[Aim] This study aimed to understand the species composition, and regional distribution of alien invasive plants and to promote biodiversity conservation in the Hunan region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt.[Method] A field investigation of invasive plants in the Hunan region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt was carried out and was supplemented with a literature review.[Result] A total of 146 alien invasive species belonging to 102 genera and 41 families were observed in the Hunan region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The predominant species were those belonging to Asteraceae (35 species), accounting for 23.97% of the total number of invasive plant species. The largest number of invasive alien plants (99 species or 67.81% of the total number of species) originated from America. In terms of life form composition, herbaceous plants were predominant among the invasive plants in the Hunan region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, accounting for 82.88% of the total number of invasive plants. In terms of floristic characteristics, most were from worldwide distribution type (19 families) and invasive, accounting for 46.34% of the total number of families. In terms of the floristic characteristics of the genera, the most abundant were pantropical distribution types (32 genera), accounting for 31.38% of the total number of genera.[Conclusion] The exotic invasive plants in the Hunan region of the Yangtze River Economic Belt were diverse with most exhibiting rapid growth rates, and the harmful degree was increasing. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the management of invasive plants of the family Asteraceae and those from America.