Quzhou

Quzhou is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Zhejiang , China. Sitting on the upper course of the Qiantang River, it borders Hangzhou to the north, Jinhua to the east, Lishui to the southeast, and the provinces of Fujian, Jiangxi and Anhui to the south the south, southwest and northwest respectively.

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Quzhou administers 2 , 1 county-level city, and 3 .

*Kecheng District
*Qujiang District
*Jiangshan City
*Changshan County
*Kaihua County
*Longyou County

Geography

The centre of Quzhou sits on a broad agricultural plain based on the Qiantang River. The river is known locally as the Qu River . It flows roughly southwest for 81.5 km and is flanked on both sides by hills. Almost all the rivers of Quzhou feed into the Qiantang system, which ultimately empties into Hangzhou Bay.

The terrain is higher in the west and the east. The territory of Quzhou Municipality is made up of plains , hills , and mountains . In the north is the Qianli Gang mountain range and in the west the Yu Mountains . The highest mountains, the Xianxia Ling mountain range, lie in the south. The highest point in the city is at Dalong Gang , which rises to 1,500 m above sea level.

70.7% of the land is covered with forest. The rest is densely irrigated and farmed, producing citrus fruits, tea and mulberry leaves.

Climate

Quzhou has a temperate climate, with clearly differentiated seasons. Its winters and summers are relatively long. The land also enjoys a great deal of rain throughout all seasons, but particularly between March and June. In most years the municipality can expect 1843 mm of rain. Average temperatures range from 16.3 to 17.3 degrees. January temperatures average 4.5-5.3 degrees whilst July temperatures are 27.6-29.2. Most of the year are without frost. Winds along the Qiantang River valley are predominantly north-easterly and north-east-easterly. Occasionally typhoons blow in from the Pacific Ocean.

Tourism

Ancestral Temple of the Southern Confucian Clan
Lanke Mountain, 10 km southeast of the city proper. It features green peaks and clear waters, and the huge rocks on top of the mountain support a horizontal rock to form a natural arch, the Tiansheng Bridge .

Demographics

As of 2003, Quzhou municipality registered a population of 2,413,500. The vast majority are Han Chinese but there are also small minorities of and , Zhuang, Manchu and . Most of the people in Quzhou are engaged in agriculture . The genders are roughly evenly split. Population density is 273 people per km?.

Transportation

Quzhou is well served by both railways and highways. The city of Quzhou is a major connection hub between the three provinces of Anhui, Jiangxi and Fujian, with the Zhegan Railroad running through southern Quzhou and the Qu River flowing past northern Quzhou. A local saying goes: "Four provinces through Qu, it's the head of five roads" .

Quzhou is served by an airport, which flies to various domestic destinations.