Nantong City, referred to as "Tong", is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Jiangsu Province and a Type II large city. It is located in the southeastern part of Jiangsu Province, at the intersection of China's eastern coastline and the Yangtze River, and on the northern wing of the Yangtze River estuary. It belongs to the alluvial plain of the Yangtze River Delta and is located in the subtropical monsoon climate zone. Nantong City is bordered by the Yangtze River to the south and is connected to Suzhou City and Shanghai City across the river. It is bordered by the Yellow Sea to the east and the Northern Jiangsu Plain to the north. It has a land area of 8,001 square kilometers and a sea area of 8,701 square kilometers. As of January 2025, Nantong City has jurisdiction over 3 districts, 1 county, and administers 3 county-level cities. By the end of 2024, Nantong City has a permanent population of 7.75 million.
Nantong is one of the first 14 coastal port cities in China to further open up to the outside world. It serves as the northern gateway to the Shanghai metropolitan area, a national comprehensive transportation hub, a modern maritime city with distinctive river and sea characteristics, and a nationally renowned historical and cultural city. It is a key hub for advanced manufacturing in the Yangtze River Delta, an incubator for industrial and technological innovation, a model city for innovative marine economic development, and a green and livable homeland steeped in the charm of the river and the sea.
In 2024, Nantong's GDP reached 1,242.19 billion yuan, a 6.2% year-on-year increase.