Nanchong

Nanchong 南充
—  Prefecture-level city  —
南充市
Nickname(s): The fruit City
Coordinates: 31°15′00″N 106°14′00″E / 31.25°N 106.2333333°E / 31.25; 106.2333333Coordinates: 31°15′00″N 106°14′00″E / 31.25°N 106.2333333°E / 31.25; 106.2333333
Country	China
Province	Sichuan
Officiated	1993
Government
– Party Secretary	Liu Hongjian
Area
– Total	12,479 km2 (4,818.2 sq mi)
Elevation	340 m (1,115 ft)
Population [1]
– Total	7,300,000
– Density	585/km2 (1,515.1/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC (UTC+8)
Postal code	637000
Area code(s)	0817
Website	http://www.nanchong.gov.cn/

Nanchong (Chinese: 南充; pinyin: Nánchōng; Wade–Giles: Nan-ch'ung ) is a prefecture-level city in the northeast of Sichuan Province of the People's Republic of China, with an area of 12,479 kilometers^[2]. and the home to 7,300,000 people. It has the second most populated area and suggested to be one of the eight largest cities of Sichuan Province. The administrative center is Shunqing District.

History

Nanchong was in the territory of the state of Ba before it was conquested by the Qin dynasty in 314 BC. The Qin set up a government at Langzhong city. Anhan city was established in Shunqinq district at the beginning of the Han Dynasty.

The name of Anhan city was changed to Guozhou (fruit city) in 621 AD (Tang dynasty), and then to Nanchong in 742 AD.

Subdivisions

Map
#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2004 est.)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
1	Shunqing District	顺庆区	Shùnqìng Qū	620,000	545	1,138
2	Gaoping District	高坪区	Gāopíng Qū	570,000	812	702
3	Jialing District	嘉陵区	Jiālíng Qū	680,000	1,170	581
4	Langzhong City	阆中市	Lángzhōng Shì	860,000	1,877	458
5	Nanbu County	南部县	Nánbù Xiàn	1,240,000	2,305	538
6	Yingshan County	营山县	Yíngshān Xiàn	900,000	1,633	551
7	Peng'an County	蓬安县	Péng'ān Xiàn	680,000	1,334	510
8	Yilong County	仪陇县	Yílǒng Xiàn	1,060,000	1,695	625
9	Xichong County	西充县	Xīchōng Xiàn	640,000	1,108	578

Geography

Nanchong is located in the north-east of Sichuan Province. To the east of Nanchong is Dazhou, to the west are Mianyang and Suining and to the north is Guangyuan.

The vast majority of this area is hilly. The woodland coverage is 25%.

The Jialing River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, crosses the prefecture from north to south, and there are another thirty rivers in the prefecture with a drainage basin of more than {{convert|30 sq kilometers.

Nanchong has a monsoon-influenced and generally humid and mild—except during summer—climate. It is classified as being humid subtropical (Köppen Cwa). Winters are mild and comparatively dry yet dreary, while summers are long, hot, humid, and much sunnier. January averages 6.4 °C (43.5 °F), while August averages 27.5 °C (81.5 °F); the annual mean temperature is 17.3 °C (63.1 °F). Rainfall is greatest in the summer months

Climate data for Nanchong (1971–2000)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Average high °C (°F)	9.2 (48.6)	11.7 (53.1)	16.4 (61.5)	22.3 (72.1)	26.6 (79.9)	28.9 (84.0)	31.5 (88.7)	32.4 (90.3)	26.5 (79.7)	21.1 (70.0)	16.0 (60.8)	10.5 (50.9)	21.09 (69.97)
Average low °C (°F)	4.3 (39.7)	6.1 (43.0)	9.7 (49.5)	14.2 (57.6)	18.4 (65.1)	21.5 (70.7)	23.8 (74.8)	23.7 (74.7)	19.9 (67.8)	15.4 (59.7)	10.6 (51.1)	6.0 (42.8)	14.47 (58.04)
Precipitation mm (inches)	16.2 (0.638)	16.9 (0.665)	30.3 (1.193)	75.1 (2.957)	118.4 (4.661)	147.2 (5.795)	188.3 (7.413)	125.9 (4.957)	135.5 (5.335)	78.1 (3.075)	37.3 (1.469)	18.0 (0.709)	987.2 (38.866)
% humidity	85	81	77	76	75	79	80	76	82	84	84	86	80.4
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)	8.9	8.6	10.7	12.5	13.5	13.6	12.8	10.1	14.6	14.0	10.6	8.3	138.2
Sunshine hours	31.7	43.6	81.7	118.4	130.7	122.6	168.6	193.8	96.5	67.5	53.3	26.9	1,135.3
Source: China Meteorological Administration

Demographics

The Han people are the largest ethnic group in this area, contributing to 99.88% of its total population, another 48 ethnic groups can be found in the city. Langzhong has a large Hui Muslim community.

As other cities in China, population in Nanchong is divided to two level, upper urban population and lower rural population, the registered urban population is about 1.2 million.

Shunqing District, located downtown, is the most dense area in Nanchong. At the center of Shunqing District, and the proverbial heart of the city, is Five Star Garden (simplified Chinese: 五星花园); a large roundabout with five exits leading to various other sections of the city.

Economy

Agriculture

Agriculture is the pillar of Nanchong’s economy, with 80% of Nanchong’s population sited in rural area and committed to traditional agriculture activities. Nanchong’s manufacturing industry also relies on raw materials which is provided by agriculture. Nanchong’s main agricultural product is food. A large quantity of rice, orange, silk worms, and pork are produced to support related manufacturers.^[3]

Manufacturing

Nanchong’s main manufacturing outputs are petroleum products, automobiles and parts, mechanical equipment, textiles, and building materials. ^[4]

Natural Resources

There is a large quantity of rock oil and natural gas found in Nanchong, and it has the largest slate mine in the west of China. The Dames on Jialing River and its branches have large potential to expand its electric power generation. But the largest resource of Nanchong is "Human", and Nanchong is one of the main providers of Chinese cheap migrant workers.^[5]

Transport

Transportation in Nanchong is quite convenient compared with other cities in Sichuan province because of its extensive express railway network, shipping, and air service.

Nanchong is a transport hub of the northeast Sichuan Province, it is crossed by the strategic China National Highway 318, built by the Chinese government in the 1930s, and China National Highway 212 and several newly built expressways, Cheng-Nan, and Nan-Guang expressway which link the city to Chengdu, and another prefecture-level city Guang'an. The expressway to the provincial-level municipality of Chongqing is under construction.

The Da-cheng Railway which crosses Nanchong links Chengdu and Dazhou. Another proposed railway, Lan-Yu raiway, links Lanzhou in Gansu Province and Chongqing city will make Nanchong a railway hub in northeast Sichuan province. The Nan-Chong railway station provides passenger and cargo services to several regional and national economic centres such as Chengdu, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Dongguan.

Old Nanchong airport was built in the 1950s and closed in 2003, The new Nanchong Airport which has capacity to land bigger planes, provides regular air services to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen.

Nanchong is suggested as a tradition shipping hub in ancient times, ships from Gansu could reach Chongqing along the Jialing river, but the river is not suitable for modern shipping.

Higher education

There are five academic institutions in Nanchong which provide higher education.

• Southwest Petroleum University (www.swpu.edu.cn)
• China West Normal University
• North Sichuan Medical College (www.nsmc.edu.cn)
• Nanchong Professional Technic College (www.nczy.com)
• Hope College of Southwest Jiaotong University(www.swjtuhc.cn)

Notable persons

• Chen Shou, historian in the Western Jin Dynasty，the author of San guo zhi (the record of Three Kingdoms)
• Luo Ruiqing, General of the Chinese Army, former minister of Public Security of People's Republic of China
• Zhang Lan, former Vice-President of People's Republic of China
• Zhang Side, a soldier of the People's Liberation Army of the People's Republic of China. He was posthumously honored by Chairman Mao and became an icon of self-sacrifice and noble character.
• Zhu De, one of the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party, Chinese communists government and People's Liberation Army

References

1. ^ (Chinese) Profile of Nanchong, official website of Nanchong Civil Affairs Bureau, visited on May 17, 2008.
2. ^ (Chinese) Profile of Nanchong.
3. ^ http://www.ncagri.gov.cn/bmzc_s.asp
4. ^ http://www.nanchong.gov.cn/article.php?id=769
5. ^ http://www.nanchong.gov.cn

External links

• Government of Nanchong