Longnan, a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Gansu Province, is an important transportation hub and trade logistics center in the southern part of the province, and is the city of Longshu and the city of olives with distinctive regional and cultural characteristics. By the end of 2021, the city has jurisdiction over 1 district and 8 counties, with a total area of 27800 square kilometers. By the end of 2021, the city's permanent population was 2.387 million, and the urbanization rate was 37.3%.

Longnan is located in the western region of China, the southeast of Gansu Province, the junction area of Qinba Mountains, Loess Plateau and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, connecting Shaanxi to the east, Sichuan to the south, and the main points of Shaanxi, Gansu and Sichuan provinces. It is known as "the key of Qinlong and the throat of Bashu". Because of its beautiful landform and pleasant climate, it is also known as "Longshang Jiangnan". There are 2 national nature reserves (Baishuijiang National Nature Reserve, Gansu Yuhe National Nature Reserve), 1 provincial nature reserve (Wenxian Jianshan Giant Panda Nature Reserve), 3 national forest parks (Wenxian Tianchi, Dangchang Guan'egou, Chengxian Jifeng Mountain), 2 national wetland parks (Wenxian Huanglingou National Wetland Park, Kangxian Meiyuanhe National Wetland Park). Longnan is also one of the major producing areas of Chinese traditional medicine and olive oil in China, and enjoys the reputation of "Millennium Drug Town", "Natural Drug Warehouse" and "Chinese Olive Town".

Longnan has had human activities more than 7000 years ago. It is the birthplace of the Qin people and the core area of the activities of the Di and Qiang people in ancient western China. The Baima people in Wenxian County are known as the "oldest tribe in East Asia". In the long historical process, Longnan is not only a battleground for various political and military forces, but also an outpost for the contact between the Central Government of the Central Plains and the northwest ethnic minorities. The growth and decline of attacks and ethnic exchanges constitute an important part of the social history of Longnan.

In 2021, the city's GDP will reach 50.25 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.0%, an average increase of 4.9% in two years, and the per capita GDP will reach 20974 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.8%.