in the transition from the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the Sichuan Basin and hill country of Hunan. Zunyi has a four-season, monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), slightly modified by elevation. It has fairly mild winters and hot, humid summers; close to 60% of the year's of precipitation occurs from May to August. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from in January to in July, while the annual mean is . Rain is common throughout the year, with 182 days annually precipitation, though it does not actually accumulate to much in winter, the cloudiest time of year; summer, in contrast, is the sunniest. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from around 9% in January and February to 45% in August, the city receives only 1,051 hours of bright sunshine annually; only a few locations in neighbouring Sichuan receive less sunshine on average. Administration Ethnic groups The 1999 Zunyi Prefecture Almanac lists the following ethnic groups. Gelao Miao ("Blue-Skirted Miao"): most populous, found in western Zunyi Prefecture ("Red-Skirted Miao"): central Zunyi Prefecture ("White-Skirted Miao"): least populous, found in central Zunyi Prefecture ("Chinese Miao"; clothing similar to that of the ): northwestern Zunyi Prefecture Tujia Buyi Yi Dong Hui Manchu Transportation China National Highway 210 China National Highway 306 Sichuan–Guizhou Railway Chongqing–Guiyang high-speed railway Zunyi Xinzhou Airport G4215 Rongzun Expressway G56 Hangzhou–Ruili Expressway G75 Lanzhou-Haikou Expressway A rapid transit system is in the planning stages for Zunyi. Economy Zunyi is the economic and commercial hub of the North Guizhou Province. In 2019, Zunyi's GDP was CN¥348.3 billion (US$53 billion). Culture Being known as the "home of culture" of Guizhou province, Zunyi, or the North-Guizhou area, is the education and economic centre of the province. Museums & tourism The Zunyi Conference Memorial Museum is located in Honghuagang District, and consists of several sites related to the historical Zunyi Conference. Institutions of higher learning Zunyi is home to the Zunyi Medical College (ZMC), which was formerly the Dalian Medical College founded in 1947. The college was moved from Dalian to Zunyi and renamed to the Zunyi Medical College with the approval of the State Council in 1969. Another college-level institution of in the city is the Zunyi Normal College (). Food and liquor The rice liquor Maotai is produced in the town of Maotai, known as the "national liquor of China." Zunyi is home to much chili pepper cultivation, and red sorghum is also grown