Overview

Xiangtan City lies in the middle part of Hunan province and the middle reaches of Xiangjiang River, and it, together with Changsha and Zhuzhou, forms a golden triangle area---the most developed area of politics, economics and culture, in which the economic incorporation is being accelerated. Xiangtan City, with a population of 2.8 millon and an area of 5,016 km² including Xiangtan County, Xiangxiang City, Shaoshan City, Yuhu District and Yuetang District, is an A open city in China. Xiangtan is the place where the sun rises, a famous city with a long history and rich culture, the cradleland of Xiang Culture and the hometown of Xiang lotus.

Xiangtan, with beautiful landscapes, is rich in tourist resources, which takes on a characteristic of large quantity, of good quality, of variety, of vivid humanity and of mystery. There are more than 110 key tourist spots as well as more than 400 sights and related resources, which can be classified into 6 categories and sub-classified into 40 basic types. Shaoshan Mountain, 40 km away from the center of the city, is one of the first excellent tourist cities authorized, one of the first AAAA tourist zones in China, nation-wide patriotism education base and national key area of interest.

Xiangtan, with a long history, has been a key commercial center in the middle part of Hunan province since ancient times. As early as in the 17^th century, it was the well-known ‘Rice City’ and ‘Medicine City’ as well. Xiangtan, with warm climate, fertile soil, rich product, is the national key product base of pigs and rice. Because of its rich product in Xiang lotus, it is called “the hometown of Xiang lotus”. Xiangtan is China’s important mechanotronics base and it has formed a supporting industry with metallurgy, mechanotronics, spinning, chemicals and building materials as its main body, which is now very competitive.

Half a century has passed, and Xiangtan has become an important industrial city in Hunan province and the biggest product base of mechanotronics, fluoride salt and ferromanganese in China. It also has a comparatively strong ability to refined chemical product. The basic facilities as transportation, communication and electric power are being improved day by day. Simultaneously, its education develops very fast. There are more than 10 colleges and technical secondary schools. Due to its advance education, Xiangxiang City and Yuhu District were ever respectively rewarded with the National Advanced Culture County and Provincial Advanced Culture District. And all the social careers are developing soundly.

Beautiful mountains and clean water and fertile land have made Xiangtan a national marketable grain base and a provincial muscle-type pig base. The grain product reaches 1000kg/mu. The rich product in Xiang lotus makes it the hometown of Xiang lotus in China, so Xiangtan is also called “Lotus City”. Xiangtan is the first well-off city in Hunan province.

Xiangtan is a national comprehensive product base of export merchandise, and 14 enterprises and companies have got export certificate. The export goods every year from Xiangtan covers 16 categories and more than 180 kinds, including a series of mechanotronics, chemicals, spinning, light industrial craftwork, building materials, special local agricultural product, hardware and metallurgy, and the market has reached to more than 80 countries and regions. Foreign exchange earned through export is listed in Hunan province.