Chuxiong Overview

Basic information


The geography of Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture is approximately slanted from northwest to southeast, with a maximum transverse distance of 175 km from east to west, and a maximum longitudinal distance of 247.5 km from north to south. The territory is mountainous, and the mountainous area accounts for more than 90% of the total area.


Chuxiong Prefecture enjoys a pleasant climate and belongs to the subtropical low latitude plateau monsoon climate. Due to the high mountains and deep valleys, the vertical climate change is obvious. The climate characteristics of the entire Chuxiong Prefecture are: short in winter and summer, long in spring and autumn; large daily temperature difference, small annual temperature difference; no cold in winter, no heat in summer; distinct dry and wet seasons. The average annual temperature falls to around 15-21℃ (59-69.8℉). Like most cities in Yunnan, the temperature varies greatly during the day but only slightly during the course of the year. In 2017, the average annual precipitation in Chuxiong Prefecture was 844 mm; the annual average temperature was 16.5 °C, and the annual sunshine hours were 2,450 hours.

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Administrative Divisions

Chuxiong Prefecture has jurisdiction over 9 counties, 1 county-level city, 103 towns and townships.

History of Chuxiong

As one of the cradle land of human beings, Chuxiong Prefecture has profound history and brilliant culture. From 1960s to 1980s, the fossils of the Ramapithecus which lived eight million years ago were discovered in Lufeng County; the fossils of man apes that lived three million years ago were unearthed in Yuanmou County. In 1965, the Homo erectus yuanmouensis fossils, the stoneware as well as the traces of using fire were discovered in Yuanmou County. In 1975, the earliest bronze drums of the world, which indicates that the ancient ancestors of Chuxiong created the ‘Bronze Culture’ in 2,500 years ago.

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Culture of Chuxiong

Chuxiong Culture is diverse and colorful. It is a place where multi-ethnic groups inhabit. Different nationalities create different culture. As one of the important destinations in the classical Yunnan Travel and a multi-ethnic place, Chuxiong is home to 28 ethnic groups, such as YiLisuMiaoDaiHui and Bai . Each ethnic minority there has its own unique customs, traditions and architectural styles, making Chuxiong picturesque place. You will have the chance to experience the life of minorities people, learn about their lifestyle, religion and cuisine. The unique scenery, coupled with fascinating Chuxiong Culture makes it attractive and charming. 



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Top Attractions in Chuxiong



In 2018, Chuxiong Prefecture achieved a gross domestic product (GDP) of 102.033 billion yuan, with an increase of 10.2% over the previous year. Of which, the added value of the primary industry was 18.125 billion yuan; the added value of the secondary industry was 41.712 billion yuan; the added value of the service industry was 42.596 billion yuan. The contribution rates of the primary, second and service industries to GDP growth were 11.4%, 60.2% and 28.4% respectively.

Natural Resources

Soil Resources

Chuxiong Prefecture has a total land area of ​​43.887 million mu, including 2,383,600 mu of cultivated land and 1,239,500 mu of paddy fields. The purple soil is the most widely distributed and the red soil is the second. The upper layer of purple soil is not thick; the water storage capacity is poor and the corrosion resistance is weak, but it is rich in phosphorus and potassium, which is suitable for planting various economic crops, especially flue-cured tobacco. The red soil is generally thick, has a good structure and is acidic, and is suitable for planting tea, potato, beans and other crops. In addition. The paddy soil is the most important farming soil, and Chuxiong Prefecture has 1.28 million mu, mainly distributed in the Pingba area.

Mineral Resources

Rich in mineral resources, the species involves 41 minerals, with 431 places of production. Among them, copper, iron, arsenic, rock salt, mirabilite, gypsum, etc. can be called dominant minerals. Coal, iron, petroleum, natural gas and other reserves are abundant. Other minerals are also distributed including gold, silver, lead, marble, asbestos, phosphorus, platinum, etc. As of 2013, the proven reserves and large reserves are 270 million tons of iron ore, 1 billion tons of coal and 1.1 billion tons of salt.

Water Resources

Chuxiong Prefecture is located on the watershed of Jinsha River and Yuanjiang River. There are no natural lakes in Chuxiong Prefecture, and there are no underground rivers in Chuxiong Prefecture. The water resources are mostly formed by atmospheric precipitation. Chuxiong Prefecture has the water resource of 6.867 billion cubic meters for many years. The surface rivers in Chuxiong Prefecture belong to the Jinsha River and the Yuanjiang River, with a total reserves of 1.177 million kilowatts (excluding the main stream of the Jinsha River). 

Plant Resources

There are more than 6,000 plant species in Chuxiong Prefecture, mainly forests, Chinese herbal medicines, and wild edible fungi. Chuxiong Prefecture has a forestland area of ​​17.313 million mu, a forestry area of ​​13.336 million mu. Common tree species in Chuxiong Prefecture include Pinus Yunnanesis, , Pinus Armandi, Hypericum Monogynun and so on. The herbaceous plants are the most common with lemongrass, Chinese alpine rush and Arundinella anomala. Medicinal plants are best known for their mint, rheum officinale, goldthread and fuling. There are 4,500 kinds of seed plants, of which, there are 36 species are listed as national key protected wild plants, including Cycas panzhihuaensis, cycas pectinata.

Animal Resources

More than 680 species of vertebrates are distributed, including more than 110 species of mammals, more than 390 species of birds, 66 species of reptiles, 34 species of amphibians, and 85 species of fish. There are 72 species that are listed as the national key protected wild animals including black-crowned gibbon, clouded leopard, green peacock, black-necked long-tailed pheasant, python, macaque, black bear, big gecko and so on.

Chuxiong Regional Overview