The city, referred to as "Hangzhou", was called Lin 'an and Qiantang in ancient times. Zhejiang Province governs prefecture-level cities, provincial capitals, sub-provincial cities and megacities? , the core city of Hangzhou Metropolitan Area, the Zhejiang Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Educational Center approved by the State Council, and one of the central cities in the Yangtze River Delta? . By the end of 2002 1, the whole city had jurisdiction over 10 municipal districts, 2 counties and1county-level cities, with a total area of 16850 square kilometers, permanent population of122.04 million and urban population of 1203.
Hangzhou is located in the east of China, in the north of Zhejiang, in the lower reaches of Qiantang River, in the southeast coast, at the southern end of Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, between 291'-30 34' north latitude and118 20'-120 east longitude. . Hangzhou is the core city of Greater Bay Area around Hangzhou Bay and the central city of G60 Science and Technology Corridor? .
Hangzhou is one of the first national historical and cultural cities, and is known as the "Southeast Famous County". The excavation of the site across the lake bridge shows that humans lived here more than 8000 years ago. Liangzhu culture more than 5,000 years ago is called "the dawn of Chinese civilization". Hangzhou has a history of more than 2200 years since the establishment of the county government in Qin Dynasty. It was the capital of Wu Yueguo and the Southern Song Dynasty.