It is under the administration of the Ngawa Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.

The county spans an area of 5,524 square kilometers, and has a population of about 73,000 as of 2019.

[3] Prior to the 18th century, Greater Jinchuan was ruled by the Gyalrong Tibetan Chiefdom of Chuchen.

The county briefly belonged to the Revolutionary Government of Republic of Kerutetsa [zh] until 1935.

[5] The county was briefly renamed Dajinchuan County (simplified Chinese: 大金川县; traditional Chinese: 大金川縣) from 1953 to June 1959.