Hunan is a province of China, located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting (hence the name Hunan, meaning "south of the lake"). Hunan is sometimes called Xiang for short, after the Xiang River which runs through the province. Hunan's population is estimated at 65,000,000. There are over 1 million members of ethnic groups living in the western highlands. These minority peoples consist of four groups, the Miaos, the Tujia, the Dong, and the Yao.Its nominal GDP for 2010 was 1.59 trillion yuan (US$234.9 billion). Its per capita GDP was 20,226 yuan. 

Geography and Climate

Hunan Province is located on the south bank of the Yangtze River, about half way along its length. The east, south and west sides of the province are surrounded by mountains and hills, such as the Wuling Mountains to the northwest, the Xuefeng Mountains to the west, the Nanling Mountains to the south, and the Luoxiao Mountains to the east. The mountains and hills occupy more than 80% of the area and the plain comprises less than 20% of the whole province.

Hunan’s climate is subtropical, with mild winters and plenty of precipitation. January temperatures average 3 to 8 °C while July temperatures average around 27 to 30 °C. Average annual precipitation is 1200 to 1700 mm.

History

From 350 to 221 BC, Hunan formed the southernmost extension of the state of Chu. From 221 to 206 BC, Hunan was under the rule of Qin Dynasty, which subdued contending feudal states and joined them into the first unified state of China, of which Hunan formed part of the central area. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period, Hunan was home to its own independent regime, Ma Chu. Hunan, was, together with Hubei, a part of the province of Huguang till the Qing dynasty.

Culture and Food

Hunan is "a land of fish and rice", teeming with delicacies, fruits and handicrafts of every kind. Its embroidery is known across the country and the ammonite stone carvings are famous throughout the world. Both artistic forms have won favor with tourists. Travelers cannot only taste the delicious Hunan dishes, but can also enjoy colorful festivals with minority nationalities. Various kinds of folk art are demonstrated here.

Xiang Cuisine is one of the Eight Cuisines in China and has a fine and delicate appearance and a hot & sour taste and the heavy and hot taste is an equal competitor to the spicy food of Sichuan. Street dining and restaurants in the city make every visitor's mouth hot. 

Tourism

Hunan has a long history, with abundant products, beautiful scenery and many places of interest. The historical and cultural cities of Changsha and Yueyang are located in the province. Also, there are 25 tourism areas at the State or provincial level, 22 nature reserves at or above the provincial level, 51 ancient or memorial buildings and more than 70 relics, ancient tombs or tablet inscriptions. Hunan is also the home of many famous people, including Mao Zedong, Liu Shaoqi and Hu Yaobang. Lots of tourists come here to track down their stories.

Education

Hunan has made high achievements in education and boasts of a galaxy of advanced culture and talents since ancient times. Nowadays, Hunan has 4 key universities in the 211 project, respectively National Defense Science and Technology University, Central South University, Hunan University and Hunan Normal University. 3 out of the 4 universities are listed in the national '985 project'.

Universities in Hunan:

• National University of Defense Technology 
• Central South University 
• Changsha University of Science & Technology 
• Changsha University 
• Hunan Vocational College of Science and Technology 
• Changsha Normal College 
• Hunan University of Commerce 
• Hunan Industry Polytechnic 
• Hunan Mass Media Vocational Technical College 
• Hunan Agricultural University 
• Hunan Vocational College of Commerce 
• Hunan Normal University 
• Hunan Biological and Electromechanical Polytechnic