Yongzhou City was called Lingling in ancient times. It was one of the three well-developed areas and one of the four ancient prefectures in Hunan. It was also the world's original rice-growing area, the cradle of ceramics in China, and the source of China's Taoist culture. There are more than 1,700 cultural relics and historical sites in the area.

The area of Yongzhou adjoins Hunan, Guangdong, and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. It is the gateway to Guangdong, Guangxi, and vast areas of Southwest China, as well as to Hong Kong and Macao. The city has established trade, economic, and technical cooperative relations with Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, as well as more than 20 countries including the United States, Japan, and Australia.

International friendship cities:

? Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka; 

? Tulsa, U.S.A. (with Qiyang)

Data sources: Hunan Provincial Bureau of Statistics, Official Website of Yongzhou Municipal People’s Government, 12306, Civil Aviation Administration of China; Office of Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Hunan Provincial Committee

Updated in June 2025