Hangzhou (Chinese: ??; Mandarin pinyin: Hángzhou), formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division ("shì", ???) or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people. The Urban agglomeration of the Hangzhou metropolitan area (????) has a resident population of 3.9319 million as of 2003, of which 2.6367 million are permanent residents. There are 1.91 million residents in the six urban core districts.

A core city of the Yangtze River Delta, its position on the Hangzhou Bay 180 kilometres southwest of Shanghai gives it economic power, and moreover, it has also been one of the most renowned and prosperous cities of China for much of the last 1,000 years, due in part to its beautiful natural scenery; the city's West Lake is its most well-known attraction.

Administrative divisions

Hangzhou Region or prefecture-level city contains the Hangzhou metropolitan area (eight districts), 3 metropolitan counties, and 2 ordinary counties. The central six urban districts occupy 682km2 and have 1,910,000 people. The two suburban districts occupy 2,642km2 and have 1,950,000 people.

It has direct jurisdiction over 8 districts (? qu), 3 county-level cities (? shi) and 2 Counties (? xian):

• Gongshu District

• Shangcheng District 

• Xiacheng District 

• Jianggan District 

• Xihu District 

• Binjiang District 

• Yuhang District

• Xiaoshan District 

• Lin'an 

• Fuyang 

• Jiande 

• Tonglu County 

• Chun'an County

Hangzhou Economy

Hangzhou is the provincial capital and also, the center of politics, economy and culture of Zhejiang province. It is not only the famous tourist place, but also an industrial city with complete kinds and major in light industry, agriculture, textile, It is also considered an important manufacturing base and logistics hub for coastal China.

In Hangzhou, there is the biggest flax textile factory in China. The silk industry has a very long history; the output and the quality of the products are in the first places in China. There are 7000 kinds of machines, and some of them are entered the international market. The agricultural sideline occupations are developed too.

The economy of Hangzhou is well developed. Since the implementation of the policy of reform and opening up, Hangzhou has made significant progress in developing its foreign economic relations and trade, which plays an important part in Hangzhou's economy. In 2001, the GDP of the whole city amounts to RMB 156.8 billion which ranks the second among all of the provincial capitals except for Guangzhou. By many years of development, pillar industries, with solid foundation and powerful force, which have been identified by the city includes: new medicine, information, large-sized machinery and complete sets and equipment, auto components, household electrical appliances, electronics and telecommunication apparatus, fine chemicals, chemical fiber and food

processing. Moreover, the agricultural foundation of Hangzhou is rather solid-- fertile soil and rich natural resources, a temperate climate and abundant rainfall. Therefore, the development of production of agricultural sideline products takes on a promising outlook.

The city has developed many new industries since, they include medicine, information technology, heavy equipment, automotive components, household electrical appliances, electronics, telecommunication, fine chemicals, chemical fibre and food processing.

Colleges and Universities
National
Zhejiang University founded in 1897

China Academy of Art founded in 1928

Public
Zhejiang University of Technology founded in 1953

Zhejiang Gongshang University 

Hangzhou Dianzi University 

Zhejiang Sci-Tech University 

Zhejiang University of Science and Technology 

Zhejiang Chinese Medical University 

China Jiliang University  

Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics 

Hangzhou Normal University 

Zhejiang University of Media and Communications 

Private
Zhejiang Shuren University

Zhejiang University City College

Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.