Anhui Province

With a population of over 59 million, Anhui is an inland province in southeast China that stretches over the Yangtze and Huai rivers. Anhui is adjacent to six provinces: Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei, Henan and Shandong. One of the province’s main attractions is its capital, Hefei City, which has a 2,000-year-old history.

Covering an area of 130,000 square kilometers, Anhui boasts abundant tourist resources and is a top tourist attraction among many provinces in the southeast. Some sites include Amazing Mount Huangshan, which is famous for its towering pines, precipitous stones, wonderland "cloud sea" and hot springs; Mount Jiu Hua Shan, one of the four famous Buddhist Mountains in China; and Mount Tian Zhu, also a well-known scenic spot. The magnificence of these peaks is stupendous. Standing on top of any one of these peaks would overwhelm even the most intrepid hikers. Another important, unique and meaningful attraction is the cluster of well-preserved ancient villages from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) in Yi Xian County near Mount Huang. It is a worthy sight to visit and a must-see for visitors keen to learn more about the life of those times.

Anhui intrigues and astonishes tourists with its marvelous scenery and centuries-old cultural relics. The province's annual average temperature ranges between 14C and 17C. The best time to visit the scenic areas is during autumn (September, October and November) and spring (April, May and June). However, the snow-covered landscapes of Huangshan during the winter are also breathtaking.

Anhui is also well known for its various craftworks, such as rice paper, ink stone and Chinese ink. Together, they form the precious Chinese four treasures of literary pursuits.

Provincial capital: Hefei

Major Cities: Huangshan; Wuhu; Bengbu; Tongling; Ma'anshan

cultural and historical city: Bozhou; Shouxian

Ethnic groups: Han, Hui, and She

Tourism: Anhui has abundant tourism resources, featuring many well-known natural scenic spots well-preserved cultural relics. Currently, there are five state-level scenic areas, including Mount Huangshan, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Tianzhu, Mount Langya and Mount Qiyun, three national nature reserves, 23 national forest parks and three state-level historical and cultural cities in Haozhou, Shouxian and Yixian counties. Spots of historical interest under state protection include: Ruins of Zhongdu and the Ming Emperor Tomb in Fengyang, the Site of Hexian Man, the Xuguo Arch Gate in Yixian, and the Huaxi Theatre in Bozhou. In 1999, Mount Huangshan won the International Award for Protection and Management of Cultural Scenic Spots and Mount Jiuhua was named a national model scenic spot by the Ministry of Construction. Previously, in 1998, Hefei, Huangshan, Bozhou were in the first group of Chinese cities to be awarded as excellent tourism cities.

Agriculture: Benefitting from the mild climate, Anhui Province is rich with agricultural resources and products, and possesses 64 million mu of farmland, 62 million mu of forest land and 8 million mu of aquatic farm. Many Anhui's agruicultural products are famous both at home and abroad including: grapes, pears, pomegranates, green tea(Huang Shan), black tea (Keemum), crab, bull, Fuyang yellow cow, Dingyuan pig, silver fish (Chaohu lake) and white goose of Luan.

Industry: The major provincial minerals are coal and iron. The coal field extends from Guzhen in the east to Yingshang in the west and from Huainan in the south to Xisoxian in the north. This is a vast area and its reserves come out first in East China.