# Pu'er City

Pu'er is a prefecture-level city in southern Yunnan Province, China. Pu'er City governs 9 counties, 1 district, 103 townships (towns), and a total population of 2.65 million. The urban administrative center of Pu'er is Simao District, which is also the former name of the prefecture-level city itself. A major downturn in the price of tea in 2007 caused severe economic distress in the area. The price of Pu'er has since recovered and Pu'er tea, a type of dark tea, still contributes much to the income of the area.

## Etymology

Nanzhao set a division called Bu'ri Jian (步日瞼) in 839 AD; this was the first time the region was integrated into the administrative system of a Chinese dynasty. In the Yuan dynasty, the central government changed the name to Pu'ri (普日) in 1278. Finally in Ming dynasty, the name was changed to "Pu'er" (普耳) in 1384. The character of "er" (耳) was changed to 洱 in Wanli Emperor period. The name "普洱" (Pu'er) has continued to be used to this day.$^{:31}$ Wa scholar Ni-ga states that the original name "Bu'ri" is the exonym of Blang people in Baraoke language, a dialect of Wa language, which means "my brother".$^{:83}$
Pu'er tea has the name "Pu'er" because Pu'er was the distribution centre of the tea produced in the south-west of Yunnan during the Ming and Qing dynasty. Pu'er tea became world-famous, and the city Pu'er also became famous as a result of the tea. The Yinsheng Festival was first established in the Nanzhao Kingdom of the Tang Dynasty. There were records of "Pu Tea" in the Ming Dynasty.

## History

Its name was changed to Simao in 1950 following the Communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, while its surrounding county was known as Pu'er. In 2007, the town's name was changed back to Pu'er; the surrounding area became known as Ning'er County; and the name Simao was taken by a town and district within the city. The change had an effect on the size of the official Pu'er tea production area, a major regional product.

## Geography and climate

Pu'er is located in southern/southwestern Yunnan, on the lower reaches of the Mekong (known in Chinese as the Lancang), with the bordering prefectures being Yuxi to the northeast, Honghe to the east, Xishuangbanna to the south, Lincang to the northwest, and Dali and Chuxiong. It also shares borders with Vietnam (Điện Biên Province), Laos (Phongsaly Province), and Burma (Shan State), being the only prefecture in Yunnan to border all three countries. As with much of the province, mountainous terrain dominates its administrative area, covering 98.3%. Elevations range from 376 to 3,306 metres (1,234 to 10,846 ft).
Located at an altitude of above 1,300 m (4,300 ft) and within a degree south of the Tropic of Cancer, Pu'er, as with much of southern Yunnan, has a warm humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cwa), with muddled distinction between the seasons and daytime temperatures remaining warm year-round. Highs peak in April and May before the core of the rainy season and reach a minimum in December; however, the warmest and coolest months are June and January, respectively at 23.0 °C (73.4 °F) and 13.7 °C (56.7 °F); the annual mean is 19.3 °C (66.7 °F). June through September accounts for nearly 70% of the annual rainfall of 1,442 mm (56.8 in) and during this time, some rainfall occurs on most days, pushing relative humidity above 80% and there is a marked reduction in sunshine. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 27% in July to 69% in February, the city receives 2,206 hours of bright sunshine annually.
Climate data for Pu'er (Simao District), elevation 1,302 m (4,272 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–2010) :
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 27.6 (81.7) | 29.8 (85.6) | 32.0 (89.6) | 34.0 (93.2) | 35.7 (96.3) | 33.5 (92.3) | 31.8 (89.2) | 32.3 (90.1) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.1 (86.2) | 27.3 (81.1) | 25.5 (77.9) | 35.7 (96.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 21.1 (70.0) | 23.6 (74.5) | 26.7 (80.1) | 28.6 (83.5) | 28.6 (83.5) | 27.9 (82.2) | 26.9 (80.4) | 27.2 (81.0) | 26.8 (80.2) | 25.0 (77.0) | 22.9 (73.2) | 20.5 (68.9) | 25.5 (77.9) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 13.7 (56.7) | 15.4 (59.7) | 18.6 (65.5) | 21.1 (70.0) | 22.4 (72.3) | 23.0 (73.4) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.4 (72.3) | 21.7 (71.1) | 20.0 (68.0) | 16.8 (62.2) | 14.0 (57.2) | 19.3 (66.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 8.7 (47.7) | 9.4 (48.9) | 12.2 (54.0) | 15.3 (59.5) | 18.1 (64.6) | 20.1 (68.2) | 20.1 (68.2) | 19.8 (67.6) | 18.9 (66.0) | 17.0 (62.6) | 13.1 (55.6) | 9.9 (49.8) | 15.2 (59.4) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −2.5 (27.5) | 2.4 (36.3) | 0.8 (33.4) | 7.1 (44.8) | 10.8 (51.4) | 14.5 (58.1) | 15.0 (59.0) | 14.8 (58.6) | 11.3 (52.3) | 4.9 (40.8) | 2.0 (35.6) | −0.9 (30.4) | −2.5 (27.5) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 27.3 (1.07) | 15.3 (0.60) | 27.7 (1.09) | 54.9 (2.16) | 138.7 (5.46) | 200.5 (7.89) | 322.4 (12.69) | 286.1 (11.26) | 175.9 (6.93) | 119.7 (4.71) | 49.5 (1.95) | 24.2 (0.95) | 1,442.2 (56.76) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 4.0 | 3.3 | 4.5 | 9.0 | 15.7 | 21.5 | 25.3 | 24.2 | 19.3 | 14.1 | 6.2 | 4.2 | 151.3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 75 | 66 | 60 | 63 | 71 | 80 | 84 | 84 | 82 | 81 | 80 | 80 | 76 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 228.4 | 224.0 | 235.9 | 239.1 | 210.1 | 148.1 | 111.7 | 128.3 | 146.1 | 152.1 | 187.6 | 194.5 | 2,205.9 |
| Percentage possible sunshine | 68 | 69 | 63 | 63 | 51 | 37 | 27 | 32 | 40 | 43 | 57 | 59 | 51 |
| Source 1: China Meteorological Administration ||||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather China ||||||||||||||

## Administrative divisions

Map :
| Simao Ning'er County Zhenyuan County Jingdong County Jinggu County Mojiang County Ximeng County Menglian County Lancang County Jiangcheng County ||||||
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2010) | Area (km$^2$) | Density (/km$^2$) |
| Simao District | 思茅区 | Sīmáo Qū | 296,500 | 4,093 | 72 |
| Ning'er Hani and Yi Autonomous County | 宁洱哈尼族彝族自治县 | Níng'ěr Hānízú Yízú Zìzhìxiàn | 185,700 | 3,670 | 51 |
| Mojiang Hani Autonomous County | 墨江哈尼族自治县 | Mòjiāng Hānízú Zìzhìxiàn | 360,500 | 5,459 | 66 |
| Jingdong Yi Autonomous County | 景东彝族自治县 | Jǐngdōng Yízú Zìzhìxiàn | 359,500 | 4,532 | 79 |
| Jinggu Dai and Yi Autonomous County | 景谷傣族彝族自治县 | Jǐnggǔ Dǎizú Yízú Zìzhìxiàn | 291,700 | 7,777 | 38 |
| Zhenyuan Yi, Hani and Lahu Autonomous County | 镇沅彝族哈尼族拉祜族自治县 | Zhènyuán Yízú Hānízú Lāhùzú Zìzhìxiàn | 208,600 | 4,223 | 49 |
| Jiangcheng Hani and Yi Autonomous County | 江城哈尼族彝族自治县 | Jiāngchéng Hānízú Yízú Zìzhìxiàn | 121,500 | 3,476 | 35 |
| Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County | 孟连傣族拉祜族佤族自治县 | Mènglián Dǎizú Lāhùzú Wǎzú Zìzhìxiàn | 135,500 | 1,957 | 69 |
| Lancang Lahu Autonomous County | 澜沧拉祜族自治县 | Láncāng Lāhùzú Zìzhìxiàn | 491,900 | 8,807 | 56 |
| Ximeng Va Autonomous County | 西盟佤族自治县 | Xīméng Wǎzú Zìzhìxiàn | 91,300 | 1,391 | 66 |

## Demographics

According to the Seventh National Census in 2020, the city’s Permanent Population (hukou) was 2,404,954. Compared with the Sixth National Census, the ten-year decrease was 137,944, a decrease of 5.42%. The average annual decrease of 13,794 people, the average annual growth rate of -0.55%. Among them, there are 1,264,767 males, accounting for 52.59% of the total population; 1,140,187 females, accounting for 47.41% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (female is 100) is 110.93. The population aged 0–14 is 451,650, accounting for 18.78%; the population aged 15–59 is 1,574,042, accounting for 65.45%; the population aged 60 and over is 379,502, accounting for 15.78%. The population living in cities and towns was 974,728, accounting for 40.53% of the total population; the population living in rural areas was 1,430,226, accounting for 59.47% of the total population.
At the end of 2023 and the beginning of 2024, the permanent population will be 2.34 million.

### Nationality

Among the resident population, the Han population is 991,585, accounting for 38.99% of the total population; the ethnic minorities population is 1,551,313, accounting for 61.01% of the total population.There are 26 ethnic groups, 14 permanent ethnic groups, 5 main ethnic minorities, and 5 "direct ethnic groups".
Ethnic Composition of Pu'er City (November 2020) :
| National name | Han | Hani | Yi | Lahu | Wa | Dai | Bulang | Hui | Bai | Hmong | Others |
| Population | 933369 | 407504 | 402687 | 285329 | 144516 | 146682 | 15668 | 12909 | 14337 | 14845 | 28108 |
| Proportion of total population (%) | 38.81 | 16.95 | 16.74 | 11.87 | 6.01 | 6.10 | 0.65 | 0.54 | 0.60 | 0.62 | 1.11 |
| Proportion of minority population (%) | --- | 27.69 | 27.36 | 19.41 | 9.82 | 9.96 | 1.06 | 0.88 | 0.98 | 1.01 | 1.83 |

## Transport

* Asian Highway Network AH3 It is a highway in the Asian Highway system, 7,331 kilometers (4,555 miles) long.
* China National Highway 213 This national highway is a national highway in northwest and southwest China. It starts from Xigu District, Lanzhou City and ends at Mengla County, Xishuangbanna Autonomous Prefecture. It has a total length of 2,827 kilometers and passes through the four provinces of Gansu, Sichuan, Guizhou and Yunnan.
* Kunming–Bangkok Expressway The total length is 1,880 kilometers, starting from the Kunming Toll Station at the entrance of Kunming Yuxi Expressway in the east and ending in Bangkok, Thailand. The entire line consists of a section in China, a section in Laos and a section in Thailand. It was officially opened to traffic in December 2008.
* Pu'er Simao Airport Pu'er Simao Airport is located at the southeastern foothills of Wuliang Mountain in southwest Yunnan and east of the Lancang River. The airport covers an area of 1,487 acres. The flight area is graded 4C. The runway is 2,500 meters long, 45 meters wide, and has 3 parking spaces.
* Pu'er Railway Station opened on December 3, 2021, can be reached by high-speed rail to Kunming, capital of Yunnan province, and other cities.