Chenzhou (Chinese: 郴州; pinyin: Chēnzhōu) is a city located in the south of Hunan province, People's Republic of China. Its administrative area covers 19,317 square kilometres (7,458 sq mi), 9.2% of the provincial area, and its total population reached 4,559,600 in 2001, 26% of them living in urban areas, 74% of them live in rural areas.