Yuncheng

Yuncheng is the southernmost prefecture-level city in Shanxi province, China. It borders Linfen and Jincheng to the north and east, and Henan and Shaanxi provinces to the east, south and west. At the 2020 census its population was 4,774,508, down from 5,134,779 in 2010, of whom 928,334 lived in the built-up area formed by Yanhu District. The city grew up around salt and is called the City of Salt Luck; it is historically tied to the Yuncheng Salt Lake, one of the largest natural salt lakes in China, which has been worked for thousands of years and gave the region a crucial economic base. In ancient times its salt was an important source of revenue and influenced regional trade routes. Its position also makes it a gateway between Shanxi, Henan and Shaanxi in the Yellow River basin. It is served by Yuncheng Yanhu International Airport, several national highways and high-speed railway lines.