As a prefecture-level city with an area of 9,926 square kilometres (3,832 sq mi), Liupanshui had a total population of over 2,830,000 in 2006, making it the second largest in the province, though only 251,900 inhabitants were urban residents.

The general area is significant as the seat of the historic Yelang political entity, a confederation of tribes that dominated parts of modern-day Guizhou, Hunan, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.

This includes the underground lake in Qilin Cave Park (麒麟公园), Danxia Mountain (丹霞山), about which Xu Xiake, the Chinese travel writer and geographer of the Ming Dynasty, had written.

Yushe National Park (玉舍国家公园) includes the Jiucai Ping Scenic Zone (韭菜坪景区).

Local cuisine includes Yangrou fen (羊肉粉) - Lamb rice noodles, and Luoguo yangyu (烙锅洋芋) - Fried potatoes.