Located in the southwest of Fujian Province (generally called West Fujian), Longyan City borders on Guangdong Province and Jiangxi Province, and is sited at latitude 24°23'-26°02' north and longitude 115°51'-117°44' east. The Min-Nan (South Fujian) dialect is the native language of Longyan and Zhangping, while Hakka dialect is popular among all other regions.

Longyan governs Xinluo District, Zhangping City, Yongding County, Shanghang County, Wuping County, Changting County and Liancheng County. With a total urban area of 19,100 square kilometers and a population of 2,865,100, Longyan also has approximate 1 million overseas Chinese and Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macao compatriots.
The West Fujian is a renowned revolutionary base area. There are totally 610 revolutionary base villages and 23,600 martyrs, accounting for more than 50% of the total number of revolutionary martyrs of Fujian.

During 1955-1965, the number of newly-promoted generals with Jiangxi origin hit 68, accounting for 82% of total number of generals from Fujian. The long-term revolution had brought up the tradition of diligent and hard-working, the habit of simple and plain living and the revolutionary spirit of intrepidity and utter devotion, which are regarded as the precious advantages for opening up and developing the regional economy of West Fujian.

Also known as West Fujian, Longyan boasts time honored Yongding Earth Building which is a shinning pearl of oriental civilization, national AAA-level Mountain Plum nature reserve which is the paradise of wildlife, country-level major scenic resort Mountain Guanzhai in Liancheng, and Danxia landform that integrates grandness, oddness, gracefulness, quietness and depth. The Site of Gutian Meeting is the Holy land for revolutionary traditional education, and the spirit of Gutian Meeting will shine for ever. There are also Tiger Park of Mountain Plum, the city of history and culture Tingzhou, Longkong Cave etc. Numerous tourists and the Hakka society from both home and abroad are being attracted by the romantic feeling and culture of Hakka such as Hakka Folksong, Han Opera of West Fujian, Tea-picking Dance of Longyan, Dancing Dragon the Great in Liancheng, Running Folk-Tale Pageant, and Bass Drum of Yongding etc.