Government-defined region of Southwest China(including Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, Yunnan, and Tibet) (Red): Controlled by China ;(Light red): Claimed, but not controlled
Map of a wide definition of Southwest China, excluding Chongqing
Southwest China is a rugged and mountainous region, transitioning between the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the Chinese coastal hills (东南丘陵) and plains to the east. Key geographic features in the region include the Hengduan Mountains in the west, the Sichuan Basin in the northeast, and the karsticYungui Plateau in the east. The majority of the region is drained by the Yangtze River, which forms the Three Gorges in the northeast of the region.[3]
Map of Ming Dynasty China in 1580. Ming Southwest China was anchored by the cities of Chengdu, Kunming, and Guiyang (bottom left).
Portions of Southwest China, including the land that is modern day Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan, were incorporated into China in 230 BCE by Qin dynasty emperor Shi Huangdi.[5] Independent states would continue to exert influence within the region, with notable examples being the Nanzhao Kingdom in the 8th and 9th centuries CE and the Dali Kingdom in 10th and 11th centuries CE. The region was largely pacified and incorporated into the Ming domain.[4] In the 13th century CE, the Yuan dynasty expanded its frontiers to include the Tibet plateau, which now defines China's current southwest frontier.[5]
In the 18th century CE, control of the Tibet Plateau area was important in the Great Game confrontations between the imperial powers of Russia, Britain, and China.[5]
After the warlord governments of China's Republican era replaced the Qing dynasty, government policy towards the southwest largely became one of inaction.[6]
The Second Sino-Japanese War prompted the Nationalist government to focus increasingly on state-building tasks in the southwest.[6] The city of Chongqing served as the capital of Chinese resistance to imperial Japanese expansion.
Western strategies to contain China in the 20th century CE included intervention in the Tibet plateau until almost the mid-1970s.[5] Tibet became an increased area of concern in China's southwest after the Sino-Soviet split when Soviet soldiers on the border of Mongolia and China threatened to close the Gansu corridor,[5] which would have left Tibet as the only reliable Chinese route to Xinjiang.[5]
During the reform and opening up era, China began to look more seriously towards integrating its southwest regions.[7] China's increased focus on trade-led development and its transition to a socialist market economy helped trigger a reorientation to the southwest as its lagging development became increasingly seen as an impediment to growth.[8] China's southwest development initiatives reflect an awareness that economic engagement is the most cost-effective way to decrease political unrest and remedy underdevelopment along this frontier.[9]
Demographics
The diverse areas of Southwest China carry strong regional identities and have been historically considered more rural than the more developed eastern regions of China.[4] Rapid development since the late 1970s has helped transform many parts of the region with modern advancements. In the early 21st century, Southwest China contained 50% of the country's ethnic minority population which, in turn, formed 37% of the region's population.[4]Han Chinese migration has been largely concentrated in the urban centres, while the rural areas are still predominantly made up of minority populations, including the Zhuang, Miao, Yi, and others.
Inhabitants of Southwest China primarily speak a variant of Mandarin Chinese known as Southwestern Mandarin. This variant uses the same written language as Mandarin but is only approximately 50% mutually intelligible with Standard Chinese. As of 2012, there were approximately 260 million speakers of Southwestern Mandarin.[10]
^ abcdefSingh, Swaran (2016). "China Engages Its Southwest Frontier". The new great game : China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform. Thomas Fingar. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 167. ISBN978-0-8047-9764-1. OCLC 939553543.
^ abSingh, Swaran (2016). "China Engages Its Southwest Frontiers". The new great game : China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform. Thomas Fingar. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 151. ISBN978-0-8047-9764-1. OCLC 939553543.
^Singh, Swaran (2016). "China Engages Its Southwest Frontiers". The new great game : China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform. Thomas Fingar. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 152. ISBN978-0-8047-9764-1. OCLC 939553543.
^Singh, Swaran (2016). "China Engages Its Southwestern Frontiers". The new great game : China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform. Thomas Fingar. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. pp. 152–153. ISBN978-0-8047-9764-1. OCLC 939553543.
^Singh, Swaran (2016). "China Engages Its Southwest Frontier". The new great game : China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform. Thomas Fingar. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press. p. 166. ISBN978-0-8047-9764-1. OCLC 939553543.
^Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (2012). Zhōngguó yǔyán dìtú jí (dì 2 bǎn): Hànyǔ fāngyán juǎn 中国语言地图集(第2版):汉语方言卷 [Language Atlas of China (2nd edition): Chinese dialect volume]. Beijing: The Commercial Press. p. 3.
southwest, china, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, june, 202. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Southwest China news newspapers books scholar JSTOR June 2022 Learn how and when to remove this template message Southwest China Chinese 西南 pinyin Xinan is a region in the south of the People s Republic of China Southwest ChinaGovernment defined region of Southwest China including Chongqing Sichuan Guizhou Yunnan and Tibet Red Controlled by China Light red Claimed but not controlledCountry ChinaArea Total2 365 900 km2 913 500 sq mi Population 1 192 979 243 Density82 km2 210 sq mi GDP2022 2 Total 13 713 trillion 2 039 trillion Per Capita 71 060 10 565 Contents 1 Geography 2 History 3 Demographics 4 Administrative divisions 5 Cities with urban area over one million in population 6 ReferencesGeography Edit Map of a wide definition of Southwest China excluding Chongqing Southwest China is a rugged and mountainous region transitioning between the Tibetan Plateau to the west and the Chinese coastal hills 东南丘陵 and plains to the east Key geographic features in the region include the Hengduan Mountains in the west the Sichuan Basin in the northeast and the karstic Yungui Plateau in the east The majority of the region is drained by the Yangtze River which forms the Three Gorges in the northeast of the region 3 The narrowest concept of Southwest China consists of Sichuan Chongqing Yunnan and Guizhou while wider definitions often include Guangxi and western portions of Hunan 4 The official government definition of Southwest China includes the core provinces of Sichuan Chongqing Yunnan and Guizhou in addition to the Tibet Autonomous Region History Edit Map of Ming Dynasty China in 1580 Ming Southwest China was anchored by the cities of Chengdu Kunming and Guiyang bottom left Portions of Southwest China including the land that is modern day Yunnan Guizhou and Sichuan were incorporated into China in 230 BCE by Qin dynasty emperor Shi Huangdi 5 Independent states would continue to exert influence within the region with notable examples being the Nanzhao Kingdom in the 8th and 9th centuries CE and the Dali Kingdom in 10th and 11th centuries CE The region was largely pacified and incorporated into the Ming domain 4 In the 13th century CE the Yuan dynasty expanded its frontiers to include the Tibet plateau which now defines China s current southwest frontier 5 In the 18th century CE control of the Tibet Plateau area was important in the Great Game confrontations between the imperial powers of Russia Britain and China 5 After the warlord governments of China s Republican era replaced the Qing dynasty government policy towards the southwest largely became one of inaction 6 The Second Sino Japanese War prompted the Nationalist government to focus increasingly on state building tasks in the southwest 6 The city of Chongqing served as the capital of Chinese resistance to imperial Japanese expansion Western strategies to contain China in the 20th century CE included intervention in the Tibet plateau until almost the mid 1970s 5 Tibet became an increased area of concern in China s southwest after the Sino Soviet split when Soviet soldiers on the border of Mongolia and China threatened to close the Gansu corridor 5 which would have left Tibet as the only reliable Chinese route to Xinjiang 5 During the reform and opening up era China began to look more seriously towards integrating its southwest regions 7 China s increased focus on trade led development and its transition to a socialist market economy helped trigger a reorientation to the southwest as its lagging development became increasingly seen as an impediment to growth 8 China s southwest development initiatives reflect an awareness that economic engagement is the most cost effective way to decrease political unrest and remedy underdevelopment along this frontier 9 Demographics EditThe diverse areas of Southwest China carry strong regional identities and have been historically considered more rural than the more developed eastern regions of China 4 Rapid development since the late 1970s has helped transform many parts of the region with modern advancements In the early 21st century Southwest China contained 50 of the country s ethnic minority population which in turn formed 37 of the region s population 4 Han Chinese migration has been largely concentrated in the urban centres while the rural areas are still predominantly made up of minority populations including the Zhuang Miao Yi and others Inhabitants of Southwest China primarily speak a variant of Mandarin Chinese known as Southwestern Mandarin This variant uses the same written language as Mandarin but is only approximately 50 mutually intelligible with Standard Chinese As of 2012 there were approximately 260 million speakers of Southwestern Mandarin 10 Administrative divisions EditGB 11 ISO 12 Province Chinese Name Capital Population Density Area Abbreviation SymbolYu 50 Chongqing Municipality 重庆市 Chongqing Shi Chongqing 28 846 170 350 50 82 300 CQ 渝Chuan Shǔ 51 Sichuan Province 四川省 Sichuan Sheng Chengdu 80 418 200 165 81 485 000 SC 川 蜀 Gui Qian 52 Guizhou Province 贵州省 Guizhōu Sheng Guiyang 34 746 468 197 42 176 000 GZ 贵 黔 Yun Dian 53 Yunnan Province 云南省 Yunnan Sheng Kunming 45 966 239 116 67 394 000 YN 云 滇 Zang 54 Tibet Autonomous RegionXizang Autonomous Region 西藏自治区 Xizang Zizhiqu Lhasa 3 002 166 2 44 1 228 400 XZ 藏Cities with urban area over one million in population Edit City Urban area 13 District area 13 City proper 13 Prov Census date1 Chongqing a 8 894 757 12 084 385 16 044 027 CQ 2010 11 012 Chengdu 6 316 922 7 415 590 14 047 625 SC 2010 11 013 Kunming b 3 140 777 3 272 586 6 432 209 YN 2010 11 014 Guiyang 2 520 061 3 034 750 4 322 611 GZ 2010 11 01Notes Chongqing core area only satellite urban area separated from Chongqing core area is not included Dongchuan is a satellite urban area separated from Kunming and it is not included References Edit Main Data of the Seventh National Population Census National Bureau of Statistics of China Archived from the original on May 11 2021 GDP 2022 is a preliminary data Home Regional Quarterly by Province Press release China NBS Atlas of China Beijing China SinoMaps Press 2006 ISBN 9787503141782 a b c d China s Southwest 3rd ed Lonely Planet 2007 ISBN 978 1741041859 a b c d e f Singh Swaran 2016 China Engages Its Southwest Frontier The new great game China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform Thomas Fingar Stanford California Stanford University Press p 167 ISBN 978 0 8047 9764 1 OCLC 939553543 a b Singh Swaran 2016 China Engages Its Southwest Frontiers The new great game China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform Thomas Fingar Stanford California Stanford University Press p 151 ISBN 978 0 8047 9764 1 OCLC 939553543 Singh Swaran 2016 China Engages Its Southwest Frontiers The new great game China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform Thomas Fingar Stanford California Stanford University Press p 152 ISBN 978 0 8047 9764 1 OCLC 939553543 Singh Swaran 2016 China Engages Its Southwestern Frontiers The new great game China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform Thomas Fingar Stanford California Stanford University Press pp 152 153 ISBN 978 0 8047 9764 1 OCLC 939553543 Singh Swaran 2016 China Engages Its Southwest Frontier The new great game China and South and Central Asia in the era of reform Thomas Fingar Stanford California Stanford University Press p 166 ISBN 978 0 8047 9764 1 OCLC 939553543 Chinese Academy of Social Sciences 2012 Zhōngguo yǔyan ditu ji di 2 bǎn Hanyǔ fangyan juǎn 中国语言地图集 第2版 汉语方言卷 Language Atlas of China 2nd edition Chinese dialect volume Beijing The Commercial Press p 3 GB T 2260 codes for the provinces of China ISO 3166 2 CN ISO 3166 2 codes for the provinces of China a b c 国务院人口普查办公室 国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 2012 中国2010年人口普查分县资料 Beijing 中国统计出版社 China Statistics Press ISBN 978 7 5037 6659 6 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Southwest China amp oldid 1147154017, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
