Sanya City, also known as Ya or Lucheng, formerly known as Yazhou or Yaxian, is a prefecture level city under the jurisdiction of Hainan Province. It is located at the southernmost end of Hainan Island, adjacent to Lingshui Li Autonomous County to the east, Ledong Li Autonomous County to the west, Baoting Li and Miao Autonomous County to the north, and the South China Sea to the south. The total land area is 1921 square kilometers. As of February 2024, Sanya City has jurisdiction over four districts. By the end of 2024, Sanya has a registered residence population of 785001.
Sanya, formerly known as Yazhou, has a long and profound history. In the first year of Yuanfeng in the Western Han Dynasty (110 BC), it was included in the map of China. On September 26, 1987, it was upgraded to a prefecture level city. Due to its distance from the imperial capital and isolation overseas, Sanya has been known as the "ends of the earth" since ancient times. It was once the "Tangmu Town" of Lady Xian of Qiao State in the Sui Dynasty; The Tang Dynasty monk Jianzhen drifted ashore and preached the scriptures; During the Tang and Song dynasties, seven famous ministers and officials were demoted to Sanya. During the Song, Yuan, and Ming dynasties, the economy of Sanya was able to develop initially, and the cotton textile industry held a leading position in the country. Sanya is an international tourist city with tropical seaside scenery, also known as the Oriental Hawaii, with unique seaside scenery. Sanya is surrounded by mountains on three sides, forming a embracing atmosphere. The mountains, sea, and river blend together, and numerous peaks provide a high point for overlooking the sea, river bays, and urban landscapes. In 2023, it will be rated as a third tier city.