The name of Hunan was derived from its geographic site, to the south of Dongting Lake, meanwhile, because Xiangjiang River the largest river in this region, it is also called ''Xiang'' for short. It covers a total area of over 210,000 square kilometers. The major ethic groups living in the province are the Hans, the Tujias, the Miaos, the Dongs, the Yaos, the Huis, the Uigurs and the Zhuangs, with a population of over 10,000.

Surrounded by high mountains to its east, south and west, and by the Yangtze River on the north, it is largely low-lying and hilly in its central part, with the Dongting Lake Plain in its north. Hunan has a humid subtropical monsoon climate, with humid summers, cold winters and abundant rainfall. Northern Hunan has more climate extremes than southern Hunan. It can get colder in the winter and hotter in the summer. The best time to visit is in the fall, when temperatures are cooler and the rainfall lighter. Hunan's mixture of mountains and water makes it among the most beautiful provinces in China. For thousands of years, Hunan has been a major center of Chinese agriculture, growing rice, tea, and oranges.

Located in the south central part of the Chinese mainland, Hunan boasts a long history and is one of the places where Chinese agricultural cultivation originated, and has long been known for its natural beauty.

Historic Changsha, one of the China's famous cultural centers and the capital of Hunan Province, features historic sites of travel resources with more than twenty main tourist attractions including Yuemu Academy, Mawangdui Tombs of Han Dynasty, Zoumalou bamboo books of Wu Kingdom of the Three kingdoms and Xiang Embroidery Academy, etc.

The headspring of life, Dongting Lake, is frequently mist-covered in the early morning. It is the second largest lake in China. Yueyang City, located on the shore of Dongting Lake, is home to one of China's three famous towers. Yueyang Pavilion was originally built during the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The present pavilion is of recent reconstruction, built in the style of the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

Zhangjiajie is composed of the Zhangjiajie National Forest Park, the Tianzi Mountain and Suoxi Valley, with total area of 369 km2. In 1992, it was inscribed in the World National Heritage by UNESCO. The scenic area made up of sandstone from the primitive ecological system and the forest coverage rate reaches 97.7 percent.

Hengshan Mountain,  known as South Mountain, ranks the first among the five sacred mountains in China. Known for its precarious cliffs, it is a holy mountain for both Taoists and Buddhists.

Hunan cuisine, one of the eight regional cuisines of China, is famous for its chilli and spicy flavor. It is sometimes called Xiang cuisine, since the Xiang River, one of the largest tributaries of Yangtze River. Hunan's chili-rich cuisine is similar to that of western China's Sichuan province. Chili, garlic and the unusual so-called "strange sauce" enliven many dishes. Chairman Mao, who was Hunanese, once claimed that the more chilies one eats the more revolutionary one becomes.

There are many great people in Hunan province. Quyuan, a patriotic poet, committed suicide by throwing himself into Miluo River. The story of his death and the search for his body started the tradition of Dragon Boat Festival. Chairman Mao, idol of the Chinese people, was born in Shaoshan. Zhu Rongji, one of the important leaders in the country, also comes from Hunan Province. Such famous people show that Hunan is a place that has cultivated talent as well as being a destination for tourists.