Changde is a prefecture-level city located in the northwestern region of Hunan province in the People's Republic of China. Historically referred to as "Wuling," the city is situated at the foot of Wuling Mountain on the west side of Dongting Lake, south of the Yangtze River.
The city is geographically positioned as a gateway between several regions, historically described as the throat of Sichuan and Guizhou and the entrance to Yunnan and Guizhou. It shares borders with Hubei province to the north, Yiyang to the south, and the Wuling and Xuefeng Mountains to the west.
In addition to its urban districts, the administrative jurisdiction of Changde includes six counties and the county-level city of Jinshi.