Lincang


Lincang is a prefecture-level city located in the southwest of Yunnan province, People's Republic of China.

Geography and climate

Lincang covers latitude 23° 05′－25° 02′ N and longitude 98° 40′－100° 33′ E, thus straddling the Tropic of Cancer in the southern part of its administrative area, or prefecture. It is situated on the middle to lower reaches of the Mekong, known as the Lancang in China, and the Salween, or the Nu. Bordering prefectures are Pu'er to the southeast, and Baoshan and Dali to the northwest. It also borders Burma's Shan State. Elevations within the prefecture range from.
Located at an altitude of above and within 30 arc minutes to the north of the Tropic of Cancer, Lincang has a mild subtropical highland climate, bordering on a humid subtropical climate, with muddled distinction between the seasons and daytime temperatures remaining warm year-round. Highs peak in May before the core of the rainy season and reach a minimum in December; however, the warmest and coolest months are June and January respectively. June through September accounts for nearly 70% of the annual rainfall of and during this time, some rainfall occurs on most days, pushing relative humidity above 80% and there is a marked reduction in sunshine. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 22% in July to 73% in January, the city receives 2,105 hours of bright sunshine annually.

Subdivisions

Demography

Lincang is the mountainous home of the Wa ethnic minority and was historically seen as too "wild" to be worth settling by neighboring powers, notably British Burma and ancient China. This may have had some connection to the Wa's image as head-hunters.

Natural resources

mined and extracted in the Lincang area include coal, germanium and uranium. Lincang is also home to the world's oldest cultivated tea tree, some 3,200 years old, in the village of Jinxiu, Xiaowan town, of Fengqing County.

Transport