Xuzhou, also known as Pengcheng, is a prefecture-level city located in the northwestern region of Jiangsu province, China. It occupies a strategic geographic position at the junction of four provinces: Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui. The city sits within a natural geographic gap situated between the North China Plain and the Shandong Hills.
As of the 2020 census, Xuzhou had a population of approximately 9.08 million residents. It serves as a significant regional hub characterized by its unique location at the crossroads of multiple provinces.