Changsha[a] is the capital ofHunan, China. Located in the lower reaches of theXiang River in northeastern Hunan, it is the 15th most populous city in China with a population of 10,513,100,[6] thethird-most populous city inCentral China, and the most livable city in China.[7]
Chángshā is thepinyinromanization of theMandarin pronunciation of theChinese name written長沙 intraditional characters or长沙 insimplified ones. The name—meaning "long sandy place"—is attested as early as the 11thcentury BC, when a vassal lord of the area sentKing Cheng ofZhou a gift described as a "Changshasoftshell turtle" (长沙鳖;長沙鼈;Chángshā biē). Its precise origin is unknown but it originally referred to the region around the city rather than the settlement itself. In the 2nd century AD, the historianYing Shao wrote that theQin use of the name Changsha for the area was a continuance of its old name.[40]
TheChu settlement in the Changsha area was known asQingyang. Under theHan, theprincipality ofChangsha called its capitalLinxiang ("[Place] Overlooking theXiang River"). During theTang andSouthern Chu, it was known asTanzhou from its role overseeing theirTan Prefecture.
Development started around3000 BC when Changsha developed with the proliferation ofLongshan culture, although there is no firm evidence of such a link.[41] Evidence exists that people lived and thrived in the area during theBronze Age. Numerous examples of pottery and other objects have been discovered.
LaterChinese legends related that theFlame andYellow Emperors visited the area.Sima Qian'shistory states that the Yellow Emperor granted his eldest sonShaohao the lands of Changsha and its neighbors. During theSpring and Autumn period (8th–5th centuryBC), theYue culture spread into the area around Changsha. During the succeedingWarring States period,Chu took control of Changsha. Its capital, Qingyang, became an important southern outpost of the kingdom. In 1951–57 archaeologists explored numerous large and medium-sized Chu tombs from the Warring States Era. More than 3,000 tombs have been discovered. Under theQin dynasty(221–206 BC), Changsha was a staging post for expeditions south intoGuangdong that led to its conquest and the establishment of theNanyue kingdom.
Under theHan(3rd century BC –3rd century AD), Linxiang was the capital of theprincipality ofChangsha. At first this was aclient state held byLiu Bang'sBaiyue allyWu Rui that served as a means of controlling the restive Chu people and as abuffer state againstNanyue. By202 BC, Linxiang hadcity walls to protect it against uprisings and invasions. The famousMawangdui tombs were constructed between 186 and165 BC.Lady Xin Zhui was buried in the earliest tomb(No. 2) and, during its excavation in the 1970s, was found to have been very well preserved. More importantly, the tombs included the earliest surviving copies of theTao Te Ching and other important literary and historical documents.
When Wu Rui's descendant Wu Zhu(吳著,Wú Zhù) died childless in157 BC, the kingdom was granted to a cadet branch of theimperial family as their fief. The kingdom was abolished underWang Mang's short-livedXin dynasty and briefly revived by theEastern Han. InAD 33, its prince was demoted and the area administered asLinxiang County [zh] andChangsha Commandery.
TheThree Kingdoms state ofWu ruled Changsha for several decades, a period whose administration is well known because its documents have been excavated.[42] Following the turmoil of the Three Kingdoms, theWu Emperor ofJin granted Changsha to his sixth sonSima Yi. The local government had over 100 counties at the beginning of the dynasty. Over the course of the dynasty, the local government of Changsha lost control over a few counties, leaving them to local rule.
The 6th-centurySui dynasty renamed Xiangzhou[clarification needed] toTan Prefecture, causing the city to also be known as Tanzhou. It was named after Zhaotan[clarification needed] in the year Kaihuang 9 (AD589), and the Tanzhou General Manager[dubious –discuss] was established. During the reign of the Sui emperorYang, Tanzhou was abolished and Changsha County, a first-level administrative unit, was established, but the area of its jurisdiction was reduced.[43] Changsha's 3-tier administration was simplified to a 2-tier state and county system, eliminating the middle canton region.[clarification needed] Under theTang, Changsha prospered as a center of trade between central China andSoutheast Asia but suffered during theAnshi Rebellion, when it fell to the rebels.
In early 10th century, Changsha served as the capital of theSouthern Chu Kingdom established by Ma Yin (马殷) in 907, one of the era's Ten Kingdoms. Southern Chu lasted about 50 years before being overthrown by theSouthern Tang in 951.
Under theSong dynasty, theYuelu Academy was founded in 976. It was destroyed by war in 1127 and rebuilt in 1165, during which year the celebrated philosopherZhu Xi taught there. It was again destroyed by theMongols during the establishment of theYuan before being restored in the late 15th century under theMing. Early 19th-century graduates of the academy formed what one historian called a "network of messianic alumni", includingZeng Guofan, architect of theTongzhi Restoration,[44] andCai E, a major leader in the defense of theRepublic of China.[45] In 1903 the academy became Hunan High School. Modern-dayHunan University is also a descendant of theYuelu Academy. Some of its buildings were remodeled from 1981 to 1986 according to their presumed original Song design.
During theMongolconquest of theSouthern Song, Tanzhou was fiercely defended by the local Song troops. After the city finally fell, the defenders committed mass suicide. Under theMing (14th–17th centuries), Tanzhou was again renamed Changsha and made a superior prefecture.[clarification needed]
Under theQing (17th–20th centuries), Changsha was the capital of Hunan and prospered as one of China's chief rice markets. During theTaiping Rebellion, the city was besieged by the rebels in 1852 or 1854[which?] for three months but never fell. The rebels moved on toWuhan, but Changsha then became the principal base for the government's suppression of the rebellion.[citation needed]
The 1903Treaty of Shanghai between the Qing andJapanese empires opened the city to foreign trade effective 1904.Most favored nation clauses in otherunequal treaties extended the Japanese gains to the Western powers as well.[citation needed] Consequently, international capital entered the town and factories, churches, and schools were built. A college was started byYale alumni, which later became a medical centre named Xiangya and a secondary school named theYali School.[citation needed]
Following theXinhai Revolution, further development followed the opening of the railway toHankou inHubei province in 1918, which was later extended toGuangzhou inGuangdong Province in 1936. Although Changsha's population grew, the city remained primarily commercial in character. Before 1937, it had little industry apart from some smallcotton-textile, glass, andnonferrous-metal plants andhandicraft enterprises.[citation needed]
Mao Zedong, the founder of thePeople's Republic of China, began his political career in Changsha. He was a student at the Hunan Number 1 Teachers' Training School from 1913 to 1918. He later returned as a teacher and principal from 1920 to 1922.[citation needed] The school was destroyed during theChinese Civil War but has since been restored. The former office of the HunanCommunist Party Central Committee where Mao Zedong once lived is now a museum that includes Mao's living quarters, photographs and other historical items from the 1920s.[citation needed]
Until May 1927, communist support remained strong in Changsha before the massacre carried out by theright-wing faction of theKMT troops. The faction owed its allegiance toChiang Kai-shek during its offensive against the KMT'sleft-wing faction underWang Jingwei, who was then allied closely with theCommunists. The purge of communists and suspected communists was part of Chiang's plans for consolidating his hold over the KMT, weakening Wang's control, and thereby over the entire China. In a period of twenty days, Chiang's forces killed more than ten thousand people in Changsha and its outskirts.[citation needed]
During theSecond Sino-Japanese War (1937–45), Changsha's strategic location made it the focus of four campaigns by theImperial Japanese Army to capture it from theNationalist Army: these campaigns were the1st Changsha,[46] the2nd Changsha, the3rd Changsha, and the4th Changsha. The city was able to repulse the first three attacks thanks toXue Yue's leadership, but ultimately fell into Japanese hands in 1944 for a year until the Japanese were defeated in a counterattack and forced to surrender.[47][48] Before these Japanese campaigns, the city was already virtually destroyed by the1938 Changsha Fire, a deliberate fire ordered by Kuomintang commanders who mistakenly feared the city was about to fall to the Japanese; GeneralissimoChiang Kai-shek had suggested that the city be burned so that the Japanese force would gain nothing after entering it.[49]
Map including Changsha (labeled as CH'ANG-SHA長沙) (AMS, 1953)Orange Isle
Changsha is in northeast Hunan Province, the lower reaches of theXiang River and the western part of theChangliu Basin. It lies between 111°53' to 114°15' east longitude and 27°51' to 28°41' north latitude. The city bordersYichun andPingxiang ofJiangxi Province in the east,Zhuzhou andXiangtan in the south,Loudi andYiyang in the west, andYueyang andYiyang in the north. It is about 230 kilometres from east to west and about 88 kilometres from north to south. Changsha covers an area of 11,819 km2 (4,563 sq mi), of which the urban area of 2,150.9 km2 (830.5 sq mi), the urban built-up area is 374.64 km2 (144.65 sq mi). Changsha's highest point is Mount Qixing (七星岭) inDaweishan Town, 1,607.9 m (5,275 ft). The lowest point is Zhanhu (湛湖) inQiaokou Town, 23.5 m (77 ft).[50]
TheXiang is the main river in the city, running 74 km (46 mi) northward through the territory. 15 tributaries flow into the Xiang, of which theLiuyang,Laodao,Jinjiang andWei are the four largest.[50] The Xiang divides the city into two parts. The eastern part is mainly commercial and the west is mainly cultural and educational. On 10 October 2001, the seat of Changsha City was transferred fromFanzheng Street toGuanshaling. Since then, the economy of both sides of the Xiang River has achieved a balanced development.[51]
Most of the rivers in Changsha belong to the Xiang River system. In addition to the Xiangjiang River, 15 tributaries flow into the Xiang, mainly including Liuyang River, Laodao River, Minjiang River, and Qinshui River.[52] 302 tributaries are more than five kilometers long, including 289 in the Xiang River Basin. According to the tributary grading there are 24 primary tributaries, 128 secondary tributaries, 118 third tributaries, and 32 tributaries; and 13 are Zijiang water systems; a fairly complete water system is formed, and the river network is densely distributed. Hydrological characteristics of Changsha: the water system is complete, the river network dense; the water volume greater, the water energy resources abundant; the winter not frozen, and the sediment content small.[53]
The geological features of Changsha City are: the formation is fully exposed, the granite body is widely distributed, and the geological structure is complex. The strata of each geological and historical period are exposed in Changsha City, and the oldest stratum was formed about one billion years ago. About 600 million years ago, Changsha was a sea, but the sea was not deep. Later, seawater gradually withdrew from the east and west, and most of Liuyang, Changsha, and Wangcheng rose out of the sea and became the northwestern edge of the ancient land of Jiangnan. About 140 million years ago, the sea leaching in the Changsha area ended and it became a land. Due to the influence of crustal movement and geological structure, a long-shaped mountain depression basin, the Chang (Sha) Ping (Jiang) Basin, was formed. Beginning of the new generation, the entire Changping Basin has risen to land. About 3.5 million years ago, the third ice age occurred on the earth, and Liuyang retained the remains of glacier landforms.[53]
Changsha has ahumid subtropical climate (KöppenCfa), with annual average temperature being at 17.8 °C (64.0 °F), with a mean of 5.3 °C (41.5 °F) in January and 29.4 °C (84.9 °F) in July. Average annual precipitation is 1,499 millimetres (59.0 in), with a 275-day frost-free period. With a monthly possible-sunshine percentage ranging from 20% in January to 53% in July, the city receives 1,532.8 hours of bright sunshine annually. The four seasons are distinct. The summers are long and very hot, with heavy rainfall, and autumn is comfortable and is the driest season. Winter is chilly and overcast with lighter rainfall more likely than downpours; cold snaps occur with temperatures occasionally dropping below freezing. Spring is especially rainy and humid with the sun shining less than 30% of the time. The minimum temperature ever recorded since 1951 at the current Wangchengpo Weather Observing Station was −11.3 °C (11.7 °F), recorded on 9 February 1972. The maximum was 40.6 °C (105.1 °F) on 13 August 1953 and 2 August 2003 [the unofficial record of 43.0 °C (109.4 °F) was set on 10 August 1934].
Climate data for Changsha, elevation 119 m (390 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
Changsha is one of China's 15 most "developed and economically advanced" cities.[58][21][59] As of 2024, Changsha's GDP per capita exceeded CN¥ 144,525 ( US$20,294 innominal or US$42,136 inPPP), which is considered a high-income status by the World Bank and a primary developed city according to the international standard.[60][61][31] TheHDI of Changsha reached 0.817 (very high) in 2016, which is roughly comparable to a moderately developed country.[30][31] Changsha is now one of the core cities in theSouth Central China region, theYangtze River Economic Belt and theBelt and Road Initiative,[18][19] a Beta- (global second-tier) city by theGlobalization and World Cities Research Network,[20] anew Chinese first-tier city[22] and also a pioneering area for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.[23] Known as the "Construction Machinery Capital of the world", Changsha has an industrial chain with construction machinery and new materials as the main industries, complemented by automobiles, electronic information, household appliances, and biomedicine.[24][25]
Since the 1990s, Changsha has begun to accelerate economic development, and then achieved the highest growth rate among China's major cities during the 2000s.[26] TheXiangjiang New Area, the first state-level new area in Central China, was established in 2015.[27] Changsha also has a prominent media and publishing industry, and has been named the first "UNESCO City of Media Arts" in China.[37] Changsha is home to theHunan Broadcasting System (HBS), the most influential provincial TV station in China.[38][39]
Huangxing Road Pedestrian Street
In 2013, the financial news portal Yicai.com published its first edition of a list of ranking cities in China, with Changsha being included as one of 15 new first-tier cities.[62] In 2017, Changsha made its way into the 1-trillion-yuan GDP club, becoming the 13th city in China with a GDP of one trillion yuan (154 billion US dollars).[63] As of 2020, more than 164Global 500 companies have established branches in Changsha.[64] As a new first-tier city, Changsha was rated #10 nationwide in terms of its commercial worth in 2022.[65]
As of 2021, Changsha's GDP exceeded RMB 1.327 trillion (US$208 billion innominal and US$318 billion inPPP), making it the 5th most wealthy city in the South-Central China region afterShenzhen,Guangzhou,Hong Kong, andWuhan and the 2nd richest city in theCentral China region after Wuhan.[66][67] Changsha'sGDP (nominal) was US$208 billion in 2021, exceeding that of Ukraine and Hungary, with GDPs of US$200 billion and US$182 billion, the 22nd and 23rdlargest economies in Europe respectively.[68] Changsha has also led the development of the night economy and as of 2021, it ranked 2nd nationwide afterChongqing in terms of nighttime economic power according to the "China City Night Economy Impact Report 2021-2022".[69]
According to theHurun Global Rich List, Changsha ranked among the top 35 cities globally as of 2022,[70][71] and as of 2024, it ranked first in theCentral China region and 9th inGreater China (after Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Hangzhou, Taipei, Guangzhou, and Ningbo) in terms of resident billionaires.[72]
Changsha's nominal GDP is projected to be among the world's top 50 largest cities according to a study by Oxford Economics in 2035[73] and its nominal GDP per capita will reach US$41,000 in 2030.[74]
TheChangsha ETZ was founded in 1992. It is located inXingsha in eastern Changsha. The total planned area is 38.6 km2 (14.9 sq mi) and the current[when?] area is 38.6 km2 (14.9 sq mi). Near the zone are National Highways319 and107 as well as theG4 Beijing–Hong Kong and Macau Expressway. The zone is also very close to Changsha's downtown area and the railway station, while the distance between the zone and the city's airport is a mere 8 km (5.0 mi). The major industries in the zone include the high-tech industry, the biology project technology industry, and the new material industry.[75]
Yuelu Mountain is named after the "Nanyue Ji" written in the Liu and Song dynasties in the Southern and Northern dynasties, which states that "the surrounding area of Nanyue is eight hundred miles, with Huiyan as the head and Yuelu as the foot." Yuelu Mountain is located on the west bank of the Xiangjiang River in Yuelu District, Changsha City, Hunan Province; Orange Island is located in the middle of the Xiangjiang River, running through the center of the river from south to north, looking at Yuelu to the west and the ancient city to the east. There are 977 species of plants in 559 genera and 174 families in Yuelu Mountain Scenic Area. They are mainly typical subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and subtropical warm coniferous forests. In some areas, large areas of native evergreen broad-leaved secondary forests are preserved. A large number of precious endangered tree species and ancient and famous trees.
Orange Island is located in the center of the Xiangjiang River in Yuelu District, Changsha City, Hunan Province. The original area is about 17 hectares, and the overall developed land area of the scenic spot reaches 91.64 hectares. It is the largest sandbar among the many alluvial sandbars in the lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River, and is known as "China's First Continent" . Orange Island has Mao Zedong Youth Art Sculpture, Wen Tiantai and other attractions. According to historical records, Orange Island was formed in the second year of Yongxing (305), the second year of Emperor Hui of the Jin dynasty. It was formed by the alluvial accumulation of rapids and sand and gravel.
Huaminglou is a renowned tourist attraction and a national key cultural relic protection site in China. Located in the southeast of Ningxiang City, it is the former home of Liu Shaoqi, the revolutionary leader and former president of China.
Hunan Museum, located at No. 50 Dongfeng Road, Kaifu District, Changsha City, Hunan Province, is one of the first batch of national first-level museums in China, one of the eight national key museums jointly built by the central and local governments, and the largest comprehensive history and art museum in Hunan Province. The Hunan Provincial Museum was founded in the 23rd year of Guangxu's reign in the Qing dynasty (1897), and the current site is its new museum.
As of the2020 Chinese census, Changsha was home to 10,047,914 people, whom 7,355,198 lived in its built-up (or metro) area made of the 6 urban Districts plus Changsha County largely conurbated. The majority of people living in Changsha are Han Chinese. A sizeable population of ethnic minority groups also live in Changsha. The three largest are the Hui, Tujia, and Miao peoples. The 2000 census showed that 48,564 members of ethnic minorities live in Changsha, 0.7% of the population. The other minorities make up a significantly smaller part of the population. Twenty ethnic minorities have fewer than 1,000 members living in the city.[81][82]
Hunan Broadcasting System is China's largest television after China Central Television (CCTV). Its headquarters is in Changsha and produces some of the most popular programs in China, includingSuper Girl. These programs have also brought a new entertainment industry into the city, which includes singing bars, dance clubs, theater shows, as well as related businesses including hair salons, fashion stores, and shops for hot spicy snacks at night (especially during summer). While Changsha has developed into an entertainment hub, the city has also become increasingly westernized and has attracted a growing number of foreigners.
Various types of cuisine are found in Changsha, yet the hot and spicyHunan cuisine typical of the region remains the most popular. The snack chainJuewei Duck Neck, which now has over 10,000 outlets, originates from Changsha.
In May 2008, the BBC broadcast, as part of itsStoryville documentary series, the four-partThe Biggest Chinese Restaurant in the World, which explored the inner workings of the 5,000-seating-capacityWest Lake Restaurant (Xihu Lou Jiujia) in Changsha.
During the Warring States period, Qu Yuan, a great patriotic poet, recorded many dishes in Hunan in his famous poem "The Soul"(招魂). During the Western Han dynasty, there were 109 varieties of dishes in Hunan, and there were nine categories of cooking methods. After the Six Dynasties, Hunan's food culture was rich and active. The Ming and Qing dynasties are the golden age for the development of Hunan cuisine. The unique style of Hunan cuisine is basically a foregone conclusion. At the end of the Qing dynasty, there were two kinds of Hunan cuisine restaurants in Changsha. In the early years of the Republic of China, the famous Dai (Yang Ming) School, Sheng (Shan Zhai) School, Xiao (Lu Song) School, and Zuyu School appeared in various genres, which laid the historical status of Hunan cuisine. Since the founding of New China, especially since the reform and opening up, it has been better developed.[83]
Changsha has one of China's largest multi-purpose sports stadiums—Helong Stadium, with 55,000 seats. The stadium was named after the Communist military leaderHe Long. It is the home ground of local football teamHunan Billows F.C., which plays inChina League Two. The more modest 6,000-seatHunan Provincial People's Stadium, also located in Changsha, is used by the team for their smaller games.[84]
Changsha hosts theHunan Provincial Museum. 180,000 historical significant artifacts ranging from the Zhou dynasty to the recent Qing dynasty are hosted in the 51,000 acres (210 km2; 80 sq mi; 21,000 ha) of space in the museum.[85]
Mawangdui is a well-known tomb located 22 kilometres (14 mi) east of Changsha.[86][87] It was discovered with numerous artifacts from the Han dynasty. Numerous Silk Funeral banners surround the tomb, along witha wealth of classical texts.[88][89] The tomb ofLady Dai lies in Mawangdui is well known due to its well-preserved state: scientists were able to detect blood, conduct an autopsy and determined that she died of heart disease due to a poor diet.[90][91]
Changsha is a sister city withSt. Paul, Minnesota. St. Paul is developing a China garden atPhalen Park, based on the design of architects from Changsha.[92] Current plans include a pavilion replicating one in Changsha, while in return St. Paul will send the city five statues of thePeanuts characters. They will be placed in Phalen's sister park, Yanghu Wetlands.[93]
A collaboration between theHunan Embroidery Research Institute and local tech firms has established an AI design lab forXiang embroidery. The lab uses algorithms to analyze historical patterns and generate new designs, aiding artisans in the creative process and modernizing the intangible cultural heritage.[94]
Changsha is a major city for research and innovation inCentral China, as well as in the Asia-Pacific region.[97][98] It ranked 23rd globally, 15th in the Asia & Oceania region, 13th in China, 5th in theSouth Central region after (Guangzhou, Wuhan, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong), and 2nd in the Central China region after Wuhan by scientific research outputs, as tracked by theNature Index 2025 Science Cities.[99] When compared to other countries in the region, Changsha ranked higher than Singapore, securing fifth place in Asia after China, Japan, South Korea, and India, according to the Nature Index for 2025. For instance, Changsha's share of the 2024 Nature Index is 781.10, with a count of 1,621, while Singapore's share is 690.01, with 1,799 counts.[100][101]
Changsha was also ranked 32nd globally and 3rd in the South Central region after (Shenzhen–Hong Kong–Guangzhou and Wuhan) in the "Top 100 Science & Technology Cluster Cities" rankings based on "publishing and patent performance" released by theGlobal Innovation Index 2024.[102]
As of 2020, Changsha ranked 8th in the top 10 China's innovation-oriented cities,[103] and 6th (behind Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu and Beijing) in the Top 10 China's most attractive cities for talent, according to the 21st Century Business Herald report.[104] Changsha has held the title "China's Leading Smart City" since 2021.[105] As of 2021, Changsha had 97 independent scientific research institutions, 14 national engineering and technology research centers, 15 national key engineering and technology laboratories, and 12 national enterprise technology centers.[106]
Changsha has long been the seat of severalancient schools and academies. TheYuelu Academy (later to become Hunan University) was one of the four most prestigious academies in China over the last 1000 years.[107] The city is also the site of the Hunan Medical University (later to becomeCentral South University), which was established in 1914.
As of June 2023, Changsha hosts 59 institutions of higher education (excluding adult colleges), ranking 8th nationwide and 4th among all cities in the South Central China region after Guangzhou, Wuhan and Zhengzhou.[32] Changsha ranked among the top 10 cities in the whole country and among the top three cities inSouth Central China region with strong education based on an evaluation of Chinese universities' discipline levels, including A+, A, and A− issued by the Ministry of Education as of 2020.[108]
There are threeProject 985 universities in Changsha: Central South University, Hunan University, and theNational University of Defense Technology, the third highest among all cities in China after Beijing and Shanghai.[109]Hunan Normal University is the key construction university of the national211 Project. These fournational key universities areDouble First-Class Construction. Changsha, the provincial capital of Hunan Province, is home to a significant number of top-tier educational institutions.[110] Specifically, among the twelve universities in Hunan Province included in the 2022U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking, eight are based in Changsha, accounting for almost two-thirds of the total.[33][111] This concentration of highly ranked universities further solidifies Changsha's status as a prominent hub for higher education within the province.
Hunan University and Central South University were included in the world's top 200 in several global university-rankings, including theAcademic Ranking of World Universities, the U.S. News & World Report Best Global University Ranking, and theCWTS Leiden Ranking.[33][112][113] As of 2025, these two universities are placed among the world's top 50 universities ranked by theNature Index.[114]
Hunan Normal University and the National University of Defense and Technology were ranked in the world's top 501-600 of theAcademic Ranking of World Universities.[115]
Central South University (Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class University)
Hunan University (Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class University)
Hunan Normal University (Project 211, Double First Class University)
National University of Defense Technology (Project 211, Project 985, Double First Class University)
TheG4,G4E,G4W2,G5513 andG0401 of National Expressways,G107,G106 andG319 of National Highways, S20, S21, S40, S41, S50, S60 and S71 of Hunan provincial Expressways, connect the Changsha metro area nationally. There are three main bus terminals in Changsha: the South Station, East Station and West Station, dispatching long- and short-haul trips to cities within and outside the province of Hunan. Changsha is surrounded by major rivers, including theXiang (湘江) and its tributaries such as theLiuyang,Jin,Wei,Longwanggang andLaodao. Ships mainly transport goods from Xianing port in North Changsha domestically and internationally.[citation needed]
Changsha Huanghua International Airport is a regional hub forChina Southern Airlines. The airport has daily flights to major cities in China, includingBeijing,Shanghai andGuangzhou, as well asHong Kong andMacau. Other major airlines also provide daily service between Changsha and other domestic and international destinations. The airport provides direct flights to 45 major international cities, includingTaipei, Los Angeles, Singapore, Seoul, Pusan, Osaka, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, London (Heathrow Airport), Frankfurt and Sydney.[129] As of 5 August 2016[update] the airport handled 70,011 people daily.[130] Due to the global effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, Changsha Huanghua International Airport was the 34thbusiest airport in the world in 2020, making its debut in the world's top 50 busiest airports for the first time.[131]
32nd globally in the "Top 100 Science & Technology Cluster Cities" rankings by "publishing and patent performance" released by theGlobal Innovation Index 2024[102]
23rd globally and 15th in the Asia & Oceania region in the "Top 200 cities" by scientific research outputs released by theNature Index 2024 Science Cities Rankings.[135]
67th worldwide in the Global Cities Outlook rankings of the 2018 Global Cities Report released by AT Kearney[136][137]
68th worldwide in terms of "Urban Economic Competitiveness" in 2019 jointly released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the United Nations Programme for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat)[138]
The first Chinese city to be recognized as a "World Creative City in Media Arts" by UNESCO[139][140]
The 10 fastest growing cities in the world[142][143][31] Changsha's nominal GDP is projected to be among the world top 50 largest cities according to a study by Oxford Economics in 2035,[73] and its nominal GDP per capita will reach US$41,000 in 2030.[74]
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