Abstract: Since the founding of the people's Republic of China, three typical basin-wide floods occurred in the Yangtze River Basin in 1954, 1998 and 2020. Occurrence background and rainstorm characteristics of basin-wide flood were statistically analyzed from the meteorological factors, such as climate, atmospheric circulation, location of main rain belt, rainstorm trend, concentration time of heavy rainfall, accumulated rainfall and so on. Also, commonness of basin-wide flood was put forward. In addition, the characteristics of basin-wide flood were statistically analyzed from the aspects of flood peak, flood volume, flood frequency and other hydrological factors. Development laws of rainstorm and flood were also revealed. Quantitative indices of basin-wide flood were put forward, which can provide reference for similar flood analysis and basin-wide identification in the future.