Hechi

History and Present-Day Economy of Hechi

Hechi is a prefecture-level city situated in the northwest of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, bordering Guizhou to the north. In June 2002, Hechi gained city status.

Historically, the area was known as Qingyuan Prefecture, with its seat of government located in Yishan. During the Republic of China era, the traditional prefecture system underwent nationwide abolition, leading to the establishment of the Yishan Prefecture or Special Administrative Region. The seat of Hechi County moved from Hechi Town to Jinchengjiang Town in 1953. Hechi Prefecture was subsequently abolished in 2002 to establish the prefecture-level city of Hechi, featuring its administrative seat in Jinchengjiang District. To realign with historical facts, the seat of Hechi City was relocated to Yizhou District in 2016.

Today, the economy relies heavily on mineral resources, water power, and agriculture. Hechi functions as one of Guangxi's most important mineral producers, possessing large quantities of tin, antimony, gold, zinc, indium, copper, iron, silver, manganese, and arsenic across all of its counties, alongside limestone and marble. Furthermore, the city's hydropower facilities produce more than 10 gigawatts of electricity, accounting for half of Guangxi's hydropower energy. The agricultural sector cultivates more than 400 types of crops, including oranges, pineapples, corn, lotus root, cassava, sugarcane, and tobacco.

Hechi is a prefecture-level city located in the northwest of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, People's Republic of China, sharing a border with Guizhou to the north. Situated on the southern end of the Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau, the city operates within the Asia/Shanghai time zone and utilizes the CNY currency.

The present-day economy of Hechi relies significantly on its abundant natural resources, particularly its extensive mineral wealth. All administrative counties within the city possess large quantities of high-quality mineral resources, including tin, antimony, gold, zinc, indium, copper, iron, silver, manganese, and arsenic. This output establishes the territory as a major source of gold for both China and the global market, alongside regional production of limestone and marble.

Water power serves as another critical economic driver due to the local climate and mountainous geography. More than 25 cubic kilometers of water flow through the area annually, representing thirteen percent of all water resources in Guangxi. The territory contains over 630 streams, creeks, and rivers with a combined length exceeding 5,130 kilometers. Hydropower facilities constructed on these waterways generate more than 10 gigawatts of electricity, which accounts for half of Guangxi's total hydropower energy.

Agriculture further supports the local economy, benefiting from favorable climate, weather, and soil conditions. The agricultural sector cultivates more than 400 types of crops, including oranges, pineapple, corn, lotus root, cassava, sugarcane, and tobacco.

Administratively, the territory is divided into two urban districts, four counties, and five autonomous counties, with Yizhou District functioning as the capital. The population engages with multiple languages, including zh-CN, yue, wuu, dta, ug, and za. Official demographic statistics record the resident population of the city at 3,313,500 by the end of 2024.

Additional reference materials are available via the Hechi entry on Wikipedia and the GeoNames record for Hechi.