Hunan is an inner province. For most of her area is on the south of Dongting Lake, the province is thus named Hunan. As the Xiang River, the longest river within its boundary, flows through it, the province is also called “Xiang” for short. It covers an area of 211,800 square kilometers and has a population of 65,62 million. There are 13 cities directly under the province (Changsha Zhuzhou Xiantang Hengyang Shaoyang Yueyang Changde Zhangjiajie Yiyang Chenzhou Yongzhou Huaihua Loudi), 1 autonomous prefectures (West Hunan A.P),122 counties. Changsha is the capital city.

Endowed by nature with rich resources and abundant Produce, Hunan is famed for being a rice bowl and fish pond. The home of nonferrous metals and nonmetallic minerals, and a paradise for tourists.

The province boasts 3.91 million hectares of cultivated land, and 9.58  million hectares of forests. Altogether 5341 rivers and streams flow in Hunan' s territory. Among which the xiang, the zi, the Yuan and the Li rivers are the largest ones. Navigable mileage comes to 15,000 kilometers. Inland navigation lines extend to 95 percent of the counties and to over 30 percent of the towns and townships.

With a fairly complete range of minerals, Hunan is rich in mineral resources. Of the 160- odd kinds of minerals already discovered in the world. 141 kinds have been found in Hunan. Hunan is one of the provinces in south China have a comparatively large reserve of coal.

Myriads of celebrities have highlighted Hunan's age - old history. Late Chairman Mao Zedong, one of the greatest men of his time, Qi Baishi, master of Chinese ink - Painting, and Yuan Longping, Father of Hybrid Rice, are distinguished representatives of native Hunanese.

Elegant landscape and numerous historic sites offer Hunan unique tourist resources. The capital city Changsha is a renowned 3,000 - year - old city. There are 211 sites of cultural remains in Hunan classified as provincial - level key protection units and 22 listed as national - level key protection units. Eight tourist scenic areas simultaneously presenting natural scenery, man - built sights and customs and lifestyles of the Minority people are open to public. Mount Hengshan, one of China’ s five most famous mountains, Yueyang Tower,  one of the three wellknown ancient towers of the Changjiang River, Wulingyuan tourist area (including Zhangiajie, Suoxi Valley and Tianzi mountain) which has been listed as one of the world natural heritages, and the Mengdong River which is called the NO.1 choice for rafters all enjoy high reputation both at home and abroad and have been hot tourist spots. Streams of domestic and foreign visitors also fequent Shaoshan the birthplace of MaoZedong, the leading founder of the People’s Republic of China.

Since the 1990s, the economic and social development in Hunan has been further accelerated. From 1990 to 2001, the province’ s GDP has  witnessed an average increase of 10.09%. In 2001, GDP was valued at 398.3 billion yuan, of which primary industry took up 82.6 billion, secondary industry 157.3 billion, and tertiary industry 158.7 billion. The total output of agriculture was valued at 131.3 billion, of industry 450.87 billion. The average allocatable income of city and town citizens was 6780.56 yuan per capita, and the net income of farmers was 2299.46 yuan per capita. Through years of efforts, Hunan’ s infrastructural facilities have been gradually perfected, foreign economic cooperation and trade continuously expanded, and all round progress has been achieved in all social undertakings.

Hunan' s agriculture takes up an important standing in the country.  The output of major farm products, like grain, cotton, oil - bearing plants, ramie, tobacco, and pig meat, beef, and mutton. are all on the top - ten lists in China. Specifically, Hunan is the country' s largest grower of ramie, second largest supplier of pig meat, beef and mutton, fourth largest yielder of tobacco, and fifth largest grower of grain. Hunan' s output of rice has been leading the whole country for years. The unit output of grain in Hunan surpasses the country’ s average by 1/4, and is close to the world advanced level.

Hunan' s industry has a good foundation and covers complete  sectors. An industrial setup with machine - building, electronic, food - processing, energy, and construction materal industries as the backbone has taken shape. UP to now, there are in the province 4961 industrial enterprises, and 611 of them are large or medium - sized ones, Some have even been listed among the country’ s top 500 extraordinarily large enterprises.

Hunan enjoys convenient transport. Railway mileage totals 2894 kilometers, and highway mileage, about 66, 593 kilometers. Water transportation allows ships to go via the Changiang Rivet to the sea. Chenglingii at Yueyang can harbor 5,000 tonnage ships. Over 30 domestic and international air routes are available at Changsha Huanghua Airport and at Zhangiajie Airport.

Energy and communications have witnessed a very fast development.  The power generation in 2001 totaled 38.44 billion kilowatt/hour. All longdistance and local calls in the province are now controlled with digital programmers. Telephones in rural areas gradually being upgraded with automation and digital technology.

So far, Hunan has established business relations with 140 countries  and regions, and has set up sister relationship with 24 provinces, states, counties or cities in many countries such as the United States. Japan, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Congo, Russia, Uzbekistan, Singapore Bulgaria and Ukraine. Exchanges in various respects including foreing economic relations and trade, science and technology, culture and have been conducted between the sisters, and fruit- bearing cooperation have been carried out.

Hunan is considerably strong in education and science and  technology. Compulsory nine - year education have been realized in nearly all cities, towns and the comparatively developed areas. As many as 97.9 percent of schoolage children are going to primary school. The province excels in middle school education. Scores of' middle-school graduates in college entrance examinations have been among the top ones in the whole country for years on end.

As regards overall technical strength. Hunan ranks 6 in China, The province leads the world in hybrid rice research and application. The theory of one roll driving in aluminum foil rolling mill and its application, the high-resolution technique of human chromosomes, the research in test-tube babies. the giant Galaxy computer with 10 billion revolutions per second , the Geodepression theory, the research on Homogeneous Markov Process are all up to the world advanced level .

At the end of 1995, Hunan Provincial Party Committee and Hunan Provincial Government developed the strategic, thinking of making Hunan as open as Guangdong and Pudong, making opening - up an impetus to development, making scince and technology a first priority and making industry flourshing and agriculture highly development; and formulated the programme of Hunan province for the 9 Five - year plan for Economic and Social Development and Long - range Coals for the Year 2010.

During the 9``, Five year Plan Period, focus of economic construction in Hunan will be set on the following aspect: To strengthen the agricultural foundation and accelerate the industrialization of agriculture; to construct infrastructural facilities with high quality and high efficiency, laying stress on road, power- water - conservancy, and telecommunications; to vigorously foster the five mainstay industries; I .e, metallurgical. mechanotronical building material and construction, chemical, and foodprocesing industries; to speed up the progress of science and technology, to give priority to education, to energetically develop tertiary industry; to improve the level of opening – up; to strengthen protection on environment, ecosystem, and natural resources, to further develop Public health , physical culture and sports; to promote socialist ethical and cultural progress; to improve socialist democracy and the legal system, etc .

In the drive to usher in the new century, the people of Hunan province are determined to build our hometown into a better, more beautiful place to live in.