Lianyuan is a county-level city located in the geographical center of Hunan Province, China. It operates under the administration of Loudi prefecture-level city and covers a total area of 1,830.01 km2 (706.57 sq mi). The city serves as the seventh most populous county-level division within the province.
The city is bordered by Anhua and Ningxiang Counties to the north, Louxing District to the east, Shuangfeng, Shaodong, and Xinshao Counties to the south, and Lengshuijiang City and Xinhua County to the west. Its administrative jurisdiction includes one subdistrict, 16 towns, and two townships, with the government seat located in Lantian Subdistrict.
According to the 2010 census, Lianyuan had a registered population of 1,162,928 and a resident population of 995,712. The city is defined by its central location within Hunan and its specific administrative structure under Loudi.