On the basis of the data on As, Hg, Pb, Cd, Zn, Cr heavy metal contents of soils sampled from 14 depth profiles in the periurban zone of Wuhu City, Anhui Provice, the status of soil pollution by heavy metals was studied by use of background contents of these elements under the natural soil condition. Meanwhile, the correspondence analysis method was applied to studing spatial differentiation of metal heavy pollution of the sample soils. The study indicates that on the whole the most of heavy metal existing in the sample soils quite resulted in obvious pollution. Different features of pollution were revealed in different regions. In general, the pollution is more serious in Jiujiang, Matang, and Xijiang area than in the other regions. It was also demonstrated that there was no significant spatial differentiation in contents of heavy metals in the soils, except Pb and Hg.