Abstract: The development of Western Hunan consti tutes an important part of the national strategy of the grand exploitat ion of western regions. In this article, the authors make an all-round retrospect of the historical stages,achievements, experience and revelat ion of the past economic and social development of Western Hunan, analyse the three contradictions res tricting its further development, and give a new and systemat ic exposition on the basic thinking,main orientation, practical objectives and concrete measures and approaches of the strategy of the development of Western Hunan from the perspectives of the spirit of the Programme of the State Fifteenth- Five- Year Plan and the stateaid- the - poor and nationalities policies.

Key words: western Hunan, exploitation, the strategy of development