Lu'an City

The City of Luan, nicknamed "Wanxi (West Anhui)", is located at the northern foot of Dabie Mountain. It is now the central city of the Dabie Mountain area. At present, there're two districts, five counties and two provincial development zones under its jurisdiction. They're Jin'an District, Yu'an District, Shouxian County, Huoqiu County, Jinzhai County, Huoshan County, Shucheng County, Luan Economic and technological development zone and reform pilot development zone. The city consists of altogether 188 townships and 8 neighborhood committees with a total area of 17,976 square km and a total population of 6,649,000. There're 29 nationals in Luan with Han as the majority. The minority ethnic nationals accounting for 0.7%, among which Hui is the largest minority ethnic national. In 2003, the GDP reached 20.81 billion yuan, of which the First Industry account for 6.54 billion yuan, the Second Industry 7.21 billion yuan and the Third Industry 7.06 billion yuan. Total revenue is 1.45 billion yuan.

Lu'an is abundant in natural resources. It has rich high quality water resources with 5 big reservoirs: Fuziling, Meishan, Longhekou, Xianghongdian, Mozitang reservoirs, accommodating 6.73 billion cubic meters water. It has over 3,800 species of trees and herbaceous plants, more than 500 amphibians and amniotes. It produces over 110 high quality agricultural and sideline products, over 1,400 kinds of herbal medicines. Its output of cereals, oil-bearing crop, cotton, hemp, tea, silk worm cocoon, chestnut, poultry, pork, eiderdown and aquatic products ranks the first place in Anhui Province. Lu'an green tea, white goose, eiderdown, etc are well known all over China. There're over 30 kinds of mineral reserves under ground, including iron, gold, lead, zinc, quartz, granite and cement.

Lu'an is also rich in tourist resources with beautiful landscapes and places of historical and cultural interest. It boasts one state-level forest park: Tiantangzhai Forest Park, and many scenic spots such as Nanyueshan Mountain, Tongluozhai, Wanfo Mountain, Bagong Mountain, etc., and many holiday resorts such as the Thousand Buddha Lake, Anfeng Lake, Shuimen Lake. It has a national cultural city -- Shouxian County, with the Song Dynasty city wall preserved intact to this day. Lu'an also has many ancient tombs, ancient battlefields, and many revolutionary memorial places under the key protection of the national or provincial level.

After the founding of new China, many Party or state leaders like Chairman Mao, Zhu De, Zhou Enlai, Den Xiaoping have visited Lu'an. In 1991, Lu'an was struck by a heavy flood. Party Secretary Jiang Zeming and Li Peng came here and paid visits to the victims of the flood. Lu'an is also one of the pilot places for rural reform. As early as in 1978, farmers in Lu'an county, Guanting County and other places organized by themselves to contract the land by household in order to combat the serious drought. This method later on was spread to the whole rural area of Lu'an. Since China practiced the policy of reform and opening to the outside world, Lu'an has made rapid economic and social development. In 2001, its agricultural output is up to 7.18 billion yuan, industrial output up to 19.57 billion yuan, an increase of 21.56 times and 39.7 times respectively on the year of 1978. The proportion of the third industry in its GDP changed from 18.4% in 1978 to 32.4%. Tourist and private economy are booming and becoming growth contributing factors in Lu'an's economy. The urbanization scale is keeping on expanding and its urbanization level was raised to 19.8% from 8.2% in 1978. Great changes have taken place in the rural area. All the villages have electricity, postal service and all have been covered by the TV broadcasting network. 85% framers moved to new houses, 95% villages have highways connected to the outside world. People's living standard is improving step by step. For many years, the city government has put into effect all the preferential treatments to help the poor-stricken area to shake off poverty, with working focus on raising farmers technical and educational level, introducing investment and development, and exporting labor services to the outside. These practices have helped 2.71 million people get rid of poverty. In 2003, farmers' average net income reaches 1,236 yuan, workers' average net income reaches 8,312 yuan. The goal of "two basic" education has been realized. Two colleges were founded: Wanxi College and Lu'an Occupational Technical College. Progress has been made in the field of TV broadcasting and cultural construction. People's health care and medical conditions has been improved. The whole city has shaken off poverty and is entering into a new stage toward a better-off society.

Being an old revolutionary base, a new tourist city, rich in natural resources and agricultural products, Lu'an is a promising city with great potentials in development. In this 21 century, the municipal CPC committee and municipal government will continue putting into practice Jiang Zemin's "Three Represents" with the guide of Deng Xiaoping theory, make every effort in pushing forward the agricultural industrialization, urbanization, education, and long lasting development. By the end of the tenth five-year plan, the city of Lu'an will be a medium-sized city with sound infrastructure and functions with a total area of 40 square kilometers and a population of 400,000.