At the west of China’s Hubei province, Yichang is located at the joint of the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River. For a long time, it has been renowned as the “gateway to the Three Gorges”and the “throat between Sichuan and Hubei”. In ancient times Yichang was named as “Yiling”because “water flew gently as it came here and mountains became hills as they extended here”. It was renamed “Yichang”in the Qing dynasty because the name stood for prosperity. Yichang boasts long-standing and extensive history and Bachu culture and is home to Quyuan, the world famous cultural celebrity and Wang Zhaojun, the ancient envoy of national unity. Yichang is where the Three Gorges Project and the Gezhouba Project are located, which makes Yichang a “world hydropower city”. Yichang now has five districts, three county-level cities, five counties and one national-level high-tech zone. It covers an area of 21,000 square kilometers and has a population of 4.1379 million, including the registered population of 3.899 million.

　　【Geographic Location】At the west of China’s Hubei province, Yichang is situated at the joint of the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the transitional area from Wuling Mountain and Qinba Mountain of western Hubei to Jianghan Plain. YichangislocatedatLongitude110°15'Eto112°04'E,Latitude29°56'Nto31°34'N.The maximum distance between east and west is 174.08 kilometers and that from south to north is 180.6 kilometers. Yichang borders Jingzhou and Jingmen on the east, Shimen county of Hunan province on the south, Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture on the west and Shennongjia Forestry District and Xiangyang on the north.

　　【Water Resources】River: The rivers in Yichang all belong to Yangtze River Basin. With the stem stream of Yangtze River as the main vein, the streamy rivers are featured by large density and abundant water. Yichang has 183 rivers with the valley area of over 30 square kilometers and the whole length of 5,070 kilometers, 128 rivers with the valley area of over 50 square kilometers and the whole length of 4,320 kilometers,28riverswiththevalleyareaofover200squarekilometersandthewholelengthof1,974kilometers, 6 rivers (Yangtze River, Qiangjiang River, Juzhang River, Xiangxi River, Huangbai River, Yuyang River) with the valley area of over 1,000 square kilometers and the whole length of 939 kilometers and 4 rivers (Yangtze River, Qiangjiang, Juzhang River, Xiangxi River)with the valley area of over 3,000 square kilometers and the whole length of 668 kilometers.

　　Lakes: 11 lakes in Yichang are listed in the first and second batch of lake protection lists in Hubei province and they are distributed mainly in the eastern plain area. Among them, there are 4 lakes with the surface area of above 1 square kilometer－Taojiahu Lake, Donghu Lake, Taipinghu Lake and Liujiahu Lake. All the above four lakes are located in Zhijiang. In addition, there are 7 lakes with the surface area of below 1 square kilometer. Four of them are in Zhijaing, one in Dangyang and two in Yidu.

　　Water resource aggregate：In 2018, the city's total water resources amounted to 10.98323 billion cubic meters, a decrease of 27.3% over the previous year and a decrease of 20.5% over the normal year. The amount of surface water resources was 10.88673 billion cubic meters, the amount of groundwater resources was 3.79519 billion cubic meters, and the double calculation of the surface and groundwater resources was 3.69869 billion cubic meters. The city's inbound water volume was 481.28 billion cubic meters, and the outbound water volume was 491.35 billion cubic meters. At the end of the year, the city's large and medium-sized reservoirs had a storage capacity of 3.90995 billion cubic meters, an increase of 15.55 million cubic meters over the end of the previous year. The city's total water supply reached 1.63915 billion cubic meters, of which 97.3% was from surface water, and 2.7% was from groundwater. The city's total water consumption hit 1.63915 billion cubic meters, of which 43.3% was for agricultural use, 32.9% was for industrial use and 23.8% was for domestic use. The city's per capita water resources was 2,656 cubic meters and the average water resources per mu was 2705 cubic meters.

　　【Minerals】89 kinds of minerals in 10 types have beenfound in Yichang, accounting for 51.4% of the total mineral found in China and 59.3% of that in Hubei. 48 types of mineral resources have been confirmed, including phosphorus, iron, coal, manganese, vanadium, gold, copper, lead, zinc, silicon, gypsum, graphite, quartz sand, limestone, marble and barite. A total of 740 mineral deposits have been discovered in the city, of which 297 have proven reserves.Of 48 kinds of minerals with proven industrial reserves,16 kinds are Yichang’s dominant minerals, including phosphorus, manganese, silver vanadium, flux limestone, metallurgical dolomite, metallurgical sandstone, graphite, garnet, limestone, glass sandstone, kaolin, potassium shale, dolomite for chemical industry, peridotite forchemical fertilizer, serpentine forchemical fertilizer and altered granite. Cumulatively identified reserves of phosphate ore are 4.385 billion tons, and retained reserves are 4.055 billion tons,accounting for 54.16% of the total recoverable deposit of that in Hubei province. The reserve of crystalline graphite, the only scale graphite in Central South China, is estimated to be 1.749 million tons with a recoverable deposit at 1.456 million tons. Sandstone mine for glassis one of the four high-quality silicon sand minesin China.

　　The survey by China Geological Survey reveals that the west of Hubei Province is abundant in shale gas resources with a potential amount of 11.68 trillion cubic meters in total, which serves as a foundation of the10-billion-cubic-meter resource base. Though mineral resources are widely distributed with dominant mineralsand distinctive regional characteristics.

　　There are minerals in all counties and cities of the city, but unevenly distributed.The dominant minerals are closely distributed and mainly concentrated in 12 areas, including phosphate ore in Yiling District, Xingshan County and the north of Yuan'an County, graphite in and around the Zaijinping Village, Yiling District, iron ore inHuoshaoping and Qingangping, Changyang County, manganese ore in the ancient town of Changyang County, silver vanadium ore in Baiguoyuan, Xingshan County and Xiangjialing,Changyang County, dolomite and limestone in Yidu, Changyang County and Zigui County, silica in Guanzhuang, Yiling District, glass sandstone mainly in Yanwu Temple, Dangyang, gypsum ore in Herong, Dangyang, chromite, peridotite and serpentinite in Taipingxi Town, Yiling District, clay ore in Yidu and Zhijiang, coal mines in Yuan'an County, Zigui County, Changyang County, Yidu and Dangyang.

　　There are 330 publicized mines in the city, including 26 coal mines, 49 phosphate mines and 255 mines for graphite, manganese, gold, copper, vanadium, gypsum, calcite, barite, kaolin, various quarries. 48 authorized mines are as follows: 18 phosphate mines, 2 coal mines, 6 black metal mines, 4 non-ferrous metal mines, 10 precious metal mines, 6 non-metallic mines and 2 geothermal mines. Mining industry and mineral product processing industry play an important role in national economy in Yichang where a group of powerful development and processing enterprises of mineral product are located, including Hubei Yihua group, Hubei Xingfa Chemicals Group, Hubei Dongsheng Company, Three Gorges New Material, Huaxin Cement and Changyang Manganese Industry. All these companies jointly formed a production and processing base with phosphorus, graphite, quartz sand, stone and cement raw materials at the core, making Yichang one of China’s most influential production bases of phosphorus chemical and building materials industryin the province and even the whole country.

　　【History】 Yichang has a long history. Dating back to 1.2 million years, “Changyang people” began to move about in Qingjiang River Basin. Dozens of Neolithic relics in China’s mainland prove that ancestors of the Chinese nation lived and multiplied on this land 7000 to 8000 years before. Yichang belonged to Xiling tribe in ancient times. In Xia and Shang dynasties, it belonged to ancient Jingzhou territory and then became a key site in the western frontier fortress for kingdom Chu during the period of spring and autumn and the period of warring states. Many cities and towns were built there. After that, it was governed by prefectures and counties, states and governments of the past dynasties. On the 21st year during the governance of King Qingxiang of Chu (278 BC), the famous general Bai Qi “attacked Chu, conquered Yingdu and burned Yiling”. From that time on, the name Yiling began to appear in the historical records. When First Emperor Qin set up counties in the 26th year (221 BC), most parts of Yichang belonged to south county. During Western Han and Eastern Han dynasties, Yichang belonged to both South County and Wuling County of Yingzhou city. There were many counties, including Yiling, Yidao, Zhijiang, Dangyang, Linju, Zigui, Henshan and other counties. When it comes to the Three Kingdoms period, most places belonged to the kingdom of Wu, then to the Kingdom of Shu and Wu finally. Jin Dynasty set up Yidu County which ruled Yiling, Yidao, Henshan, Yichang counties (located in the western lands of Yiling). The name Yichang was first seen in historical records from that time in. During Northern and Southern Dynasties, Yichang remained its name during Song dynasty and Qi Dynasty, just like that of Jin Dynasty. Liang Dynasty changed Yidu County to Yizhou. The Western Wei Dynasty changed it to Tuozhou and the Later Zhou Dynasty changed it to Xiazhou. In the third year of Sui Dynasty (the year 607), Xiazhou was renamed as Yiling County and it ruled Yiling, Yidao and Yuanan counties. Yiling is a county town belonging to Jingzhou Governor's Mansion. At the beginning of Tang, Yiling County was renamed as Xiazhou, leading four counties. Yiling County belonged to Shannan Road. In the year of Tianbao, the city was renamed Yiling Perfecture. But in the first ruling year of Emperor Qianyuan (758), it changed into Shanzhou State that governed the former 4 counties, which belonged to Shannan Road. During the Five Dynasties, Shanzhou State, together with Jinzhou State and Guizhou State, formed a country named Nanping. In the Northern Song Dynasty the place was named as Shanzhou State again that led the formerYiling 4 counties, belonging to Jinhu North Road. During the Emperor Yuanfeng period (1078-1085), the character "Shan" was changed into "Xia". In the seventeenth year of Yuanzhiyuan (1280), Xiazhou State was promoted as Xiazhou Road that led the former four counties belonging to Jinghu North Road in Henan Province. In the twenty-fourth year of Zhengzheng (1364), Zhu Yuanzhang took the way of Xiazhou Road and changed its name into Xiazhou Government. Later the emperor changed its government into state. In the 9th year of Hongwuin Ming Danasty(1376), Xiazhou State was changed to Yiling State that governed three counties includingYidu, Changyang and Yuan'an. And the Yiling-based pecfecture belonged to Jinnan Road, Jinzhou Government in Huguang province. In the fourth year of Emperor Shunzhi’s time in Qing Dynasty (1647), Yiling State wasattached to Jinzhou Government. In the fifth year of his ruling, the emperor changed its name from “夷陵”(Yiling, which means the area full of hills and mountains) to “彝陵”(a place full of people of Yi). In the 13th year of Qing Emperor Yongzheng (1735), theprefecture was promoted to Yichang Government, and the local political center was changed from Yiling County to Donghu County that led Donghu County, Xingshan County, Badong County, Changyang County and Changle County, Guizhou State and Hefeng State. The four counties including Yidu, Zhijiang, Dangyang and Yuna’an were governed by Jinzhou Government. In the second year of the Guangxu’s reign of Qing Dynasty (1876), the Sino-British "Yantai Treaty" was signed, and Yichang was turned into a trading port. The following year, Yichang set up customs which was officially opened to the public.

　　In the early years of the Republic of China, the government and the state system were abolished. And the three-class administration featuring provincial, prefectural and county levels was implemented.

　　In 1912, Donghu County was changed into Yichang County and belonged to Jingnandao, together with Xingshan County, Zigui County, Badong County, Changyang County, Wufeng County and Hefeng County, while Dangyang County and Yuan’an County belonged to Xiangnandao. In 1922, Yichang County was a part of Jingyidao. In 1932 and 1936, the 8 counties of Yichang, Yidu, Dangyang, Yuan 'an, Xingshan, Zigui, Changyang and Wufeng successively belonged to the ninth and sixth administrative supervision areas, and commissioner office was set in Yichang County. Zhijiang County was successively affiliated to the seventh and fourth administrative supervision areas of Hubei Province.

　　During the Second Revolutionary Civil War from 1928 to 1932, the Xiang-E Bian(West areas of Hunan and Hubei Province) Base of Yichang areas, Ba(Badong)-Xing(Xingshan)-Gui(Zigui) base, Jing (Jingmen)-Dang(Dangyang)-Yuan(Yuan’an) base were important parts of Xiang-E Xisu areas(Western Hunan and Western Hubei areas). The Communist Party of China led the people for armed struggle in revolutionary and set up revolutionary regime in many places. During the Liberation War, in July 1948, the CPC Jianghan District Committee decided to formally establish the fourth commissioner's office (also known as Xiangxi commissioner's office), which was changed to Dangyang commissioner's office in January 1949. On May 20, 1949, Yichang Commissioner's Office was established in Dangyang, together with the leading party of Yichang government. On June 11, the Yichang Municipal Committee of CPC and the People's Government of Yichang were formally established in Lujiawan, Dangyang. On July 16, 1949, Yichang was liberated. Afterwards, Yichang commissioner's office and government organs of Yichang Municipal Party moved from Dangyang to Yichang city. On November 15, 1949, the whole city of Yichang was liberated.

　　Yichang, as one of the eight prefectures under Hubei Province, included 9 counties, namely, Yichang County, Yidu County, ZhiJiang County , Dangyang County, Yuan’an County, Xingshan County, Zigui County , Changyang County and Wufeng County，in 1949 when the People's Republic of China was founded. At the same time, the urban areas and suburban rural areas of the former Yichang County were combined to develop into Yichang city, directly under the administration of Hubei Provincial People’s Government. In November 1954, Yichang City was under the leadership of the Yichang Prefectural Government, when 9 counties and 1 city were under its administration. On July 1955, Zhijiang County was merged into Yidu County whilethe Yichang Prefectural Government administered 8 counties and 1 city. In December 1958, the Yichang Prefectural Government was renamed as the Prefectural Government of Yidu Industrial Zone.

　　In the following years, the names of the counties and districts have been changed and new changes can be shown in the following table：

　　Under the approval of the central government, the prefecture-level cities and districts of Yichang were combined to implement the city-led county system so as to meet the needs of reform and development in March 1992. At that time, Yichang governed 7 counties (Yichang County, Zhijiang County, Yuan'an County, Xingshan County, Zigui County, Changyang Tujia Autonomous County, Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County), 2 cities (Zhicheng City, Dangyang City) and 3 districts (Xiling District, Wujiagang District and Dianjun District). The State Council approved the establishment of Xiaoting District, Yichang City On March 21, 1995 and the transformation of Zhijiang County to Zhijiang City on July 30, 1996. On March 22, 2001, the State Council approved the transformation of Yichang County to Yiling District. Up to that time, 5 districts (Yiling District, Xiling District, Wujiagang District, Dianjun District and Xiaoting District), 5 counties (Yuan'an County, Xingshan County, Zigui County, Changyang County, Wufeng County) and 3 county-level cities (Yidu City, Zhijiang City and Dangyang City) were administered by Yichang City.

　　【Administrative Division】Up to 2018, Yichang has jurisdiction over five municipal districts, namely Yiling District, Xiling District, Wujiagang District, Dianjun District and Xiaoting District, three county-level cities, namely Yidu, Zhijiang and Dangyang, three counties, namely Yuan'an County, Xingshan County and Zigui County, two autonomous counties of Changyang Autonomous County of Tujia Nationality and Wufeng Autonomous County of Tujia Nationality with a total of 24 streets, 67 towns and 19 villages. On December 27, Hubei provincial government issued the Official Reply to the Jurisdiction of Yiling District over Three villages and One community including Nanjinguan in Xiling District, Yichang(Hubei Provincial Government [2018] No. 188), marking that Xiaoxita Neighborhood Committee Office in Yiling Districtthewas authorized the jurisdictionover Longquanshan Village, Nanjinguan Village, Qianping Village and Nanjinguan Community in Xiling District, Yichang City.

　　【Nation】Yichang governed Changyang Tujia Autonomous County and Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County, an ethnic township(Panjiawan Tujia Township in Yidu city), and three ethnic townships (Chexi Tujia Township in Tucheng Village of Dianjun District, Hejiaping Tujia Township at Gaoqiao Village in Xingshan County, and Shizhu Tujia Township at JiuWanxi Townin Zigui County).According to the 6th national population census, the total population of ethnic minorities in Yichang City reached 472,000, covering 45 ethnic minorities, which are 464,000 Tujia, 2,420 Miao, 2,175 Hui, 908 Man and 664 Zhuang. There were six ethnic groups of 100 to 500 people, 16 ethnic groups of 10 to 100 people and 18 ethnic groups of less than 10 people.

　　【Religion】Five kinds of religions, including Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Christianity and Islam, have religious places and religious believers in Yichang. There are four municipal patriotic religious groups in Yichang City, namely the Municipal Buddhist Association, the Municipal Taoist Association, the Municipal Catholic Patriotic Association, the Municipal Christian “Two Committees” (the Municipal Christian Association, the Municipal Christian “Three-Self” Patriotic Movement Committee). In addition, the mosque and the Hui People’s Management Committee in urban area act as the functions of the Islamic Association. 59 places of religious activities have been approved of registration. There were 138 religious staffs, including 16 Catholics, 15 Christians, 65 Buddhists, 40 Taoists, and two Islam. There were more than 40,000 religious believers, including 13,000 Buddhism, 5400 Taoism, 6400 million Catholics, 14,000 Christians, and 3700 million Islam.

　　【Population】At the end of 2020, the registered residence population was 3 million 899 thousand. The annual birth population was 24500, with a birth rate of 6.3 ‰; The dead population was 26500, and the mortality rate was 6.8 ‰; The natural growth rate was - 0.5 ‰.

　　【Economic and Social Development & Economic Indicators】According to preliminary calculations, the city’s GDP reached446.082 billion yuan in 2019, an increase of 8.1% over the previous year. In terms of different industries, the added value of the first industry was 41.605 billion yuan, an increase of 3.3% over the previous year; the added value of the second industry was 205.415 billion yuan, an increase of 9.6% over the previous year; the added value of the tertiary industry was 199,062 billion yuan, anincreaseof 7.5%over the previous year. According to the results of the fourth economic census, the historical data of the 2018 regional GDP, three industries and the value added of related industries were revised. After the revision, the structure of the three industries in 2018 was adjusted from 9.5:52.5:38.0 to 9.6 : 45.9: 44.5, according to which the structure of the three industries in 2019 were calculated as 9.3: 46.1: 44.6. Based on the resident population, the per capita regional GDP was107,830 yuan, an increase of 8.1% over the previous year and an increase of 10,162 yuan over the previous year.

　　【Environment and Resources】In 2019, the overall environmental quality of the city declined. The proportion of days with ambient air quality in the main urban area was 74.9%, and the number of days with ambient airwas 266, whichwas eight days less than the same period last year.The average concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 increased by 1.4% and 4.0% respectively on year-on-yearbasis. Of the 9 surface water sections included in the assessment in the whole city, 100% were of good water quality.

　　At the end of 2019, the cultivated land reserves amounted to 328 thousand hectares, and 236.56 hectares of cultivated land were occupied for construction throughout the year. There were397 ore deposits in the city, with 89 kinds of mineral resources, of which 48 kinds weredeveloped and utilized.

　　By the end of the year, the city's forest area was 1400.40 thousand hectares, the forest coverage rate was 65.98%, and the afforestation area was 2.65 thousand hectares. As of the end of 2019, there were 6 national and provincial nature reserves in the city, including 3 national nature reserves; the area of nature reserves was 68.72 thousand hectares.

　　【The Welfare of the People's Livelihood】The income of residents increased steadily. The annual per capita disposable income of all residents was 28,772 yuan, an increase of 9.9% over the previous year. Among them, the per capita disposable income of urban permanent residents was 38,463 yuan, an increase of 9.9% over the previous year; the per capita disposable income of rural permanent residents was 18,134 yuan, an increase of 9.8%over the previous year. The per capita consumption expenditure of urban residents was 24,296 yuan, an increase of 8.6% over the previous year; the Engel coefficient of urban households was 28.6%. The per capita living consumption expenditure of rural residents was 14,430 yuan, an increase of 8.8% over the previous year; the Engel coefficient of rural households was 29.4%.

　　Social security was further strengthened. At the end of the year, 1.2953 million peoplein the whole cityparticipated in the basic urban pension insurance, an increase of 53,100 over the end of the previous year, including 895,600 employees and 399,700 retirees;1.499million people participated in the social endowment insurance for urban residents, an increase of 40,000 compared with the end of last year. 3.8122 million people participated in urban basic medical insurance, a decrease of 58,500 compared withthe end of the previous year; 586,500people participated inunemployment insurance, an increase of 31,800 compared withthe end of the previous year; 639,100people participated in work injury insurance, an increase of 9600 compared withthe end of the previous year; 509,200people participated in maternity insurance , an increase of 28,500 compared with the end of last year. The city's urban basic pension insurance, urban basic medical insurance, and urban unemployment insurance coverage were99%, 98%, and 98%respectively.

　　The city had20,300 residents who enjoyedthe urban minimum living security; 87,500 farmers who enjoyedthe rural minimum living security, and 13,900 people who werein poverty in rural areaswere provided assistance . In the whole year, 135.000million people were subsidized to participate in insurance, and direct medical assistancereached224,500 people. At the end of the year, there were 2,555 community service agencies, 160 elderly service agencies, and 33,131 elderly service beds.