Tongchuan is a prefecture-level city in central Shaanxi province, People's Republic of China. It lies on the southern fringe of the Loess Plateau, the landform that defines the northern half of the province (Shanbei), and at the northern reaches of the Guanzhong Plain.
The city's position places it at the transition between two of Shaanxi's major geographic regions: the plateau country to the north and the plain to the south. The Loess Plateau, formed of wind-deposited silt, covers a large part of northern and central China and gives the surrounding terrain its characteristic appearance.
Tongchuan is administered as a prefecture-level city, a designation used in China for cities that govern surrounding counties and districts in addition to their urban core. It should not be confused with other places bearing the same name.