Yan’an is located in northern Shaanxi Province on the Loess Plateau, covering 37,000 square kilometers with an arid semi-arid climate. Its terrain features loess hills and gullies, with an average altitude of 1,200 meters. The region has a plateau continental monsoon climate, with distinct seasons, abundant sunshine, and significant temperature variations. Key geographical features include the Baiyu Mountain, Ziwu Mountain, and Huanglong Mountain ranges, which shape the local topography and watershed systems.
Yan’an, a cradle of Chinese civilization and revolutionary epicenter, hosted the CPC Central Committee from 1935 to 1948, nurturing the Yan’an Spirit. It boasts rich tourism resources centered on “Two Sages and Two Yellows,” with 8,545 historical sites and 445 revolutionary heritage sites. The region’s topography features loess plateau hills, with proven reserves of 1.38 billion tons of oil, 11 billion tons of coal, and over 300 billion cubic meters of natural gas. Its favorable climate and soil make it a global leader in apple cultivation, including the renowned “Luochuan Apple.”
Over the past year, Yan'an followed the guidance of President Xi Jinping's Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, achieving steady economic growth with GDP up 4.3%, and progress in industry, agriculture, and consumption. Key projects advanced, urban-rural integration accelerated, and people's livelihood improved. Social stability was maintained with reduced safety accidents and crime rates.
Yan'an has 2,103 people from 32 ethnic groups, mainly Hui, Manchu, Mongolian, and Zhuang (71% of minorities), plus 672 minority students in its two universities. It has 13 national and provincial model units for ethnic affairs. Five major religions are practiced at 95 sites run by 15 organizations, with the Liulin Mosque being one of China's first national patriotic education bases for religious circles.
In 2025, the permanent resident population of Yan'an City was 2.2182 million, with an urbanization rate of 64.05%. The natural population growth rate was -2.7‰, with a birth rate of 4.57‰ and a death rate of 7.27‰.
In 2025 Yan'an 673 schools 425,500 students 26 regular high schools 16 vocational high schools 84 junior high schools 194 primary schools 347 kindergartens 6 special education schools 29 teaching sites
