Lanzhou

Lanzhou
兰州市
Lanzhou skyline
Waterwheel Expo Garden
Chanyuan Temple
Location of Lanzhou City jurisdiction in Gansu
Lanzhou
Location of the city center in Gansu
Lanzhou
Lanzhou (China)
Coordinates (Gansu People's Government): 36°03′38″N 103°49′36″E / 36.0606°N 103.8268°E / 36.0606; 103.8268
CountryChina
ProvinceGansu
County-level divisions8
Municipal seatChengguan District
Government
  TypePrefecture-level city
  BodyLanzhou Municipal People's Congress
  CCP SecretaryZhang Xiaoqiang
  Congress ChairmanZhang Jianping
  MayorLiu Jianxun
  CPPCC ChairmanLi Hongya
Area
13,086.9 km2 (5,052.9 sq mi)
  Urban
2,432.9 km2 (939.3 sq mi)
  Metro
1,112.9 km2 (429.7 sq mi)
Population
 (2020 census)
4,359,446
  Density330/km2 (860/sq mi)
  Urban
3,474,858
  Urban density1,400/km2 (3,700/sq mi)
  Metro
3,042,863
  Metro density2,700/km2 (7,100/sq mi)
GDP
  Prefecture-level cityCN¥ 209.6 billion
US$ 33.7 billion
  Per capitaCN¥ 56,972
US$ 9,147
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code
730000
Area code931
ISO 3166 codeCN-GS-01
License plate prefixes甘A
Websitewww.lanzhou.gov.cn
Lanzhou
"Lanzhou" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese兰州
Traditional Chinese蘭州
PostalLanchow
Literal meaning"Orchid [Hills] Prefecture"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLánzhōu
Bopomofoㄌㄢˊ   ㄓㄡ
Gwoyeu RomatzyhLanjou
Wade–GilesLan2-chou1
IPA[lǎn.ʈʂóʊ]
other Mandarin
Xiao'erjingلًا جِوْ
DunganЛанҗу
Wu
SuzhouneseLé-tseu
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationLàahn-jāu
JyutpingLaan4-zau1
IPA[lan˩.tsɐw˥]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJLân-chiu
Tâi-lôLân-tsiu

Lanzhou is the capital and largest city of Gansu province in northwestern China. Located on the banks of the Yellow River, it is a key regional transportation hub, connecting areas further west by rail to the eastern half of the country. Historically, it has been a major link on the Northern Silk Road and it stands to become a major hub on the New Eurasian Land Bridge. The city is also a center for heavy industry and petrochemical industry.

Lanzhou is the third largest city in Northwest China after Xi'an and Urumqi. Lanzhou is also an important center for scientific research and education in Northwestern China after Xi'an. The city is one of the top 60 major cities in the world by scientific research output as tracked by the Nature Index. It hosts several research institutions, including, Lanzhou University, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou University of Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, and Lanzhou Jiaotong University. Notably, Lanzhou University is one of China's prestige universities as a member of the Project 985.