| Guangyuan | |
| Native Name: | 广元市 |
| Native Name Lang: | zh-Hans |
| Settlement Type: | Prefecture-level city |
| Mapsize: | 250px |
| Pushpin Map: | China Sichuan |
| Pushpin Map Caption: | Location of the city center in Sichuan |
| Pushpin Mapsize: | 250 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | People's Republic of China |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sichuan |
| Seat Type: | Municipal seat |
| Seat: | Lizhou District |
| Area Total Km2: | 16313.78 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 2305657 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP[1] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | CN¥ 60.5 billion US$ 9.7 billion |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics2 Info2: | CN¥ 23,263 US$ 3,735 |
| Timezone: | China Standard |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| Coor Pinpoint: | Guangyuan municipal government |
| Coordinates: | 32.436°N 105.844°W |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code |
| Postal Code: | 628017 |
| Area Code: | 0839 |
| Iso Code: | CN-SC-08 |
Guangyuan is a prefecture-level city in Sichuan Province, China, bordering the provinces of Shaanxi to the northeast and Gansu to the northwest. The city has a population of 2,305,657 as of the 2020 census.[2]
Located roughly between the provincial capitals Chengdu, Lanzhou, Xi'an and Chongqing municipality, it is considered the northern gateway to Sichuan.[3] It is an ancient city, notable for its relics and tombs.
Formerly known as Lizhou (Chinese: 利州, or Li prefecture), Guangyuan was the birthplace of Wu Zetian, the only woman in Chinese history to rule directly as emperor.[4]
On 12 May 2008, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred. 4,822 people were killed, 28,245 injured, and 125 missing in the city as of 7 June 2008.[5]
Guangyuan's economy is based on a diverse array of heavy industry, as well as mining and agriculture. Plant 821, a former large plutonium producing reactor, now used to process nuclear waste, is located near Guangyuan.[6] The city is an important production center for traditional Chinese medicine.[7]
| Map | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2010) | Area (km²) | Density (/km²) | |
| Lizhou District | Chinese: 利州区 | Lìzhōu Qū | 516,424 | 1,482 | 348 | |
| Zhaohua District | Chinese: 昭化区 | Zhāohuà Qū | 168,489 | 1,435 | 117 | |
| Chaotian District | Chinese: 朝天区 | Cháotiān Qū | 174,333 | 1,618 | 108 | |
| Wangcang County | Chinese: 旺苍县 | Wàngcāng Xiàn | 385,787 | 2,976 | 130 | |
| Qingchuan County | Chinese: 青川县 | Qīngchuān Xiàn | 222,253 | 3,269 | 68 | |
| Jiange County | Chinese: 剑阁县 | Jiàngé Xiàn | 457,656 | 3,204 | 142 | |
| Cangxi County | Chinese: 苍溪县 | Cāngxī Xiàn | 559,181 | 2,330 | 240 | |
Located roughly between the provincial capitals Chengdu, Chongqing, Lanzhou, Xi'an, Guangyuan is an important traffic hub in northern Sichuan.[8] The city has a port on the Jialing River, which is the closest inland port to Northwest China, and navigable all the way the east coast.
Guangyuan is known for Wangcang noodles.[9]