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Brief description |
Wuhan is capital of Hubei Province. Sitting on the Jianghan Plain, the city is sliced in three by the mighty Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze is Asia's longest river, about 6300 km (3937 miles) in length. It rises in southwest Qinghai, and flows south along the Sichuan-Tibet border into Yunnan. It then flows northeast and east across central China through Sichuan, Hubei, Anhui, and Jiangsu and meets the East China Sea near Shanghai. |
The city is an important regional industrial base, ranking 16th among all Chinese Cities in terms of GDP, with particular strength in the automotive and steel sectors, and a vibrant IT sector assuming importance in recent years.
 Wuhan is surrounded by beautiful mountains, rivers, lakes and hills. In the past, parts of the city were prone to flooding, but thanks to the Three Gorges Dam, that is no longer the case. The city's three districts are Hankou and Hanyang on the west bank of the Yangtze, and Wuchang on the east. They are today connected by three major bridges across this wide river. It is the city's favorable geographic location that partly explains its industrial success, and has contributed to its rich and colorful history. It is easily reached by road, rail, water and air. Intra-city travel is being bolstered with the addition of an extensive subway line.
With a history dating back 3,500 years, Wuhan has a great number of interesting sights to see. Yellow Crane Tower is considered to be one of China's Four Great Towers, while Turtle Hill with its Qingchuan Pavilion and the Mulan Lake Scenic Area are must-see sights for visitors to Wuhan. And the Yangtze River Bridge, the first road and rail bridge to be built over the Yangtze, provides panoramic vistas of the mighty river and its surrounding scenery.
Other must-see places include the East Lake Scenic Area, the legendary Guqin Tai Terrace, Guiyan Temple and Wuhan University. The latter is particularly charming in the springtime when its cherry tree-lined avenue bursts into color.
The city is also home to three major museums that display the history and cultural development of Wuhan from ancient to modern times. Visitors should be sure to visit Wuhan Museum, Hubei Provincial Museum, and the Site of the Wuhan National Government Museum.
Wuhan is also host to a number of festivals that take place at different times of the year. For instance, the Plum Blossom Festival is held in February and March. This festival celebrates the beauty of the enduring plum blossom and locals consider it to represent the bravery and loyalty of the Chinese people. Other festivals include the China (Wuhan) Orchid Expo, the Wuhan International Tourism Festival and the Wuhan Horse Racing Festival.
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Location /Climate |
 Wuhan is located at 113°41” - 115°05” East Longitude, and its 29°58’ - 31°22' North Latitude. It lies to the east the Jianghan Plains, and is sliced into the three districts of Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang by the rivers Yangtze and Han. Wuhan gets plentiful precipitation and sunshine, and has clearly marked seasons. Wuhan winters are mild, with daytime January maximums in the 7-9C range (44-48F), although temperatures have been known to plunge suddenly as low as –10C (14F). Summers are tougher: Wuhan is known as one of China's "ovens", and July temperatures can peak at 34C (94F) with high humidity, which makes for uncomfortable days. Annual rainfall is about 1250mm (49 inches).
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Area & Population |
| Wuhan covers an area of 8,484.41sqkm and houses a population of 9.1 million. The population consists mainly of the Han ethnic group, as well as ethnic minority groups like Hui, Man, Zhuang, Miao, Tujia and Mongolian. |
History |
Wuhan's history dates back 3,500 years. It was once the center of the ancient State of Chu, and has always been an important spot on the mighty Yangtze River. From Wuhan, merchants followed the great river and extensive water networks to expand their businesses throughout the entire region.
During the Warring States Period, the area was designated as an important military base for its lookout points at Snake Hill and Turtle Hill. During the Three Kingdoms period, State of Wu Emperor Sun Quan established Wuchang City. Meanwhile, Hankou and Hanyang were established as important port zones during the Han Dynasty.
Wuhan is actually a conglomeration of what were once three independent Cities: Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang. Hanyang dates back to the Eastern Han Dynasty, when a town known as Queyue first developed on the site to the north of Turtle Hill. Wuchang's origins are in the Three Kingdoms period,when a town called Xiakou was established on the site of the modern Wuchang. These two developed slowly until the Tang and Song Dynasties. Hankou was established at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty.
The three towns took advantage of the intersection of the Yangtze River and Hanshui River, and Hankou underwent rapid development. In 1861, Hankou (known at that time in the West as Hankow) was opened to trade with foreign powers. In 1927, the National Government announced that Hankou, Wuchang and Hanyang were to be incorporated into the Jingzhao Region and named Wuhan. Wuhan was liberated on May 16, 1949, and was directly governed by the Central Government until June 1954. After that, it came under the jurisdiction of the Hubei Provincial Government. |
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