Quzhou City is situated in the west part of Zhejiang Province, neighboring Fujian Province in the south, Jiangxi Province in the west, Anhui Province in the North, and connected with Hangzhou, Jinghua and Lishui cities within the province. It is 127.5 km across the city from the east to the west, 140.25 km from the south to the north. Xianxia Mountain lies along the southeast edge of the city, while the northwest belongs to the south part of Baiji Mountain and Qianligang Mountain. The terrain tilts basically from the south and the north to the middle, from west to east with Qu River as its axis, and the city layout symmetrically to the north and the south. The terrain is diverse and in order with mountainous areas, hills, plains, basins of obvious differences. The highest peak is 1500 meter above sea level, and the lowest is 33 meters above sea level. The main river in the area belongs to Qiantang River system, formed by Qu River, Changshan Port, Jiangshan Port and 12 branch rivers laid out in the shape of leaf veins; A small part belongs to Poyang Lake system of the Yangtze River. This area is located in the sub-tropical monsoon climate zone, with distinct four seasons, moderate temperature, abundant rainfall and sunshine, and long non-frost period. The total area of the city is 8849 square kilometers, in which mountainous area is 4336 square kilometers, hilly area is 3224 square kilometers, and plain is 1289 square kilometers.
The area is rich in natural resources. There are large number of mineral reserves, with 50 kinds of minerals being detected, and 30 being utilized. The reserve volume of bone coal and limestone occupy three fifths and one third of the provincial total respectively. There is also rich reserve of construction material resource, chemical industry resource, part of non-ferrous metal and rare metal. The per capita ownership of land resource is ranked first in the province, and the per capita farm land is higher than the provincial average. Being one of the main forest areas of Zhejiang, the place is rich in forest resource. The total volume of water resource is nearly 10 billion cubic meters, with the per capita ownership 80% higher than the provincial average. The aquatic products of water surface are rich. The hydro power in reserve is about 660 thousand kw in theory, in which 250 thousand kw is available for utilization. The plants in the area possess features both of the north and the south. There are large number of animal and plant species, with more than 20 kinds of rare varieties of both trees and animals under national protection.
Quzhou City used to be Gumie of west Yue kingdom in the Spring and Autumn Period, and belonged to Kuaiji county in Qin Dynasty. In the 25th year of emperor Zheng of Qin Dynasty ( 222 B. C.), Taimo County was established in Gumie, with its area larger than today’s Quzhou. In the 3rd year of Chen Yongding of Nanchao Dynasty ( 559 ), Xinan County was set up, with jurisdiction over Xinan and Dingyang Counties. In the 3rd year of Tianjia ( 562 ), Xinan County was abolished. In the 4th year of Wude of Tang Dynasty ( 621 ), Quzhou City was established with jurisdiction over 3 counties namely Xinan, Xujiang and Dingyang. In the 8th year of Wude, Quzhou was abolished. In the 2nd year of Chuigong ( 6334 ), it was re-established. In the first year of Tianbao ( 742 ), Quzhou was changed to Xinan County, and in the first year of Qianyuan, it was changed back to Quzhou. In the 13th year of Yuanzhiyuan ( 1376 ), Quzhou was changed to Quzhou Fu. In the 19th year of Zhizheng ( 1349 ), Quzhou Fu was changed to Longyou Fu. In the first year of Hongwu of Ming Dynasty ( 1366 ), Longyou Fu was changed to Quzhou Fu, with jurisdiction over 5 counties namely Xian, longyou, Jiangshan, Changshan and Kaihua. Till the end of Qing Dynasty, the name was either Quzhou Fu, or joinly called Jinqushoudao, Jinquxundao, Jinquyanshoudao, and Jinquyanxundao. In the time of the Republic of China, the name was either Branch Military and Political Government of Quzhou, or the First County Administration Inspection Zone, Administration Inspection Zone of Qu County, the Fifth Administration Inspection Zone, the Third Administration Inspection Zone, and jointly called Jinhuadao. In May, 1949, Quzhou was liberated, and bagan to be called the Third Special Zone, and later Quzhou Special Zone. In March, 1955, the Quzhou Special Zone was abolished, 7 counties namely Quxian, Jiangshan, Longyou, Xuanping, Changshan and Suichang which were under its jurisdiction were determined to be under Jinhua Special Zone, and Kaihua County was under Jiande Special Zone. In 1985, Jinhua Region was abolished, and Jinhua City and Quzhou City were set up. Kecheng District, Quxian County, JiangshanCounty, Longyou County, Changshan County and Kaihua County were under Quzhou City. In 1987, county administration was abolished and municipality was established in Jiangshan. In 1991, Quzhou City was approved by the Provincial Government as renowned historical and cultural city of provincial level. In 1994, Quzhou was approved by the State Council as renowned historical and cultural city of national level. In 1997, there are all together 6 counties ( cities and districts ), 136 villages and towns ( in which 55 towns ), 2595 village committees, 5 residential districts and 117 neighborhood communities, with total population of 2.3897 million.
Since the reform and opening up, especially since 1985, all reforms have been constantly deepened and the opening scale expanded in Quzhou, effectively promoting the progress of economy and society. From 1986 to 1988, the urban area of Quzhou, Quxian, Longyou, Jiangshan, Changshan and Kaihua were successively approved by the State Council as areas open to the outside world. During the rural reform of recent years, the household contract responsibility system has been constantly improved, and the obvious progress has been achieved in the enterprise reform which takes the reform of ownership system as key point. In the end of 1997, structural reform has been accomplished in 402 urban and township enterprises of collective ownership in the city, with the structural reform rate reaching 62%; Four limited companies were newly set up in the city, and Juhua Ltd. was approved to be listed and issue A share in 1998.
In recent years, the pioneering work of modern enterprise system in Quzhou has been continuously deepened, the capital circulation and restructuring has been constantly promoted, and the structural adjustment has been accelerated. All together 11 enterprise groups has been set up in the city. The adjustment of ownership structure has been continuously pushed forward. By the end of 1997, there all together 94 thousand self employed businessmen, and 5514 private enterprises, with registered capital reaching 2.3 billion yuan. Three kinds of foreign invested enterprises grew from 1 in 1985 to 191 in 1997, with actual use of foreign capital reaching 79.6 million USD. Foreign economic cooperation and labor export has been constantly expanded, 4 enterprises has been established abroad. Since 1991, 7 economic development zone and industrial zone have been planned and established, among which Quzhou Development Zone and Shengjia of Quxian, Jiangshan Chengnan Development Zone have been approved as development zones of provincial level successively.
From 1985 to 1997, the overall agricultural output increased from 1 billion yuan to 5.12 billion yuan, total industrial output increased from 1.347 billion yuan to 17.4 billion yuan, GDP increased from 1.627 billion yuan to 13.34 billion yuan, social fixed asset investment increased from 303 million yuan to 2.72 billion yuan, total retail volume of consumption commodity increased from 608 million yuan to 6.01 billion yuan, revenue from 196 million yuan to 675 million yuan, deposit of urban and rural residents rised from 250 million yuan to 6.66 billion yuan, per capita net income of rural residents from 451 yuan to 2495 yuan, the per capita net income of urban residents increased from 730 yuan to 6693 yuan.
