Hunan is a province in Central China, with Changsha serving as its capital. Its name means "South of the (Dongting) Lake," and Hunan became part of the Zhou dynasty in 350 BC and later the Qin and Han. The Han assimilated the region's indigenous inhabitants, cleared forests, and began farming rice in the valleys and plains. Hunan is still home to various ethnic minorities like the Tujia and Miao, and Changsha became a major commercial, manufacturing, and transportation center. By 2020, Hunan had 66,444,864 residents.