city in north-central Fujian (Fukien) sheng (province), China. Nanping occupies an important position in the communications network of northern Fujian. It is situated on the northwest bank of the Min River at the place where that river is formed by the confluence of three major tributary systems—the Sha River, flowing from the southwest; the Jian River, flowing from the northeast; and the Futun River, flowing from the west. All these valleys are natural routes through the rugged and difficult interior country of Fujian, leading toward the neighbouring provinces.

Nanping county was established at the end of the Han dynasty (206 BCE–220 CE). The name was later changed to Jian'an and Yan'an but was then suppressed. In the early 10th century it was a minor town called Yanping Zhen; but when Wang Yanzheng established himself as an independent ruler in north Fujian in 944, it was promoted to the status of Longjin county and made the seat of an independent prefecture of Tanzhou. When northern Fujian was conquered by the Nan (Southern) Tang state in 945, the town was renamed Jianzhou; but in 979 the Song conquerors of the south renamed it Nanjianzhou. Under the Song dynasty (960–1279) it prospered as a major producer of copper, lead, and tin. In 1302 its name was changed to Yanping, and under the Ming (Ming dynasty) (1368–1644) and Qing (Qing dynasty) (1644–1911/12) dynasties it formed the superior prefecture of Yanping. Its name was changed to Nanping in 1913. Under the Qing its commerce—mostly in forest products, timber, bamboo, and paper—grew considerably. Nanping had traditionally sent its goods, particularly lumber, by river to the port city of Fuzhou.

Since 1949, the Min River has been improved for navigation. More important, however, was the opening in 1956 of a railway from Jiangxi province to the port of Xiamen (Amoy), in southern Fujian, which is joined at Nanping by another line to Fuzhou. Nanping thus became the most important rail junction in Fujian and subsequently developed some industries, among which the most important have been timber working, papermaking, and cement and chemical manufacturing. It is a major node for highways across the region. Pop. (2002 est.) 272,795.