What is the population of Suzhou urban area?

At the end of 2018, the city’s permanent population was 10.7217 million, including 8.1539 million urban residents. The city's registered population is 7.0355 million.

Suzhou, referred to as "Su", formerly known as Wu, Gusu, and Pingjiang Prefecture, is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province and an important part of the Yangtze River City Cluster. It is a national historical and cultural city approved by the State Council and It is a scenic tourist city, a national high-tech industrial base, and one of the important central cities in the Yangtze River Delta. As of 2018, the city has jurisdiction over 5 districts and 4 county-level cities, with a total area of ??8488.42 square kilometers and a built-up area of ??461.65 square kilometers.

Extended information

Administrative District History

Suzhou has a history of more than 4,000 years since written records began. In the 11th century BC, Taibo and Zhongyong from the Western Zhou Dynasty came to the south and were named Gouwu. During the Spring and Autumn Period, Shoumeng of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty became king in 585 BC and established the Kingdom of Wu. King Helu of Wu began to build Suzhou City in 514 BC and became the capital of the Kingdom of Wu.

During the Warring States Period, it belonged to Yue and Chu successively. In the Qin Dynasty, Wu County was established as the seat of Kuaiji County.

Wu County was established in the Han Dynasty. During the Three Kingdoms period, it belonged to Sun Quan and Wu State. In the Southern Dynasties, it belonged to Liang and Wu County was established.

Suzhou was first called Suzhou in the 9th year of Emperor Kaihuang’s reign in the Sui Dynasty (589). In the Song Dynasty, it was Pingjiang Prefecture. In the Yuan Dynasty, Pingjiang Road was changed into the administrative center.

In 1356, Zhang Shicheng changed its name to Longping Mansion. In the 2nd year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty (1369), it was called Suzhou Prefecture.

In the Qing Dynasty, it was continued as Suzhou Prefecture. In the first year of the Republic of China, Suzhou Prefecture was removed and Wu County was established.

Suzhou City was established in 1928, but was revoked in 1930 and renamed Wuxian County.

After the founding of New China, Suzhou was divided into two administrative regions: Suzhou City and Suzhou Prefecture. Before January 1953 and from July 1958 to June 1962, Suzhou City was placed under the Suzhou Prefecture twice.

From 1953 to 1957, the four counties of Wuxi, Jiangyin, Yixing and Wujin were successively placed under the Suzhou Prefecture. At the beginning of 1956, Yixing was placed under the Zhenjiang Prefecture.

At the beginning of 1958, Suzhou District and Songjiang District merged. In July of that year, Wujin County was placed under the Zhenjiang Prefecture, and in November the counties under the original Songjiang Prefecture were placed under Shanghai City.

In 1961, some communes were separated from Changshu and Jiangyin to establish Shazhou County.

In early 1983, Jiangyin and Wuxi counties were placed under the jurisdiction of Wuxi City. Suzhou implements a city-governed county system, with jurisdiction over 1 city (Changshu), 5 counties (Shazhou, Taicang, Kunshan, Wuxian, Wujiang) and 4 districts: Hepingjiang, Canglang, Jinchan and Suburban. After that, five counties were removed and established as cities, among which Shazhou County was renamed Zhangjiagang City.

In 1992 and 1994, some towns and villages were demarcated from Wuxian County and its suburbs, and Suzhou High-tech Zone and Suzhou Industrial Park were established respectively. In 1993, it was approved as a "larger city" by the State Council.

In September 2000, the suburb was renamed Huqiu District.

In early 2001, Wuxian City was abolished and merged into Suzhou City, creating Wuzhong and Xiangcheng Districts.

In 2002, Suzhou High-tech Zone and Huqiu District merged.

In September 2012, Canglang District, Pingjiang District, and Jinchan District were abolished, and the original administrative areas of Canglang District, Pingjiang District, and Jinchan District were established as Gusu District. County-level Wujiang City was abolished and established Wujiang District, Suzhou City.

At the end of 2018, there were 52 towns, 40 streets, 1,180 neighborhood committees, and 1,025 village committees.

Baidu Encyclopedia-Suzhou