Map of Guizhou

History

Evidence of settlement by humans during the Middle Palaeolithic is indicated by stone artefacts, including Levallois pieces, found during archaeological excavations at Guanyindong Cave. These artefacts have been dated to approximately 170,000–80,000 years ago using optically stimulated luminescence methods.

From around 1046 BC to the emergence of the State of Qin, northwest Guizhou was part of the State of Shu. During the Warring States period, the Chinese state of Chu conquered the area, and control later passed to the Dian Kingdom. During the Chinese Han dynasty (206 BC–220 AD), to which the Dian was tributary, Guizhou was home to the Yelang collection of tribes, which largely governed themselves before the Han consolidated control in the southwest and established the Lingnan province.

Geography

A common cultural expression of Guizhou's geography is the saying, "The sunny weather never lasts for more than three days and the flat ground never continues for more than three miles."

Guizhou Province is located on the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau, between longitudes 103°36′ to 109°35′ east and latitudes 24°37′ to 29°13′ north. The average altitude is around 1100 meters. It borders Hunan to the east, Guangxi to the south, Yunnan to the west, and Sichuan and Chongqing to the north. It stretches approximately 595 kilometers from east to west and about 509 kilometers from north to south. The total area of Guizhou Province is 176,167 square kilometers, accounting for 1.8% of the total area of China. The easternmost point is in Di Lake Township, Tianzhu County, Qiandongnan Prefecture.

Economy

Guizhou's economy has historically relied on a few industries like tobacco, timber, energy, and mining. Its natural industry includes timber and forestry. Guizhou is also the third largest producer of tobacco in China, and home to the well-known brand Guizhou Tobacco. Other important industries in the province include energy (electricity generation) – a large portion of which is exported to Guangdong and other provinces – and mining, especially in coal, limestone, arsenic, gypsum, and oil shale. Guizhou's total output of coal was 118 million tons in 2008, a 7% growth from the previous year. Guizhou's export of power to Guangdong equaled 12% of Guangdong's total power consumption. Over the next 5 years Guizhou hopes to increase this by as much as 50%.

Demographics

Guizhou is demographically one of China's most diverse provinces. Minority groups account for more than 37% of the population and they include Miao (including Gha-Mu and A-Hmao), Yao, Yi, Qiang, Dong, Zhuang, Bouyei, Bai, Tujia, Gelao and Sui. 55.5% of the province area is designated as autonomous regions for ethnic minorities. Guizhou is the province with the highest fertility rate in China, standing at 2.19 (urban: 1.31; rural: 2.42).