Lanzhou Population 2026

Lanzhou has a population of 3,000,000, making it the #45 biggest city in 🇨🇳 China, located in Gansu. Roughly 0.2% of China's population lives here. It is about 8.3× smaller than Shanghai, the country's biggest city.

BeijingLanzhou
Location of Lanzhou (capital Beijing shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.
Population (city proper)
3,000,000
Rank in China
#45
Coordinates
36.06°N, 103.84°E
~1,521 m elevation · Asia/Shanghai
Distance to capital (Beijing)
1,180 km
733 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Gansu

CityPopulationRank in China
Qingyang2,125,400#63
Tianshui1,212,791#143
Wuwei1,010,295#171
Zhangye507,433#286
Pingliang504,848#289
Jiuquan428,346#315
Dingxi420,614#316
Baiyin294,400#359

Cities near Lanzhou

FAQ

What is the population of Lanzhou?
Lanzhou has a population of 3,000,000 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #45 biggest city in China.
What region is Lanzhou in?
Lanzhou is located in Gansu, China.
Is Lanzhou the capital of China?
No, the capital of China is Beijing, about 1,180 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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