General Introduction

Formerly a province Guangxi was set up as an autonomous region iii 1958. Situated on the southern border with the Beibu Bay of the South China Sea in the south, it covers an area of more than 230,000 square kilometers, of which 70 per cent are mountains, 20 per cent rivers and 10 per cent farmland.

Rocky mountains make up more than two-thirds of the region's total area. Guangxi has a population of 34.7 million, of which 11 per cent live in the cities. The Zhuangs are the most numerous of China's minority nationalities, and it is in Guangxi that more than 90 per cent of them (11.6 million) live. Other nationalities of the region include the Hen (21.6 million), Yao, Miao, Dong, Mulam, Maonan, Hui, Kinh, Yi, Shut and Gelo.

Scenic Spots

Beihai
Guilin -- City of Landscapes
Liuzhou -- City of the Dragons
Longsheng
Nanning -- City of Flowers and Fruit
Sanjiang
Wenchang Pagoda
Yangshuo

Topography

Guangxi is known for its picturesque mountains and rivers. High on four sides and low in the middle, it is called the Guangxi Basin topographically. Its northwestern portion is part of the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau and its northern portion is locked in the Jiuwandashan, Damiao and Tianping mountains. The northeastern portion is part of the Nanling Mountain Area, comprising the Yuechengling, Haiyang, Dupangling and Mengzhuling ranges which extend southwestward parallel to each other. In the south are the Yunkaidashan, Liuwandashan, Shiwandashan and Daqingshan mountains. Most of the mountains are 1,000-1,500 meters above sea level. In the Guangxi Basin, there is an arc-shaped range, of which the highest mountain chain is the Dayao Mountains. The central part of the basin contains vast areas of flatland with fertile soil and is the major grain and sugar-cane grower of the region. The southern half also contains wide areas of hilly land interspersed with orchards and rice fields. Limestone predominates over more than half of Guangxi. The Guilin-Yangshuo area has a karst topography where the age-old erosion of the limestone has given shape to numerous exotic pinnacles and spires, bizarre sink-holes and caverns, and picturesque hills and subterranean streams. As a popular saying goes, "The landscape of Guilin is unmatched throughout the land, but even more beautiful than the scenery of Guilin is that of Yangshuo."

There are numerous rivers with large volumes of flow. The Zhujiang river system drains 85 per cent of Guangxi’s total area. Its trunk streams consist of the Nanpan, Hongshui, Qianjiang and Xunjiang and its principal branch streams are the Yujiang, Liujiang and Guijiang.

Climate

Crossed by the Tropic of Cancer in the central part, Guangxi has a sub-tropical monsoonal climate with long summers and warm winters, plentiful rainfall, and frequent rainstorms and typhoons in summer and autumn. It has a mean annual temperature of 17-23ºC, increasing from north to south, and a mean annual precipitation of 1,250-2,700 mm.

Communications

Railways

By the end of 1999, the total rail line on operation had stretched to 3,120 km.

Highways

By the end of 1999, the total highways open to traffic was as long as 51,378 km.

Waterways

Guangxi has a coastline stretching for 1,595km, along which 21 sea ports have been established, including 18 large-capacity and deep-water berths. Guangxi is believed to be the best place in south China to do sea transportation because of its geographical location.

Airports

By the end of 1998, Guangxi had build five airports respectively in Nanning, Beihai, Liuzhou and Wuzhou, which link with 109 air routes (including 99 domestic, five regional and international ones) operated by 12 airlines.