towns and four townships under its jurisdiction. 2 subdistricts Xunyang (浔阳街道) Zhangjiang (漳江街道) 23 towns Cha'anpu (茶庵铺镇) Guanyinsi (观音寺镇) Huangshi (黄石镇) Jianshi (剪市镇) Jiaqiao (架桥镇) Jiuxi (九溪镇) Ligonggang (理公港镇) Longtan (龙潭镇) Mazongling (马鬃岭镇) Mutangyuan (木塘垸镇) Niuchehe (牛车河镇) Pantang (盘塘镇) Qihe (漆河镇) Reshi (热市镇) Sanyanggang (三阳港镇) Shaping (沙坪镇) Shuangxikou (双溪口镇) Taohuayuan (桃花源镇) Xi'an (西安镇) Yangxiqiao (杨溪桥镇) Yiwangxi (夷望溪镇) Zhengjiayi (郑家驿镇) Zoushi (陬市镇) 2 townships Niwotan (泥窝潭乡) Shejiaping (佘家坪乡) 2 Hui & Uyghur ethnic townships Fengshu (枫树维吾尔族回族乡) Qinglin (青林回族维吾尔族乡) Geography Taoyuan County is in the northwestern portion, , of Hunan Province. It is from its northernmost point, LaoPeng village, Reshi Town, to its southernmost point, Shizi Ling, Xuejiachong village, Xi'an Town and from its easternmost post, Caoxiezhou, Renfeng village, Mutangyuan Township, to its westernmost post, Wanjiahe, Gaofeng village, Niuchehe Township. Its total area is , which is the fourth largest in Hunan Province. is arable land, the largest area of arable land in Hunan Province. The agricultural landscape consists of: 13.4% alluvial plains of the Yuanjiang River, 49.3% hillocks, and 36.0% hills and mountains. Climate Taoyuan County is a transition zone from subtropical to north subtropical having a humid subtropical climate with seasonal prevailing winds. All four seasons are distinct. The average annual temperature is 17.0 Celsius. The average temperature is 4.8 degrees Celsius in January and 28.4 degrees Celsius in July. The average annual precipitation is 146 centimeters (58 inches), gradually decreasing from south to north. The annual average relative humidity is 81%; the annual sunshine length is 1531 hours and frost-free period lasts 284 days. Demographics Taoyuan County has a population of 976,000 composed of a dominant Han ethnic group and twelve other minority ethnic groups of: Hui, Uyghur, Tujia, Man, Dong, Zhuang and Yao. The Uyghur and Hui number more than 3000 people. Taoyuan Uyghurs Around 5,000 Uyghurs live around Taoyuan County and other parts of Changde. They are descended from a Uyghur leader Hala Bashi, from Turpan (Kingdom of Qocho), who the Ming dynasty Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang sent to Hunan in the 14th century (mid-1300s). Along with him came Uyghur soldiers from which the Hunan Uyghurs descend. During the 1982 census 4,000 Uyghurs were recorded in Hunan. They have genealogies from the period beginning 600 years ago to the present day. Keeping genealogical records is a Han Chinese custom which the Hunan Uyghurs adopted. These Uyghurs were given the surname Jian by the Emperor; they received a Chinese