常州别称“龙城”，是近代中国民族工商业的重要发祥地之一、苏南模式发源地之一。总面积4372平方公里，下辖1市5区，拥有常州国家高新区、武进国家高新区两个国家级高新区。2020年末，全市户籍人口386.6万人。
常州有文字记载的历史超2500年，古时以“三吴重镇、八邑名都”著称，出过15名状元、2920名进士，近现代涌现出瞿秋白、张太雷、恽代英“常州三杰”，李公朴、史良等爱国人士和华罗庚、刘海粟等名家巨匠。常州是国家历史文化名城，拥有“东南第一丛林”天宁禅寺、中华最高佛塔天宁宝塔、我国现存最古老完整的地面城池春秋淹城遗址等历史文化资源。
常州是一座充满现代气息的先进制造业基地，高端装备、绿色精品钢等产业集群化发展，以石墨烯和碳纤维为代表的新材料等产业实现重大突破，光伏产业综合实力国际领先，涌现出200多个行业“隐形冠军”。常州连续15年开展“科技长征”，打造了“经科教联动、产学研结合、校所企共赢”的常州模式，常州科教城集聚高等院校6所。
常州与上海、南京两大都市等距相望，水陆空交通便利。全市公路总里程达8962公里，高速公路总里程达306公里。轨道交通一号线建成投运，高架道路闭合成环，在全国地级市率先建成BRT系统。常州国际机场实现一类口岸开放，旅客吞吐量超400万人次，高铁新城、常州综合港务区加快建设。
常州凭借无中生有的创新精神，走出了一条“资源创造型”旅游发展新路。环球恐龙城跻身全国十大热门景区，天目湖成为江苏唯一上市旅游企业，溧阳“1号公路”获评全国美丽乡村路。
2020年，全市实现地区生产总值7805.3亿元，增长4%以上；一般公共预算收入616.6亿元，增长4.5%；居民人均可支配收入52080元，增长4.5%。
Changzhou, also known as the 'dragon city', is one of the birth places of China's national industry and one of the three municipalities that developed the Sunan Model. Covering an area of 4,372 square kilometers, Changzhou administers one county-level city and five districts, as well as two national-level high-tech zones, namely the Changzhou National High-Tech District (CND) and the Wujin National High-Tech Industrial Zone (WIZ). As of the end of 2020, Changzhou's household registered population was 3.866 million.
Changzhou is an ancient city with a written history of over 2,500 years, known as a 'key town in Wu region' in ancient times. There were 15 Zhuangyuan (No.1 Imperial Scholars) and 2,920 Jinshi (a degree offered by ancient Chinese Imperial Examination) that came from Changzhou. In modern times, there have been Qu Qiubai, Zhang Tailei and Yun Daiying who are called the 'Three Heroes of Changzhou', as well as patriots like Li Gongpu and Shi Liang, and masters in different areas such as Hua Luogeng and Liu Haisu. Rated as a national historic city, Changzhou is home to theTianning Temple, which is reputed asthe No.1 Buddhist temple in the Southeast and the tallest Buddhist pagoda in China.There is also the Yancheng Ruins, the most completely preserved and oldest above-ground city ruins in China.
Changzhou is also a modern city boasting advanced manufacturing. Industries of high-end equipment and eco-friendly high-quality steel have realized cluster-based development. New materials represented by graphene and carbon fiber have achieved major breakthroughs. The city's photovoltaic industry is leading in the world in terms of comprehensive strength. Over 200 'hidden champions' have emerged in multiple industries. Embarking on the 'Long March of Science and Technology' for 15 consecutive years, Changzhou has created a unique model of 'coordinated development of economy, science and education, combination of production, teaching and research, and win-win cooperation amongcolleges, enterprises and research institutes'. The Changzhou Science and Education Town has gathered six universities and colleges.
Seated halfway between the two major cities of Shanghai and Nanjing, Changzhou has an integrated transportation system with multiple methods to choose from. The city's highway mileage totaled 8,962 km, while the expressway mileage totaled 306 km. Metro Line 1 has been opened to traffic. All the elevated roads have been connected as a circuit encircling the city. Changzhou was the first prefecture-level city in China that set up the bus rapid transit (BRT) system. Changzhou Benniu International Airport, opened as a national category-I port, has achieved annual passenger throughput of over 4 million. The High-Speed Rail New Town and Changzhou Integrated Port Area are in accelerated construction.
Carrying forward the spirit of creation out of nothing, Changzhou has developed a new 'resource-creating' path for tourism development. The Universal Dinosaur Town ranks among the 10 most popular tourist attractions across the country. Tianmu Lake Tourism Co., Ltd. is the only travel company in Jiangsu Province that went public. Liyang No.1 Road was awarded as a National Beautiful Rural Road.
In 2020, Changzhou's GDP amounted to 780.53 billion yuan, an increase of above 4%; the general public budget revenue achieved 61.66 billion, up 4.5%; and the per capita disposable income reached 52,080, a growth of 4.5%.
