Chuxiong is about west of Yunnan's capital of Kunming on highway GZ65. Chuxiong City is nestled between mountain ranges on all sides in a plateau region at. Chuxiong City has a population of 130,000 inhabitants, and the entire Chuxiong Prefecture has an estimated 2,542,530 inhabitants. Chuxiong is located between Kunming and Dali, with Dali about west of Chuxiong, and Kunming about 120 km to the east. Lijiang is about a six-hour drive from Chuxiong, and Lugu Lake is about 11 hours north, on the Sichuan border.
Climate
Chuxiong experiences a mild dry-winter humid subtropical climate, bordering on a dry-winter subtropical highland climate. Winters are mild, dry and sunny, although average lows in January reach barely above freezing. Spring begins early and remains dry and sunny until late May, when there is a dramatic uptick in the frequency and amount of rainfall lasting until late September. Summers are warm, rainy and generally overcast, with June, the warmest month, averaging. Autumn sees an abrupt reduction in rainfall and a return to clear skies. The annual mean temperature is, while precipitation averages at a year, more than 70% of which occurs from June to September. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 28% in July to 70% in February, the city receives 2,177 hours of bright sunshine annually. December and January both have an all around average temperature of.
Ethnic groups
The Yi( People
Although the Yi People, Chuxiong's largest minority group, has the most historical presence in the area, the large majority of the population is now Han Chinese. The Yi people are still highly celebrated and maintain a large influence on the city's art and customs. Chuxiong has two main Yi subgroups, namely Luoluopo 罗罗泼 and Luowu 罗武 . The two main Miao subgroups are White Miao 白苗 and Flowery Miao 花苗. The city also has a large presence of Bai and Hui people.
Chuxiong Economic Development Zone is an important zone in Yunnan. Now the zone has attracted a number of investment projects. It is an important industry for the development of new-type industry platform. The zone covers an area of, composed of four parks.
Attractions
Yi Ren Gu Zhen is an ancient town and tourist attraction in the northwestern "new town". There is nightly dancing and music with people of the Yi People. The Yi people's authentic, hand-made garb can be purchased in this community, along with many other hand-made items.
As of early 2007, the recently constructed Xin Long Jiang Guang Chang Mall features a Jack Jonesclothing store, an Only clothing store, a Tissot retail store, and many other high-end items for sale. These international commercial outlets were nonexistent prior to 2007, and are most likely a sign of the prosperity of the city due to its central location between three major tourist attractions in Yunnan.
