Changsha Population 2026

Changsha has a population of 3,093,980, making it the #42 biggest city in 🇨🇳 China, located in Hunan. Roughly 0.2% of China's population lives here. It is about 8.0× smaller than Shanghai, the country's biggest city.

Location of Changsha (capital Beijing shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

3,093,980

Rank in China

#42

Coordinates

28.20°N, 112.97°E

~67 m elevation · Asia/Shanghai

Distance to capital (Beijing)

1,339 km

832 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Hunan

City	Population	Rank in China
Changde	1,457,419	#107
Guankou	1,380,000	#120
Heshan	1,249,807	#136
Zhuzhou	1,129,687	#153
Hengyang	1,075,516	#160
Yongzhou	1,020,715	#169
Yueyang	991,465	#178
Xiangtan	959,303	#184

Cities near Changsha

Leifeng28,014 people · ~12 km away
Xiangtan959,303 people · ~39 km away
Yutan55,312 people · ~41 km away
Zhuzhou1,129,687 people · ~44 km away
Shaoshan118,000 people · ~54 km away
Wenxing57,117 people · ~54 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Changsha?

Changsha has a population of 3,093,980 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #42 biggest city in China.

What region is Changsha in?

Changsha is located in Hunan, China.

Is Changsha the capital of China?

No, the capital of China is Beijing, about 1,339 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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