Zaporozhye City is the well-known administrative, economic and cultural center in southern Ukraine. Its industrial potential ranks 3rd and population (900,000) ranks 4th in Ukraine respectively. The Dnieper River flows through the city, on which the USSR built the Dnieper Hydroelectric Power Station (1.35 million kilowatts) and the shiplocks. Zaporozhye City has vital transport routes of waterways, railways, roads leading to countries around the Black Sea. It is also the metallurgy, energy, machinery production bases of Ukraine, known as the "Breadbasket of Europe".

On October 16, 1997, Yichang City and Zaporozhye City signed the agreement of sister cities.