Lincang is a prefecture-level city located in the southwest of Yunnan province, People's Republic of China.

History

Lincang was previously called Baihuai during the Shang dynasty. On December 26, 2003, the state council approved the cancellation of Lincang District and set up prefecture-level Lincang city.

Geography and climate

Lincang covers latitude 23° 05′－25° 02′ N and longitude 98° 40′－100° 33′ E, thus straddling the Tropic of Cancer in the southern part of its administrative area, or prefecture. It is situated on the middle to lower reaches of the Mekong, known as the Lancang in China, and the Salween, or the Nu. Bordering prefectures are Pu'er to the southeast, and Baoshan and Dali to the northwest. It also borders Burma's Shan State. Elevations within the prefecture range from 450 to 3504 m. Located at an altitude of above 1450 m and within 30 arc minutes to the north of the Tropic of Cancer, Lincang has a mild subtropical highland climate (Köppen Cwb), bordering on a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), with muddled distinction between the seasons and daytime temperatures remaining warm year-round. Highs peak in May before the core of the rainy season and reach a minimum in December; however, the warmest and coolest months are June and January respectively. June through September accounts for nearly 70% of the annual rainfall of 1126 mm and during this time, some rainfall occurs on most days, pushing relative humidity above 80% and there is a marked reduction in sunshine. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 24% in July to 75% in January, the city receives 2,227 hours of bright sunshine annually.

Subdivisions

Demography

Among the resident population, the Han population is 1,523,670, accounting for 62.72% of the total population; the ethnic minorities population is 905,835, accounting for 37.28% of the total population.

Natural resources

Mineral resources mined and extracted in the Lincang area include coal (including waste coal ash), germanium and uranium. Lincang is also home to the world's oldest cultivated tea tree, especially pu'er tea, some 3,200 years old, in the village of Jinxiu (锦绣), Xiaowan town, of Fengqing County.

Transport