44 | 8.26 | 4.95 | 4.89 | 2.91 | 3.15 | 3.01 | 2.02 | 56.92 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 81 | 81 | 81 | 79 | 78 | 79 | 72 | 76 | 78 | 77 | 76 | 77 | 78 |

4. Administrative Divisions

Zhuzhou City currently administers 5 municipal districts, 3 counties, and oversees 1 county-level city on behalf of the province.

• Municipal Districts: Hetang District, Lusong District, Shifeng District, Tianyuan District, Lukou District
• County-level City: Liling City
• Counties: You County, Chaling County, Yanling County

Zhuzhou City has also established the following administrative management zones:

• Yunlong Demonstration Zone
• National-level Zhuzhou High-Tech Industrial Development Zone (managed under the "two signs, one team" system with Tianyuan District).

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | Townships | Including Ethnic Townships | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------|---------------|-------------------------------| | 430200 | Zhuzhou City | Zhūzhōu Shì | 11,247.55 | 3,902,738 | Tianyuan District | 412000 | 33 | 61 | 7 | 1 | | 430202 | Hetang District | Hétáng Qū | 151.77 | 348,894 | Guihua Subdistrict | 412000 | 5 | 1 | | | | 430203 | Lusong District | Lúsōng Qū | 217.18 | 307,012 | Fengxi Subdistrict | 412000 | 7 | 1 | | | | 430204 | Shifeng District | Shífēng Qū | 165.76 | 339,452 | Xiangshiling Subdistrict | 412000 | 5 | 1 | | | | 430211 | Tianyuan District | Tiānyuán Qū | 327.98 | 478,309 | Songshanlu Subdistrict | 412000 | 4 | 3 | | | | 430212 | Lukou District | Lùkǒu Qū | 1,053.69 | 260,534 | Lukou Town | 412100 | | 8 | | | | 430223 | You County | Yōu Xiàn | 2,648.66 | 630,427 | Lianxing Subdistrict | 412300 | 4 | 13 | | | | 430224 | Chaling County | Chálíng Xiàn | 2,496.26 | 491,849 | Yunyang Subdistrict | 412400 | 4 | 10 | 2 | | | 430225 | Yanling County | Yánlíng Xiàn | 2,029.80 | 160,274 | Xiayang Town | 412500 | | 5 | 5 | 1 | | 430281 | Liling City | Lǐlíng Shì | 2,156.46 | 885,987 | Xianyueshan Subdistrict | 412200 | 4 | 19 | | |

5. Economy

In 2019, the city's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 300.313 billion yuan, an increase of 7.9%. The total fiscal revenue was 32.18 billion yuan, up by 2.8%; investment in fixed assets across society grew by 12.2%; real estate development investment amounted to 40.29 billion yuan, an increase of 0.8%; the sales area of commercial housing was 6.845 million square meters, a decrease of 20.3%; total retail sales of consumer goods reached 117.46 billion yuan, growing by 10.2%; the per capita disposable income of urban residents was 46,553 yuan, an increase of 9.3%; and the per capita net income of farmers was 21,680 yuan, up by 9%.

Zhuzhou has one national high-tech industrial development zone—Zhuzhou National High-Tech Industrial Development Zone, and one "Two-Oriented Society" demonstration zone—Yunlong Demonstration Zone.

5.1 Commerce

Zhuzhou boasts vibrant entertainment and shopping, with its central business district hailed by the media as the "Top Business District in Hunan." The main traditional commercial streets in Zhuzhou include Jianshe South Road, Zhongguling Pedestrian Street Area, Xinhua West Road, Renmin South Road Pedestrian Street, and Xujiaqiao Pedestrian Street. Major large-scale commercial districts include the Zhuzhou Railway Station Lusong Market Cluster (with an annual transaction volume exceeding 50 billion yuan), Central Square, Changjiang Square, Hongqi Square, and Wenhua Road Intersection. Large department stores include: Heiwado, Wangfujing Department Store, Zhuzhou Department Store, Tianhong Department Store, Meimei Department Store, Bubugao Department Store, Ginza Department Store, Dongdu Cultural Plaza, Tianyuan Shopping Plaza, Hetang Shopping Plaza, Fuhua Commercial Plaza, Jiarunduo Plaza, and Shimao Plaza. Additionally, retail giants such as Carrefour, China Resources Vanguard, Walmart, and Metro are all present.

6. Transportation

6.1 Highway

Zhuzhou is situated at the intersection of the Beijing-Guangzhou transportation artery and the Shanghai-Ruili transportation artery, boasting a high degree of highway accessibility with multiple national highways and expressways traversing its territory. At the city level, the road network follows an overall framework of "three ring roads and seven radial roads." The city center connects to Changsha and Xiangtan via roads such as Hongyi Avenue and Furong Avenue. At the municipal level, Zhuzhou achieved "expressway access to every county" as early as 2009. With the completion of the Longcha and Yanru Expressways in December 2013, all planned expressways within Zhuzhou City have been opened to traffic.

6.1.1 National Highways

• National Highway 106
• National Highway 320

6.1.2 National Expressways

• G4 Beijing–Hong Kong–Macau Expressway
• G0422 Wuhan–Shenzhen Expressway
• G60 Shanghai–Kunming Expressway
• G72 Quanzhou–Nanning Expressway
• G1517 Putian–Yanling Expressway

6.1.3 Provincial Expressways

• S21 Changzhuzhou Expressway (connecting Zhuzhou urban area with Changsha Huanghua International Airport)
• S52 Liyi Expressway (connecting Liling urban area with Zhuzhou urban area)

6.2 Railway

Zhuzhou is a nationally important railway hub, being the intersection of the two major railway trunk lines, Beijing-Guangzhou and Shanghai-Kunming, and is often referred to as "Zhuzhou in the south, Zhengzhou in the north." There are several railway stations within the city's jurisdiction. Among them, Zhuzhou North Station is a top-class marshalling yard, Zhuzhou Station is a top-class passenger station, and the high-speed rail Zhuzhou West Station is the largest intermediate station on the Wuhan-Guangzhou Passenger Dedicated Line. With the opening of the Hengyang-Chaling-Ji'an Railway for freight on December 28, 2013, Zhuzhou achieved "railway access to every county." Furthermore, the CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive factory, responsible for producing national railway locomotives, is also located within the Zhuzhou railway hub and is connected to Zhuzhou North Station. Nearby are also the CRRC Zhuzhou Electric Locomotive Research Institute and the CRRC Times Electric factory.

6.2.1 Railway Trunk Lines

• Zhuzhou West Station
• Shanghai-Kunming Railway (Zhuzhou is the dividing point between the Zhejiang-Jiangxi section and the Hunan-Guizhou section of the Shanghai-Kunming Railway; the Beijing-Guangzhou and Shanghai-Kunming lines share tracks to Tianxin Station)
• Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway (a high-speed railway, with Zhuzhou West Station located within the city)
• Shanghai-Kunming High-Speed Railway (a high-speed railway, with Liling East Station located within the city)

6.2.2 Railway Branch Lines

• Liling-Chaling Railway
• Hengyang-Chaling-Ji'an Railway

6.2.3 Intercity Railway

Changzhutan Intercity Railway (commenced operation on December 28, 2016) The Changzhutan Intercity Railway spans approximately 23.7 kilometers within Zhuzhou, with five stations: Jiulangshan, Tianxin East, Dafeng, Zhuzhou, and Zhuzhou South. It runs from north to south, passing through areas such as Baimalong, Rail Transit Technology City, Yunlong New Town, Zhuzhou Old Urban Area, and Qidouchong. After its opening, the travel time from downtown Zhuzhou to downtown Changsha is only about twenty minutes.

6.3 Urban Public Transportation

Zhuzhou is a National Model City for Traffic Management, the country's first "Electric Bus City," and the third city after Hangzhou and Guangzhou to formally launch a public bicycle rental system. It leads Hunan Province in areas such as eco-friendly transportation and the construction of urban slow-traffic systems. In 2013, Zhuzhou became the second city in Hunan Province to initiate a Bus Metropolis Demonstration Project. Within the public transportation system, Zhuzhou buses fully utilize clean energy and were among the first in the country to pilot "no eating or drinking" carriages. The Zhuzhou public bicycle rental system started early, developed rapidly, and maintains high quality, with rental stations distributed across all five urban districts. Main thoroughfares are equipped with bicycle greenways, and rentals are free for the first three hours. On this theme, CCTV produced the program "City on Bicycles," introducing Zhuzhou's and Amsterdam's efforts in building low-carbon urban transportation.

6.3.1 Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART)

To build a bus metropolis, Zhuzhou took the lead in constructing and opening the world's first Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system. ART trains run on power batteries, without overhead contact lines. Relying on road markings and utilizing automatic tracking and trajectory-following technology, the vehicles achieve rail-like travel on virtual tracks. According to the plan, the total length of the Zhuzhou ART demonstration line is 12 kilometers, to be constructed in two phases. The first phase is located on Shennong Avenue, starting from Shennong Grand Theater Station and passing through Zhujiang North Road Station, Huanghe North Road Station, and Sports Center Station, totaling four central island platforms and spanning approximately 3 kilometers. The second phase is about 9 kilometers long, connecting with the first phase to form a 12-kilometer ART demonstration loop on Changjiang South Road, Changjiang North Road, and Hengshan Road. On May 8, 2018, the first phase of Zhuzhou ART Line A1 began a three-month trial operation.

6.3.2 Metro

Plans include the construction of four metro lines, arranged in a pinwheel radial pattern, totaling 108.6 kilometers. Lines 1 and 2 form the main骨架, while Lines 3 and 4 are reserved for long-term planning. Line 1 starts at the Beijing-Guangzhou High-Speed Railway Zhuzhou West Station and ends at Yunlong Demonstration Zone, spanning 32.5 kilometers and traversing Zhuzhou city horizontally. Line 2 starts in Shifeng District and ends in Lukou Town, spanning 27.8 kilometers and traversing Zhuzhou city vertically. Line 3 starts at Baimalong Station and ends at Aviation City, spanning 33.9 kilometers. Line 4 starts at Jinshan New City and ends at Zhuzhou Railway Station, spanning 14.4 kilometers.

6.4 Aviation and Water Transport

Zhuzhou has favorable conditions for aviation and water transport. In terms of aviation, the nearest civil airport is Changsha Huanghua International Airport, approximately 37 kilometers from downtown Zhuzhou, about a 25-minute drive. Additionally, the Zhuzhou General Airport, located in Wulidun, Lusong District, Zhuzhou City, began construction in 2012. For water transport, the Xiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, flows through the center of Zhuzhou city and can accommodate thousand-ton vessels. After the completion of the Xiang River Changsha Comprehensive Hub Project, navigation conditions will be further improved.

7. Education

7.1 Higher Education

• Hunan University of Technology (formerly Zhuzhou Institute of Technology)
• Hunan University of Technology College of Science and Technology (Independent College)
• Hunan University of Technology Liling Ceramics College (Independent College)

7.2 Higher Vocational Colleges

• Hunan Railway Professional Technology College
• Hunan Railway Science and Technology Vocational College
• Hunan Automotive Engineering Vocational College
• Hunan Chemical Industry Vocational Technology College
• Hunan Nonferrous Metals Vocational and Technical College
• Hunan College of Traditional Chinese Medicine
• Hunan Industry and Trade Technician College

7.3 High Schools

• Zhuzhou No. 1 High School
• Zhuzhou No. 2 High School
• Zhuzhou No. 3 High School
• Zhuzhou No. 4 High School
• Zhuzhou No. 8 High School
• Zhuzhou No. 13 High School
• Zhuzhou No. 18 High School
• Zhuzhou Jiufang High School
• Zhuzhou Fenghuang High School
• Zhuzhou Nanfang High School
• Zhuzhou Tianyuan High School
• Zhuzhou Jiufang Bilingual High School
• Zhuzhou Xiaoxiang Bilingual High School
• Zhuzhou Jianning High School

7.4 Primary Schools

• Zhuzhou Beixing Primary School
• Zhuzhou Jiufang Primary School
• Zhuzhou Baihe Primary School
• Zhuzhou Yinhai Primary School
• Zhuzhou Hejia'ao Primary School
• Zhuzhou Qingshuitang Primary School
• Zhuzhou Tianyuan Primary School
• Zhuzhou Zhangshuping Primary School

7.5 Private Schools

• Beijing Normal University Zhuzhou Affiliated School
• Zhuzhou Jinghong High School
• Zhuzhou Jingyan High School

8. Population

In 2022, the city's year-end resident population was 3.8711 million, a decrease of 12,200 people compared to the previous year. Among them, the urban population was 2.8053 million, an increase of 7,700 people from the previous year; the rural population was 1.0658 million, a decrease of 19,900 people from the previous year. The urbanization rate was 72.47%, an increase of 0.43 percentage points from the previous year.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's resident population was 3,902,738. Compared with the 3,857,100 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the total increase over the ten years was 45,638 people, a growth of 1.18%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.12%. Among them, the male population was 1,978,431, accounting for 50.69% of the total population; the female population was 1,924,307, accounting for 49.31% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 102.81. The population aged 0–14 was 713,346, accounting for 18.28% of the total population; the population aged 15–59 was 2,412,050, accounting for 61.8% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 777,342, accounting for 19.92% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 567,154, accounting for 14.53% of the total population. The population living in urban areas was 2,781,072, accounting for 71.26% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 1,121,666, accounting for 28.74% of the total population.

8.1. Ethnic Groups

Data from the Fifth National Population Census in 2000 shows that Zhuzhou City had a Han Chinese population of 3,565,258, accounting for 99.54% of the regional population; the ethnic minority population was 16,562, accounting for 0.46% of the regional population. Among China's 55 ethnic minorities, 43 are distributed in the city. Ethnic minorities in Zhuzhou are primarily scattered residents; the indigenous ethnic minorities are the Yao and She peoples, with the She population ranking first in Hunan Province's She population. The She people are concentrated in Yanling County, distributed in Yangqi She Ethnic Village in Shidu Town, Xikeng Village and Shendu Village in Longxi Township, and Longtan Village in Zhongcun Township. The Yao people are concentrated in Longzha Yao Ethnic Township in Yanling County.

In terms of total population, the Tujia, Miao, and Yao ethnic groups each have over 2,000 people, with populations of 3,705, 2,957, and 2,544 respectively, accounting for 22.37%, 17.85%, and 15.36% of the regional ethnic minority population. Ethnic groups with over 1,000 people include the She, Hui, and Zhuang, with populations of 1,587, 1,106, and 1,104 respectively. The Dong and Manchu ethnic groups have over 500 people, with populations of 910 and 821 respectively. The Mongolian and Bai ethnic groups have over 200 people, while the Hani, Yi, Bouyei, and Uyghur ethnic groups have over 100 people each. The remaining ethnic groups have fewer than 100 people each.

In 2020, among the city's resident population, the Han Chinese population was 3,866,501, accounting for 99.07%; the ethnic minority population was 36,237, accounting for 0.93%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han Chinese population increased by 28,481 people, a growth of 0.74%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 0.43 percentage points. The ethnic minority population increased by 17,157 people, a growth of 89.92%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 0.43 percentage points.

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9. Sister Cities

Navoi City, Uzbekistan (March 12, 1996) Fredrikstad City, Norway (June 10, 1999) Nha Trang City, Vietnam (April 26, 2001) Pietermaritzburg City, South Africa (May 23, 2002) Pocheon City, South Korea (March 18, 2009) Durham City, USA (September 5, 2012)

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Tianyuan District

Liling City

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Camphor tree

Red Loropetalum