Hunan

Introduction
Land
- Relief
- Drainage
- Soils
- Climate
- Plant and animal life
People
- Population composition
- Settlement patterns
The economy
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing
- Resources and power
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
Government and society
- Constitutional framework
- Health and welfare
- Education
Cultural life
History

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images

Modern skyline of Changsha with tall buildings along the Xiang River, separated by a tree-lined strip of land in Hunan province, China.

At a Glance

Hunan summary

Related Questions

How are two rice crops grown each year in southern Hunan?
How did Han migration change the population of Hunan after the Han dynasty began?
How did Hunan contribute to the Chinese Revolution of 1911?
How did Hunan province get its name from Dongting Lake?
How did Hunan’s location make it a crossroads of historic Chinese transportation routes?
How did writing systems for Hmong-Mien languages develop in Hunan?
How do the Xiang River and Dongting Lake support transportation in Hunan?
How does Hunan’s terrain slope toward Dongting Lake?
How does the Yangtze River connect Hunan to other parts of China?
How does the climate differ between northern and southern Hunan?
How is hydroelectric power generated in Hunan?
How were the Dongting Plain and the northern lowlands of Hunan formed?
What archaeological discoveries were made at the Mawangdui tomb complex near Changsha?
What products are made in Xiangtan’s heavy industries?
When did Changsha open to foreign trade?
Where are tea crops grown in Hunan?
Where do the Miao and Tujia people of Hunan mainly live?
Where is antimony produced in Hunan?
Which crops besides rice are grown in Hunan?
Which ethnic groups live in the western highlands of Hunan?
Which industries are important in Changsha?
Which language do many Han people in Hunan speak?
Which major railway lines pass through Hunan?
Which minerals are mined in Hunan province?
Which religious traditions are found among the people of Hunan?
Which river flows through Changsha?
Why are Hunan’s northern plains suitable for growing rice?
Why are coal mines in southern Hunan important to industry?
Why do floods occur in Hunan’s low-lying areas?
Why does Dongting Lake change in size between summer and winter?
Why is Changsha important to Hunan province?
Why is Hengyang an important transportation centre in southern Hunan?
Why is Mount Heng important in Chinese culture?
Why is Yiyang known as Bamboo Town?
Why is Yueyang a collecting centre for timber rafts?
Why is Zhuzhou a centre of heavy industry and exports?
Why was Mao Zedong’s birthplace at Shaoshan important in Chinese history?
Why was the Great Wall of China built?
Can you see the Great Wall of China from space?
What caused the Russo-Japanese War?
Where was the Russo-Japanese War fought?
How did the Russo-Japanese War end?
What is the climate in Guangzhou?
What UNESCO World Heritage site is found at the heart of Beijing?
What are the major ethnic groups in China?

Geography & Travel States & Other Subdivisions

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External Websites

Hunan Provincial Bureau of Statistics - A Brief Intrduction of Hunan Province

Britannica Websites

Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.

Hunan - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

Yueyang Tower Yueyang Tower, Yueyang, Hunan province, China.

Hunan

province, China

Also known as: Hu-nan

Written by

Victor C. Falkenheim

Emeritus Professor and Former Chairman, Department of East Asian Studies, University of Toronto. Editor of Citizens and Groups in Contemporary China.

Victor C. FalkenheimAll

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 1, 2026 •History

Hunan, landlocked sheng (province) of southern China. A major rice-producing area, Hunan is situated to the south of the Yangtze River (Chang Jiang). It is bounded by the provinces of Hubei to the north, Jiangxi to the east, and Guangdong to the southeast; by the Zhuang Autonomous Region of Guangxi to the southwest; and by the province of Guizhou and Chongqing municipality to the west. The name Hunan is formed from the Chinese words hu...

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