Quick facts
Zhaotong overview
Zhaotong (orange) and the other large cities of China
Zhaotong lies in Yunnan in China at 27.32°N, 103.72°E, about 1,974 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Shanghai (UTC+8).
It is smaller than Xingtai (798,770) and larger than Panzhihua (787,177). The largest city in China is Shanghai with 24,874,500 people; the capital, Beijing, has 18,960,744.
The national capital, Beijing, is about 1,823 km away; the nearest large city is Liupanshui, 137 km from Zhaotong.
China as a whole has a live population of 1,411,968,572 (-0.2% a year) and ranks #2 of 238 countries — see the China population page for the full statistics and the China atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Zhaotong
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Liupanshui Guizhou | 137 km | 1,320,825 |
| Bijie Guizhou | 155 km | 1,137,383 |
| Xichang Sichuan | 157 km | 481,796 |
| Xunchang Sichuan | 160 km | 118,664 |
| Shuifu Yunnan | 161 km | 102,143 |
| Yibin Sichuan | 184 km | 836,340 |
| Xuyong Sichuan | 194 km | 108,352 |
Largest cities in China
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Zhaotong?
Zhaotong has about 787,845 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Zhaotong the capital of China?
No. The capital of China is Beijing (18,960,744 people), about 1,823 km away. Zhaotong is the 216th largest city of the country.
How big is Zhaotong compared with the rest of China?
Its 787,845 residents are 0.1% of the 1,411,968,572 people living in China today. Shanghai is larger with 24,874,500 people.
Where is Zhaotong?
In Yunnan, China, at latitude 27.32 and longitude 103.72, 1,974 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Liupanshui (137 km), Bijie (155 km), Xichang (157 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Zhaotong Population 2026 — China. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/china/zhaotong/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/china/zhaotong/">Zhaotong Population 2026 — China</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.