Yichang
Encyclopedia
Yichang is a prefecture-level city
located in Hubei
province of the People's Republic of China
. It is the second largest city in Hubei province after the province capital, Wuhan
. The Three Gorges Dam
is located within its administrative area, in Yiling District
.
, the Qin
general Bai Qi
set fire to Yiling. In 222 AD Yichang was also the site of the Battle of Yiling during the Three Kingdoms
Period.
In 1876, under the Qing
Guangxu Emperor
, Yichang was opened to foreign trade
as a trading port after the Second Opium War
with Britain
. The imperial government set up a navigation company there and built wharfs less than half a kilometer in length. Since 1949, more than 50 wharves have been constructed at the port so that its wharf area is now over 15 km long.
In 1940, during the Second Sino-Japanese War
, the Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
took place in the area.
; its municipal government has jurisdiction over five counties, five urban districts, and three satellite county-level cities (Yidu
, Dangyang
, Zhijiang
).
(西陵峡), the easternmost of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River
, is located within the prefecture-level city.
Within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, Chang Jiang's is joined by a number of tributaries, including the Qingjiang River (right), Xiang Xi and Huangbo
Rivers (leftt).
The central urban area of Yichang is split between several districts. On the right (northeastern) bank of the Chang Jiang are located Xiling District
(where the city center is located), Yiling District (neighborhoods north of the center) and Wujiagang District (southern area). The city area on the opposite (southeastern) bank of the river is included into Dianjun District. All these districts, with the exception of the central Xiling, also include a fair amount of suburban/rural area outside of the city urban core.
-influenced, humid subtropical climate
(Koppen
Cwa), with cool, damp and generally overcast winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly mean temperatures range from 4.9 °C (40.8 °F) in January to 27.7 °C (81.9 °F) in July, with an annual mean of 16.9 °C (62.4 °F). Sunshine is a bit on the low end, with winter being the cloudiest season, yet rainfall is concentrated from May to September.
Several provincial highways connect Yichang center city with most counties.
Several bridges span the Yangtze River within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, including (upstream to downstream):
A railway bridge is constructed downstream of downtown for the new Yiwan Railway
. (As of April 2010, Google Maps' satellite view shows a bridge still under construction at 30°39′12"N 111°19′20"E; however, those photos may be many months out of date).
There are several ferry crossings as well.
Yichang is an important river port on the Yangtze river
. Maoping
Town (the county seat of Zigui County), has an active passenger wharf
as well.
The Qingjiang River in the southern part of the prefecture, with its cascade of dams, is an important waterway as well.
and Wuchang stations), Beijing
, and a few other major cities.
Currently, Yichang is a dead-end station. However, construction work has started on the high-speed Hanyi Railway
and the Yiwan Railway
(from Hankou
(Wuhan
) to Yichang to Wanzhou), which will be part of the Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line
from Shanghai
to Wuhan
to Chengdu
. Besides the new Yichang East Railway Station
serving Yichang's main urban area, some the high-speed trains will stop elsewhere in the prefecture, namely at Zhijiang Railway Station
on the Hanyi line (in Zhijiang
City), and at some stations on the Yiwan line.
Yichang also formed the border between the cultures of Ba
in the west (an ancient state in the eastern part of what is now Sichuan
Province) and the Chu State in the east (an ancient state in what is now Hubei Province and northern Hunan
Province).
(the result of the merger of the University of Hydraulic & Electric Engineering, Yichang and of Hubei
Sanxia University), the largest comprehensive university in Hubei
Province outside Wuhan
, with over 20,400 full-time students.
and Wuhan. Its primary industries are shipping and shipbuilding, taking advantage of its location on the Yangtze River.
Yichang prefecture is the site of many major hydroelectricity projects. The best known of them are the two huge dams on the Yangtze River: the Gezhouba Dam
(located just upstream of Yichang central city) and Three Gorges Dam
, which is 40 km upstream.
The Geheyan Dam
and Gaobazhou Dam on the Qingjiang are important as well. Besides those, a huge number of medium-sized and small power plants operate on smaller rivers and streams within the prefecture.
with:
Prefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
located in Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
province of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
. It is the second largest city in Hubei province after the province capital, Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
. The Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
is located within its administrative area, in Yiling District
Yiling District
Yiling District is a district within the prefecture-level city of Yichang in China's Hubei Province. Created in July 2001, the district includes most of the former Yichang County, with the exception of Yichang center city and certain southern and western suburbs.The land area of Yiling District...
.
History
In ancient times Yichang was known as Yiling. There are historical records telling that in the year 278 BC during the Warring States periodWarring States Period
The Warring States Period , also known as the Era of Warring States, or the Warring Kingdoms period, covers the Iron Age period from about 475 BC to the reunification of China under the Qin Dynasty in 221 BC...
, the Qin
Qin (state)
The State of Qin was a Chinese feudal state that existed during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States Periods of Chinese history...
general Bai Qi
Bai Qi
Bái Qǐ was an outstanding military leader of the State of Qin during the Warring States Period of Chinese history. Born in Mei , as commander of the Qin army for more than 30 years, Bai Qi was responsible for the deaths of a total over 890,000 enemy soldiers, earning him the nickname Ren Tu...
set fire to Yiling. In 222 AD Yichang was also the site of the Battle of Yiling during the Three Kingdoms
Three Kingdoms
The Three Kingdoms period was a period in Chinese history, part of an era of disunity called the "Six Dynasties" following immediately the loss of de facto power of the Han Dynasty rulers. In a strict academic sense it refers to the period between the foundation of the state of Wei in 220 and the...
Period.
In 1876, under the Qing
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
Guangxu Emperor
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
, Yichang was opened to foreign trade
Treaty ports
The treaty ports was the name given to the port cities in China, Japan, and Korea that were opened to foreign trade by the Unequal Treaties.-Chinese treaty ports:...
as a trading port after the Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
with Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The imperial government set up a navigation company there and built wharfs less than half a kilometer in length. Since 1949, more than 50 wharves have been constructed at the port so that its wharf area is now over 15 km long.
In 1940, during the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, the Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
Battle of Zaoyang-Yichang
The Battle of Zaoyang–Yichang , also known as the Battle of Zaoyi was one of the 22 major engagements between the National Revolutionary Army and Imperial Japanese Army during the Second Sino-Japanese War....
took place in the area.
Administrative divisions
Administratively, it is a prefecture-level cityPrefecture-level city
A prefectural level city , prefectural city or prefectural level municipality is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China, ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure. Prefectural level cities form the second level of the administrative...
; its municipal government has jurisdiction over five counties, five urban districts, and three satellite county-level cities (Yidu
Yidu, Hubei
Yidu is a county-level city in Hubei, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Yichang....
, Dangyang
Dangyang
Dangyang City , in Hubei Province, China, lies 70 km east of the Gezhouba Dam on the Yangtze River. During the Western Han Dynasty . Emperor Jing of Han established an administration in Dangyang on an area of 2000 km²...
, Zhijiang
Zhijiang, Hubei
Zhijiang is a county-level city in Yichang Municipality, Hubei province. Yichang is probably best known for the Three Gorges hydro project. Until the 1990s Zhijiang was a county...
).
- Xiling DistrictXiling DistrictXiling District is a district of Yichang, Hubei, China. It includes the central part of Yichang's urban area, on the left bank of the Yangtze River.-External links:*...
(西陵区) - includes the city center - Wujiagang DistrictWujiagang DistrictWujiagang District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang city....
(伍家岗区) - southeastern parts of the urban area, and suburbs - Dianjun DistrictDianjun DistrictDianjun District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang city. It contains 3 townships with 23 villages. In 2004 it had 105,175 residents....
(点军区) - the part of the urban area southwest of the Changjiang (across from the city center), and suburbs - Xiaoting DistrictXiaoting DistrictXiaoting District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang city....
(猇亭区) - Yiling DistrictYiling DistrictYiling District is a district within the prefecture-level city of Yichang in China's Hubei Province. Created in July 2001, the district includes most of the former Yichang County, with the exception of Yichang center city and certain southern and western suburbs.The land area of Yiling District...
(夷陵区) - northern part of the urban area, and suburbs - ZhijiangZhijiang, HubeiZhijiang is a county-level city in Yichang Municipality, Hubei province. Yichang is probably best known for the Three Gorges hydro project. Until the 1990s Zhijiang was a county...
City (枝江市) - YiduYidu, HubeiYidu is a county-level city in Hubei, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Yichang....
City (宜都市) - DangyangDangyangDangyang City , in Hubei Province, China, lies 70 km east of the Gezhouba Dam on the Yangtze River. During the Western Han Dynasty . Emperor Jing of Han established an administration in Dangyang on an area of 2000 km²...
City (当阳市) - Yuan'an CountyYuan'an CountyYuan'an County is a county of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang city....
(远安县) - Xingshan CountyXingshan CountyXingshan County is a county of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang Prefecture-level City.-Geography:The county occupies the mountainous north-western corner of Yichang prefecture , bordering on Badong County in the west and Shennongjia in the north...
(兴山县) - Zigui County (秭归县) - a county whose country seat (Maoping Zhen) is some 50 km west of Yichang center city, next to the Three Gorges DamThree Gorges DamThe Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
- Changyang Tujia Autonomous CountyChangyang Tujia Autonomous CountyChangyang Tujia Autonomous County is an autonomous county in Hubei Province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Yichang....
(长阳土家族自治县) - Wufeng Tujia Autonomous CountyWufeng Tujia Autonomous CountyWufeng Tujia Autonomous County is a county of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang city....
(五峰土家族自治县)
Geography
Like most prefecture-level cities, Yichang includes both an urban area (what's labeled on less detailed maps as "Yichang") and the surrounding country area. It covers 21,084 km2 in Western Hubei Province, on both sides of the Chang Jiang (Yangtze) River. The Xiling GorgeXiling Gorge
Xiling Gorge is a gorge on the Yangtze River in China. It is located in Zigui County and Yiling District of Hubei Province, from Xiangxi down to the western suburbs of Yichang, and is the largest and farthest downstream of the Three Gorges....
(西陵峡), the easternmost of the Three Gorges on the Yangtze River
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
, is located within the prefecture-level city.
Within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, Chang Jiang's is joined by a number of tributaries, including the Qingjiang River (right), Xiang Xi and Huangbo
Huangbo River
Huangbo River is a river in China's Hubei Province, a left tributary of the Yangtze River. The Huangbo is located entirely within the prefecture-level city of Yichang. It flows in the general southern direction through Yichang's Yiling District and Yuan'an County, falling into the Yangtze within...
Rivers (leftt).
The central urban area of Yichang is split between several districts. On the right (northeastern) bank of the Chang Jiang are located Xiling District
Xiling District
Xiling District is a district of Yichang, Hubei, China. It includes the central part of Yichang's urban area, on the left bank of the Yangtze River.-External links:*...
(where the city center is located), Yiling District (neighborhoods north of the center) and Wujiagang District (southern area). The city area on the opposite (southeastern) bank of the river is included into Dianjun District. All these districts, with the exception of the central Xiling, also include a fair amount of suburban/rural area outside of the city urban core.
Climate
Yichang has a four-season, monsoonMonsoon
Monsoon is traditionally defined as a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation, but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with the asymmetric heating of land and sea...
-influenced, humid subtropical climate
Humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a climate zone characterized by hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters...
(Koppen
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Cwa), with cool, damp and generally overcast winters, and hot, humid summers. Monthly mean temperatures range from 4.9 °C (40.8 °F) in January to 27.7 °C (81.9 °F) in July, with an annual mean of 16.9 °C (62.4 °F). Sunshine is a bit on the low end, with winter being the cloudiest season, yet rainfall is concentrated from May to September.
Roads and bridges
- China National Highway 318China National Highway 318China National Highway 318 runs from Shanghai to Zhangmu on the China-Nepal border. It is 5,476 kilometres in length and runs west from Shanghai towards Zhejiang, Anhui, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan, and ends in Tibet. One notable section of this road is the Si Du River Bridge, the bridge with the...
runs east-west through most of the prefecture-level city, south of the center city - China National Highway 209China National Highway 209China National Highway 209 runs from Huhhot, Inner Mongolia to Beihai, Guangxi province. It is3,435 kilometres in length and runs south from Huhhot towards Shanxi province, Henan province, Hubei province, Hunan province, and ends in Guangxi province.Despite the "National Highway" designation, G209...
passes through the northwestern corner of the prefecture-level city (Xingshan CountyXingshan CountyXingshan County is a county of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang Prefecture-level City.-Geography:The county occupies the mountainous north-western corner of Yichang prefecture , bordering on Badong County in the west and Shennongjia in the north...
)
Several provincial highways connect Yichang center city with most counties.
Several bridges span the Yangtze River within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, including (upstream to downstream):
- Xiling BridgeXiling BridgeThe Xiling Bridge, or Xiling Yangtze Bridge , is a suspension bridge over the Yangtse River, just a few kilometers downstream from the Three Gorges Dam...
, connecting Letianxi and SandoupingSandoupingSandouping is a town in Yiling District of Yichang prefecture-level city in the Chinese province of Hubei. It is located on the right bank of the Yangtze River, next to Yiling District's border with Zigui County to the west...
in Yiling DistrictYiling DistrictYiling District is a district within the prefecture-level city of Yichang in China's Hubei Province. Created in July 2001, the district includes most of the former Yichang County, with the exception of Yichang center city and certain southern and western suburbs.The land area of Yiling District...
, a few km downstream from the Three Gorges DamThree Gorges DamThe Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
. - Yiling BridgeYiling BridgeThe Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, The Yiling Bridge, ( is a cable-stayed bridge in the city-center of Yichang, Hubei. It has 3 towers and two main spans, with a total of 4 spans...
, downtown Yichang (a few km downstream from the Gezhouba DamGezhouba DamThe Gezhouba Dam or Gezhouba Water Control Project on the Yangtze River is located in the western suburbs of Yichang City in central China's Hubei province. The dam sits a few kilometers upstream from downtown Yichang, just downstream of the fall of the Huangbo River into the Yangtze. Construction...
). It connects the urban XilingXiling DistrictXiling District is a district of Yichang, Hubei, China. It includes the central part of Yichang's urban area, on the left bank of the Yangtze River.-External links:*...
and DianjunDianjun DistrictDianjun District is a district of Hubei, China. It is under the administration of Yichang city. It contains 3 townships with 23 villages. In 2004 it had 105,175 residents....
Districts. - Yichang Yangtze Highway BridgeYichang BridgeThe Yichang Bridge, or Yichang Yangtze Highway Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the Yangtze River some 20 km downstream from the center city of Yichang, China. It is located within the prefecture-level city of Yichang, and carries the G50 Shanghai–Chongqing Expressway...
, on the Hu-Rong Expressway, downstream of Yichang center city
A railway bridge is constructed downstream of downtown for the new Yiwan Railway
Yiwan Railway
The Yichang–Wanzhou Railway, or the Yiwan Railway connects the cities of Yichang and Wanzhou via Lichuan, in the central People's Republic of China. It was completed in 2010, and will be part of the future Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line from Shanghai to Wuhan to Chengdu...
. (As of April 2010, Google Maps' satellite view shows a bridge still under construction at 30°39′12"N 111°19′20"E; however, those photos may be many months out of date).
There are several ferry crossings as well.
Waterways
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
. Maoping
Maoping
Maoping is a town in Zigui County , in the western part of Hubei Province of China. It is the county seat of Zigui County, and as such is labeled simply as "Zigui" or "Zigui County" on most less-detailed maps.The town is located on the right bank of the Yangtze, just upstream of the Three...
Town (the county seat of Zigui County), has an active passenger wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
as well.
The Qingjiang River in the southern part of the prefecture, with its cascade of dams, is an important waterway as well.
Railway
The eastern part of the prefecture-level city has railway service. The passenger station in Yichang center city has daily trains to Wuhan (both to HankouHankou
Hankou was one of the three cities whose merging formed modern-day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers where the Han falls into the Yangtze...
and Wuchang stations), Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, and a few other major cities.
Currently, Yichang is a dead-end station. However, construction work has started on the high-speed Hanyi Railway
Hanyi Railway
Hanyi Railway , or Hankou-Yichang Railway, is a railway currently being constructed between Hankou and Yichang in the Chinese province of Hubei. It will be a section of the future Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line from Shanghai to Wuhan to Chengdu...
and the Yiwan Railway
Yiwan Railway
The Yichang–Wanzhou Railway, or the Yiwan Railway connects the cities of Yichang and Wanzhou via Lichuan, in the central People's Republic of China. It was completed in 2010, and will be part of the future Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line from Shanghai to Wuhan to Chengdu...
(from Hankou
Hankou
Hankou was one of the three cities whose merging formed modern-day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers where the Han falls into the Yangtze...
(Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
) to Yichang to Wanzhou), which will be part of the Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line
Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line
Shanghai–Wuhan–Chengdu Passenger Dedicated Line , is a partially completed high-speed railway corridor in People's Republic of China. The chinese name of the railway line, Huhanrong, is a combination of the abbreviations for Shanghai , Wuhan , and Chengdu , three major cities along the line.The...
from Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
to Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
to Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
. Besides the new Yichang East Railway Station
Yichang East Railway Station
Yichang East Railway Station is a railway station under construction in Yichang City, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. It will be the junction of the two sections of the Huhanrong Passenger Dedicated Line : the Hanyi Railway, going east to Hankou , and the Yiwan Railway going west to...
serving Yichang's main urban area, some the high-speed trains will stop elsewhere in the prefecture, namely at Zhijiang Railway Station
Zhijiang Railway Station
Zhijiang Railway Station is a future railway station, which will be located in Zhijiang City, which is part of the Yichang prefecture-level city, Hubei Province, People's Republic of China. It will be served by the Hanyi Railway , which will be operated by Wuhan Railway Bureau, Ministry of Railways...
on the Hanyi line (in Zhijiang
Zhijiang
Zhijiang may refer to:* Zhijiang Dong Autonomous County, in Hunan, China* Zhijiang, Hubei, county-level city in Hubei, China...
City), and at some stations on the Yiwan line.
Demographics
Yichang has a population of 4,150,000 with urban population of 1,338,000. Yichang prefecture-level city, is home to many members of the Tujia ethnic group, who mostly live in several counties in the south-west of the prefecture.Yichang also formed the border between the cultures of Ba
Ba (state)
Ba was an ancient state in eastern Sichuan, China. Its original capital was Yicheng , Hubei. Ba was conquered by Qin in 316 BC. The modern ethnic minority Tujia people trace some of their origins back to the Ba people....
in the west (an ancient state in the eastern part of what is now Sichuan
Sichuan
' , known formerly in the West by its postal map spellings of Szechwan or Szechuan is a province in Southwest China with its capital in Chengdu...
Province) and the Chu State in the east (an ancient state in what is now Hubei Province and northern Hunan
Hunan
' is a province of South-Central China, located to the south of the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and south of Lake Dongting...
Province).
Education
Since 2002, Yichang City has been home of the China Three Gorges UniversityChina Three Gorges University
China Three Gorges University is located in Yichang City, Hubei province, China. The university is located at the mouth of the Xiling Gorge, one of the Three Gorges.The campus occupies 200 hectares, and the total building area comprises...
(the result of the merger of the University of Hydraulic & Electric Engineering, Yichang and of Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
Sanxia University), the largest comprehensive university in Hubei
Hubei
' Hupeh) is a province in Central China. The name of the province means "north of the lake", referring to its position north of Lake Dongting...
Province outside Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
, with over 20,400 full-time students.
Economy
Yichang has long been a major transit port and distribution center of goods, and serves as the economic hub of western Hubei province and an intermediary between the major cities of ChongqingChongqing
Chongqing is a major city in Southwest China and one of the five national central cities of China. Administratively, it is one of the PRC's four direct-controlled municipalities , and the only such municipality in inland China.The municipality was created on 14 March 1997, succeeding the...
and Wuhan. Its primary industries are shipping and shipbuilding, taking advantage of its location on the Yangtze River.
Yichang prefecture is the site of many major hydroelectricity projects. The best known of them are the two huge dams on the Yangtze River: the Gezhouba Dam
Gezhouba Dam
The Gezhouba Dam or Gezhouba Water Control Project on the Yangtze River is located in the western suburbs of Yichang City in central China's Hubei province. The dam sits a few kilometers upstream from downtown Yichang, just downstream of the fall of the Huangbo River into the Yangtze. Construction...
(located just upstream of Yichang central city) and Three Gorges Dam
Three Gorges Dam
The Three Gorges Dam is a hydroelectric dam that spans the Yangtze River by the town of Sandouping, located in the Yiling District of Yichang, in Hubei province, China...
, which is 40 km upstream.
The Geheyan Dam
Geheyan dam
The Geheyan Dam is an arch-gravity dam on the Qingjiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, in Hubei, China.The dam is located in Changyang Tujia Autonomous County , just a few kilometers to the west from the county seat.The dam is designed in 1987, and is equipped with a ship lift capable...
and Gaobazhou Dam on the Qingjiang are important as well. Besides those, a huge number of medium-sized and small power plants operate on smaller rivers and streams within the prefecture.
Twin towns — Sister cities
Yichang is twinnedTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
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