Abstract: Objective To identify the epidemiological and etiological characteristics of hand foot and mouth disease (HFMD) in Baoshan, Yunnan province, and provide scientific evidence for the prevention and control of HFMD. Methods Descriptive statistical study and geographic information system were used for analyzing the surveillance data of HFMD in Baoshan from 2008 to 2014, and real-time RT-PCR was used for testing etiological samples of HFMD. Results A total of 15025 HFMD cases were reported in Baoshan during this period, including 98 severe cases and 5 deaths. The incidence of HFMD increased from 12.5/lakh in 2008 to 147.2/lakh in 2014. Most cases (47.4%) were reported in Longyang district, where the incidence was highest (110/lakh). Overall, the annual incidence peaked during April-July firstly, then during September-December. Most cases (93.9%) were less than 5 years old, and the incidence was highest in age group 1 year (2192.8/lakh). About 85% of the cases were detected outside child care settings, and 10.2% of the cases were detected in child care settings. Etiological test of 1042 samples showed that 680 were positive (65.3%), in which 247 were positive for CoxA16, 173 were positive for EV71, 189 were positive for other enteroviruses and 71 were positive for multi viruses. Conclusion The incidence of HFMD showed an upward trend from 2008 to 2014, but the age, area and seasonal distributions varied, and the predominant pathogen varied with year. Effective measures should be taken to strengthen the prevention and control of HFMD among risk populations in community and childcare setting.