Wuhan , or Wu-han, City (pop., 2003 est.: city, 4,593,400; 2007 est.: urban agglom., 7,243,000), capital of Hubei province, east-central China. It is located at the confluence of the Han and Yangtze (Chang) rivers and is a conurbation of three cities that merged in 1949: Hankou, on the north bank of the Yangtze; Hanyang, across the Han; and Wuchang, on the south bank of the Yangtze. The chief industrial and commercial centre of central China, it is a hub of maritime, river, rail, and road transportation. It serves as the collection and distribution point for the products of the middle Yangtze valley and for western and southwestern China. It has numerous industries, including iron- and steel-producing complexes. It is the seat of Wuhan University and the Central China Technical University.
