Qujing Geography

Location and Territory

Qujing City is situated in the eastern part of Yunnan Province, at the source of the Pearl River, bordering Guizhou and Guangxi provinces. Historically, it has been a significant gateway to Yunnan from the inland regions. The city spans between 103°03′44″ E to 104°32′36″ E longitude and 24°21′00″ N to 27°03′24″ N latitude. It covers a total area of 28,904.11 square kilometers, accounting for 13.63% of Yunnan’s total area, with an altitude of 1,881 meters above sea level and located 125 kilometers from the provincial capital Kunming.

Terrain and Landforms

Qujing City is located in the transitional zone from the Yunnan East Plateau to the Guizhou West Plateau, nestled within the Wumeng Mountains. It borders the Dianchi Basin of the central Yunnan Plateau to the west and gradually slopes towards the Guizhou Plateau to the east. The region serves as a watershed between the Yangtze and Pearl River basins, featuring well-preserved plateau surfaces and diverse landforms such as mountains, basins, and karst landscapes. The city’s highest point is Mount Guniu at 4,017.3 meters above sea level, while its lowest point is at the confluence of Xiaojiang and Jinsha River in Nangu Town, Huize County, at 695 meters above sea level, with a relative height difference of 3,322.3 meters.

Climate Characteristics

Qujing City experiences a subtropical highland monsoon climate, characterized by distinct seasonal variations. Winters and springs are characterized by good sunlight, unstable temperatures in spring with high winds and dry conditions, and uneven precipitation. Summers are free from extreme heat but are prone to concentrated rainfall, alternating between floods and droughts. Autumns witness rapid cooling and frequent cloudy days. The city’s climate is often described as “one mountain, four seasons, and ten kilometers with different weather.”

Hydrological Features

Qujing City is located at the watershed of the Yangtze and Pearl River systems, boasting a dense network of rivers with over 80 rivers having a basin area exceeding 100 square kilometers. Major rivers include Nanpan River, Beipan River, Niulan River, Huangni River, Yili River, Kuaize River, and Xiaojiang River, belonging to both the Yangtze and Pearl River systems. The city has abundant water resources totaling 16.96 billion cubic meters, with theoretical hydropower reserves of 4.063 million kilowatts and exploitable reserves of 3.003 million kilowatts.

Soil

The soils in Qujing City vary widely, ranging from red soil to subalpine meadow soil, exhibiting distinct vertical and horizontal distribution patterns. Red soil predominates (61.07%), followed by purple soil (9.84%), yellow-brown soil (5.16%), paddy soil (4.94%), yellow soil (3.47%), and lime soil (3.47%). Other soil types account for 12% of the total. These soils support diverse agricultural activities across different terrains, contributing significantly to the local economy.

Natural Resources

Land Resources

Qujing City possesses vast land resources, totaling 4,340.24 million mu (approx. 2890.41 square kilometers), primarily mountainous and hilly terrain. The city has 1,236.71 million mu of arable land, with a per capita arable land area of 1.9 mu.

Water Resources

The city’s water resources amount to 169.6 billion cubic meters, including 133.9 billion cubic meters of surface water and 35.8 billion cubic meters of groundwater, accounting for 6% of the province’s total. The city has built 780 reservoirs of varying sizes, with a total storage capacity of 2.46 billion cubic meters and an annual water supply capacity of 1.87 billion cubic meters.

Mineral Resources

Qujing City is rich in mineral resources, with 48 types of mineral deposits discovered and 256 mineral locations identified. Significant minerals include coal, phosphorus, fluorite, lead-zinc, pyrite, copper, antimony, tin, silver, gold, marble, fluorite, manganese ore, limestone for cement, natural gas, and others.

Biological Resources

The city’s vegetation is primarily subtropical, featuring a diverse array of flora and fauna. It is home to 3,955 species of seed plants, including medicinal plants, edible plants, industrial plants, and ornamental plants. There are also 298 species of vertebrate animals, including many rare and protected species such as the giant panda, golden monkey, and Yunnan snub-nosed monkey.

Major Natural Reserves

• National Nature Reserves: Heihe National Nature Reserve for Black-necked Cranes.
• Provincial Nature Reserves: Haifeng Provincial Nature Reserve in Zhanyi, Shiba Mountain Provincial Nature Reserve in Fuyuan, Huashan Pine Provincial Nature Reserve in Huize, and Zhujiangyuan Provincial Nature Reserve.
• National Forest Parks: Zhujiangyuan National Forest Park, Lubuge National Forest Park, Wufeng Mountain National Forest Park, and Shiba Mountain National Forest Park.
• Provincial Important Wetlands: Xiaohai Provincial Important Wetland in Fuyuan.

By organizing the information into structured headings, the geographical features of Qujing City become more accessible and comprehensible to readers interested in its landscape, climate, resources, and environmental conservation efforts.