Shiyan

Shiyan () is a prefecture-level city in northwestern Hubei, China, bordering Henan to the northeast, Chongqing to the southwest, and Shaanxi to the north and west. At the 2020 census, its population was 3,209,004 of whom 1,033,407 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made up of 2 urban districts of Maojian and Zhangwan on as Yunyang is not conurbated. In 2007, the city was named among China's top ten livable cities by Chinese Cities Brand Value Report, which was released at 2007 Beijing Summit of China Cities Forum.

History

Shiyan was first mentioned by its current name in 1484. After the establishment of the PRC, Shiyan was part of Yun County (nowadays Yunyang District).

From the 1930s through the 1950s, Shiyan was heavily impacted by frequent flooding along the Han River. In response to these floods, the government established the Danjiangkou Water Conservancy Project in 1958, a project to prevent flooding along the Han River, supply water for irrigation, and generate hydroelectricity on the river. During the 1960s, Mao Zedong and other government officials, fearing upheaval and invasion, sought to establish industry in more remote locations. Shiyan, located in a portion of northwest Hubei then known for its poverty, was then a small village comprising a few hundred households. In 1967, teams of workers and engineers were first sent to Shiyan to survey sites for automotive plants and factories (Second Automobile Works, predecessor of Dongfeng Motor Corporation). In 1969, Shiyan City was established. By order of Mao in 1969, truck production in Shiyan commenced. From the 1980s to the 1990s, Shiyan saw many small enterprises founded by former employees of the Second Automobile Works emerged. The highest point in Shiyan is Congping in Zhuxi County, at above sea level, while the lowest point, Panjiayan in Danjiangkou, is above sea level. The Wudang Mountains run east–west through Shiyan.

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Administration

The prefecture-level city of Shiyan administers 8 county-level divisions, comprising three districts, one county-level city and four counties:

These eight county-level divisions then administer three different types of township-level divisions: 13 subdistricts, 72 towns, and 34 townships. Finally, these township-level divisions then administer two types of village-level divisions: 164 residential communities and 1,807 administrative villages.

!Density (/km<sup>2</sup>)

|Maojian District

|425,600

|578

|736.33

|Zhangwan District

|393,200

|652

|603.07

|Yunyang District

|571,700

|3,863

|147.99

|Danjiangkou City

|445,400

|3,121

|142.71

|Yunxi County

|431,000

|3,509.6

|122.81

|Zhushan County

|416,800

|3,586

|116.23

|Zhuxi County

|314,000

|3,279

|95.76

|Fang County

|400,300

|5,110

|78.34

| colspan="6" |Note: All population totals reflect permanent population, as opposed to registered hukou population

Demographics

As of 2020, Shiyan's permanent population totals approximately 3,209,000 people. Of these organizations, the following 5 serve the entire city: the Shiyan City Buddhist Association (), the Shiyan City Islamic Association (), the Shiyan City Protestant "Three-Self" Patriotic Movement Committee (), the Shiyan City Protestant Association (), and the Shiyan City Taoist Association (). Chongqing, and nearby Wuhan.

In recent decades, the automotive industry in Shiyan has shrunk, largely due to increasing production in larger cities with better transit links. The city's production of tires, for instance, has fallen by 48.10% from 2014 to 2019.

Dongfeng and its partner Renault–Nissan–Mitsubishi Alliance are nowadays producing electric vehicles in Shiyan, including the Renault KZE and Dacia Spring.

Tourism

The Wudang Mountains run east–west through Shiyan.

The Wuhan–Shiyan high-speed railway completed track laying in June 2019, and opened to passengers on 29 November 2019.

History

Administration

Demographics

Tourism

Highway

References

External links