Zhuxi County is a county in the northwest of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, bordering Shaanxi to the west and Chongqing to the southwest. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Shiyan. The county spans an area of 3279 km2, and has a population of 315,259 as of 2010.

Toponymy

The name Zhuxi County is named for the Zhuxi River, whose name was derived from the large amounts of bamboo forests which bordered both sides of the river.

History

The area of present-day Zhuxi County once belong to the Chu State. Part of the remains of the, which possibly date back to the 3rd century BCE. Zhuxi County was established in 1476 under the reign of the Chenghua Emperor. In 1914, it was placed under the jurisdiction of. In 1932, the Republic of China introduced, and the county was assigned to the 11th Administrative Inspectorate of Hubei Province. In 1936, it was re-assigned to the 8th Administrative Inspectorate of Hubei Province. In 1949, under the People's Republic of China, Zhuxi County was assigned to, which was renamed to Yunyang Prefecture the following year. The county was moved to in 1952, but was moved back to Yunyang Prefecture in 1965. In 1994, Zhuxi County was placed under the prefecture-level city of Shiyan, where it remains today. In 2010, was upgraded from a township to a town. In 2013, and were upgraded from townships to towns.

Geography

The county's geography is fairly mountainous, with its highest point reaching approximately 2740 m in height. The county's main rivers are the Zhuxi River and the Huiwan River, which both flow into the larger Han River.

Climate

Zhuxi County experiences an average annual temperature of 14 °C, and an average annual precipitation of 1000 mm.

Administrative divisions

Zhuxi County is divided into eleven towns, four townships, and eight other township-level divisions. Its eleven towns are, , , , , , , , , , and. Its four townships are, , , and. Its other township level divisions are Longwaya Tea Farm, Guoying Zhuxi Comprehensive Farm , Stock Seed Farm , Fishing Stock Farm , Zhongxu Field , Wangjiashan Tea Farm , Biaohu Tree Farm , and Shuangzhu Tree Farm.

Economy

Zhuxi County has sizable deposits of coal, limestone, and marble. The county is also home to the most Taxus chinensis production of a county in China.