Datong, known as Yunzhong, Pingcheng and Yunzhou in ancient times, is a prefection-level city in Shanxi Province, the second largest city in Shanxi Province, a key city in central China approved by The State Council, a sub-central city in the province, a central city in the border area of Shanxi, Hebei and Mongolia, and an important comprehensive energy base. By 2018, the city has jurisdiction over 4 districts and 6 counties, with a total area of 14,176 square kilometers and a built-up area of 180 square kilometers.

As of midnight on November 1, 2020, according to the seventh national census data, the permanent population of Datong is 3,105,591. In 2021, the urban population of Datong is 2,257,531, with an urbanization rate of 72.69%.

Datong is located in North China, the center of Datong Basin in Northern Shanxi, the junction of Shanxi, Hebei and Mongolia, and the northeast of the Loess Plateau. It is the barrier of the whole Jin, the gateway to the north, and the choke point of Jin, Hebei and Mongolia. Across the Great Wall in the north, it borders Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia, and is the contested land of all dynasties, known as the "key to the North".
Datong is one of the first national historical and cultural cities. It was once the southern capital of the Dynasty, the capital of the Northern Wei, and the secondary capital of the Liao, Jin and Yuan Dynasties. There are many historic sites in Datong, including Yungang Grottoes, Huayan Temple, Shanhua Temple, Hengshan Mountain, Xuankong Temple, and Jiu Longbi, etc. It is one of the first 13 big cities in China, one of the nine ancient capitals of China, National demonstration City of new energy, China Excellent Tourism City, National Garden City, National Model City of Double Support, national comprehensive transportation hub, national logistics hub, China Sculpture City, China Town of Sliced Noodles, and China Top Ten Sports and leisure cities.

Datong is one of the largest coal energy bases in China, the national heavy chemical energy base, and the midpoint of Shenfu, Junge emerging energy Zone and Beijing-Tianjin-Tangshan Industrial Zone. It is known as "Phoenix City" and "Coal Capital of China".
In 2021, Datong's GDP reached 168.6 billion yuan, with a year-on-year growth of 7.5%.