Overview

Name: Guizhou

Population: 38.65 million (2023)

Area: 176,000 square kilometers

Location: The province lies at the eastern end of the Yungui Plateau in Southwest China.

Economy

In 2023, Guizhou's GDP reached 2.91 trillion yuan ($292.12 billion), growing by 4.9 percent compared to the previous year. The added value of primary, secondary, and tertiary industries increased by 3.9 percent, 4.4 percent and 5.5 percent respectively.

Resources

Guizhou is a province with abundant resources. Its power relies mainly on water and coal mines. There are 984 rivers that are longer than 10 kilometers or with a drainage area larger than 20 square kilometers. The province's coal reserves are over 50 billion tons. It is a key province for the nation's "West-to-East Electricity Transmission" project. Coal mine resources in Guizhou are comparatively concentrated. There are 128 kinds of minerals and subclass minerals, 76 of which have measured reservation volumes. All resources in the province enjoy convenient exploration conditions.

Climate

The province features a subtropical monsoon climate, which in most regions is mild and wet. Climates vary based on altitude in the province. As a local puts it, "One can experience all four seasons climbing a mountain, and all different kinds of weather exist within 10 miles." Due to its special geographical environment, the province has distinct seasons. Spring is warm and windy. Summer does not suffer from searing heat, and winters are relatively mild. Guizhou has ample rainfall as most regions have a precipitation of about 1,100 to 1,300 millimeters. The average hours of sunshine total between 1,200 and 1,600 with an annual temperature of 14 to 18 degrees Celsius.

Ecology

The province boasts more than 3,800 species of wild flora and about 1,000 species of wild fauna. It is an important center for flora and fauna in the country and one of the nation's four production regions of Chinese herbal medicine.

Culture

There are 17 aboriginal ethnic groups inhabiting the province, including the Miao, Bouyei, Dong, Sui, Gelao, Yi and Tujia. Their colorful cultural relics and customs make Guizhou a popular destination for heritage-based tourism. Francesco Frangialli, former secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization, said "Guizhou is a province of culture, eco-environment, folk songs and dances, and wine."

Environment

There are four major mountains in the province: Wumeng Mountain, Dalou Mountain, Miaoling Mountain and Wuling Mountain. The mountainous areas account for 92.5 percent of the province's total. Among them, the 109,000 square kilometers of karst landscape make up 61.9 percent of the total land area in the province. For this reason it is known as a "natural encyclopedia" of the karst landform.

Guizhou is home to many national 5A-level tourist attractions and UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including Huangguoshu Waterfall, Fanjing Mountain, Loong Palace, and Qingyan Ancient Town.

Administrative divisions

Guizhou province governs six county-level cities (Guiyang, Zunyi, Liupanshui, Anshun, Bijie and Tongren), three autonomous prefectures (Qiandongnan, Qiannan and Qianxinan) and 88 counties.