Located in the center of Liaoning Province, Anshan is one of the open cities on Liaodong Peninsula. Anshan covers an area of about 9,252 square kilometers, and the distance from east to west is 133 kilometers. Anshan is about 89 kilometers south of the capital of Liaoning, Shenyang.

Anshan was under Liaodong shire during Qin Dynasty (221B.C.-207B.C.). In 1587 it was fortified by the Ming Dynasty to combat the growing power of the Manchu. The city was burnt down during the Boxer Rebellion, and was destroyed again in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). During the 1930s, the Japanese invaders founded Iron and Steel mills here (see Showa Steel Works). The town suffered bombing by the USA during 1944. It was subsequently looted by the Soviet forces. The town was captured by the People's Liberation Army on the 19st February 1948. A date celebrated through the name of the 219 Park. Anshan became a formal administrative region under the Northeastern People's Government(renamed as the Northeastern Administration Commission in November 1952)in 1949, the same year that the People's Republic of China was founded. On 12th March 1953, Anshan became a municipality under the Central Government direct administration. Haicheng County and Xiuyan County were subordinated to Liaodong Province. Tai'an County was subordinated to Liaoxi Province. August 22,1954, the Central Government decided that Anshan was administered by Liaoning Province. The State Council confirmed that Anshan is in charge of liaoyang City and Haicheng city in 1985.

Anshan is famous for her iron and steel industry complex, called Angang. It was, for a long time, the largest one in China, although Shanghai claims to have a larger steel plant, depending on the demographics you read.

Anshan was known in China as "The Capital of Chinese Steel Industry."

Among the 3.584 million people in Anshan County, the sub-city of Haicheng has 1.1811 million people; Tai'an has 354.7 thousand people; Xiuyan has 491.9 thousand people.

The mountain range Qian Shan (literally, "thousands of mountains") is a major tourist draw. Known as the "Pearl of the Northeast," it was titled as one of the most famous tourist spots of China in 1992.Qian Shan is a mountainous national park in Liaoning Province China 18 km southeast of Anshan.

The area features many Buddhist and some Taoist temples spaced throughout the park area. Paved paths connect the sites and a cable car provides access to the highest temple and pagoda location as well as a second one to a lower-lying part of Qian Shan, allowing access over a very difficult hiking path. Qian Shan, at 708.3-meters-high, is densely wooded and abounds with flora and fauna. Qian Shan is also famous for a nature-wrought statue of the Buddha which stands 70 meters tall. The Qian Shan Giant Buddha Festival takes place in June every year

Natural hot springs are found in Anshan and have been developed into several bath houses and medical treatment centers such as Tanggangzi Spring.