# Cao County

Cao County or Caoxian (simplified Chinese: 曹县; traditional Chinese: 曹縣; pinyin: Cáo Xiàn) is a county in Heze City in southwestern Shandong Province, China. It borders Henan Province to the west.

## History

Bo, one of the capitals of the Shang dynasty, lay in what is now Cao .
Prior to the Boxer Rebellion, Cao was an area noted for its lawlessness. When local garrisons were weakened during the First Sino-Japanese War, a militia known as the Dadaohui ("Great Sword Company") was set up. It operated until 1895 and may have inspired some of the Boxer Rebellion.

## Administrative divisions

As of 2012, this County is divided to 5 subdistricts, 19 towns, 1 ethnic town and 2 townships.

### Subdistricts

| Caocheng Subdistrict (曹城街道) Panshi Subdistrict (磐石街道) Qinghe Subdistrict (青菏街道) | Zhengzhuang Subdistrict (郑庄街道) Niji Subdistrict (倪集街道) |

### Towns

| Zhuangzhai (庄寨镇) Pulianji (普连集镇) Qingguji (青固集镇) Taoyuanji (桃源集镇) Hanji (韩集镇) Zhuanmiao (砖庙镇) Guyingji (古营集镇) Weiwan (魏湾镇) Suji (苏集镇) Sunlaojia (孙老家镇) | Gedianlou (阎店楼镇) Liangditou (梁堤头镇) Ancailou (安才楼镇) Shaozhuang (邵庄镇) Wangji (王集镇) Qinggangji (青岗集镇) Changleji (常乐集镇) Daji (大集镇) Wulou (仵楼镇) |

### Ethnic Towns

* Houji Hui Town (侯集回族镇)

### Townships

* Louzhuang Township (楼庄乡)
* Niuhongmiao Township (朱洪庙乡)

## Demographics

Cao County, under Heze City in Shandong Province, China, according to the latest statistics, had a population of 1,682,369. The county covers an area of approximately 1,970 square kilometers with a population density of 854 people per square kilometer. The population comprises mainly the Han Chinese ethnic group; however, it also has other ethnic groups. Cao County is an extensive agricultural producer from wheat and cotton to an expanding industrial base of manufacturing and textiles.

## Climate

Climate data for Caoxian, elevation 49 m (161 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1981–2010) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 17.4 (63.3) | 26.0 (78.8) | 27.9 (82.2) | 33.0 (91.4) | 38.8 (101.8) | 39.6 (103.3) | 40.9 (105.6) | 36.9 (98.4) | 36.6 (97.9) | 35.0 (95.0) | 27.3 (81.1) | 20.5 (68.9) | 40.9 (105.6) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) | 9.0 (48.2) | 15.0 (59.0) | 21.5 (70.7) | 26.8 (80.2) | 31.6 (88.9) | 32.0 (89.6) | 30.5 (86.9) | 27.0 (80.6) | 21.8 (71.2) | 13.9 (57.0) | 7.1 (44.8) | 20.1 (68.2) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.0 (32.0) | 3.4 (38.1) | 9.0 (48.2) | 15.3 (59.5) | 20.8 (69.4) | 25.6 (78.1) | 27.3 (81.1) | 25.9 (78.6) | 21.4 (70.5) | 15.5 (59.9) | 8.1 (46.6) | 1.9 (35.4) | 14.5 (58.1) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.7 (25.3) | −0.7 (30.7) | 4.1 (39.4) | 9.8 (49.6) | 15.3 (59.5) | 20.2 (68.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 22.3 (72.1) | 17.0 (62.6) | 10.6 (51.1) | 3.7 (38.7) | −1.8 (28.8) | 10.0 (50.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15.0 (5.0) | −17.6 (0.3) | −8.5 (16.7) | −1.7 (28.9) | 3.4 (38.1) | 12.2 (54.0) | 15.7 (60.3) | 11.6 (52.9) | 6.4 (43.5) | −1.5 (29.3) | −11.5 (11.3) | −15.4 (4.3) | −17.6 (0.3) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 10.0 (0.39) | 14.2 (0.56) | 21.5 (0.85) | 35.5 (1.40) | 60.0 (2.36) | 75.5 (2.97) | 175.2 (6.90) | 154.5 (6.08) | 78.6 (3.09) | 32.1 (1.26) | 27.7 (1.09) | 11.3 (0.44) | 696.1 (27.39) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 3.6 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 5.4 | 7.0 | 7.8 | 11.4 | 10.5 | 8.1 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 3.5 | 77.5 |
| Average snowy days | 3.4 | 2.4 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 1.9 | 9.2 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 68 | 64 | 62 | 66 | 68 | 67 | 81 | 85 | 79 | 72 | 71 | 69 | 71 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 133.5 | 143.1 | 187.8 | 209.3 | 228.9 | 209.7 | 188.4 | 182.5 | 170.9 | 168.1 | 146.9 | 139.3 | 2,108.4 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 43 | 46 | 50 | 53 | 53 | 49 | 43 | 44 | 46 | 49 | 48 | 46 | 48 |
| Source: China Meteorological Administration ||||||||||||||

## Transport

* Caoxian railway station
* Zhuangzhai railway station