Basic Information on Lanzhou

Located in the central part of Gansu. Lanzhou is the political, economic, cultural, and commercial center of the province and a transportation hub in Northwest China. Lanzhou has an area of 130,000 square kilometers with a population of 288 million.

One of China's ancient cities, Lanzhou was known as Jincheng Prefecture in the Han Dynasty and Lanzhou Prefecture in both the Sui (581-618) and Qing dynasties. In 1941, it was given the status of municipality.

As, on the map, Lanzhou appears to lie very much in the middle of China, it is sometimes referred to as the heart of the country. The Yellow River runs through the city from west to east.

Lanzhou is in the semiarid area with a continental monsoon climate. Annual and day temperatures vary greatly. The average annual temperature is between 6°c and 9°C. Lanzhou receives an average annual precipitation of 327.7 millimeters and has a frost-free period of 168 days. Lanzhou is an old city with roots stretching back more than 2,000 years. It was a vital point on the trade route that linked China with Central and Western Asia, Africa, and Europe in ancient times.

Lanzhou is the second largest city in Northwest China with petrochemical, textile, and machine-building industries in the lead. Lanzhou abounds in fruit and is often referred to as the town of fruit. It offers more than 20 fine varieties of fruit including peaches, Elizabeth's melons, Lanzhou melons, and zuigua (drunken melons).