Guangxi (Zhuang) Autonomous Region China

Introduction

The Guangxi (Zhuang) Autonomous Region is located in the southern part of China. Its mountainous terrain and a common border with Vietnam have made it a border frontier of the nation. This region had a provincial status at the time of the Yuan Dynasty. But in 1949, it became a minority autonomous region of the country.

The land area of this region covers 236,700 square kilometers (91 390 sq miles).

It has Yunnan towards its west, Guizhou towards its north, Hunan towards the northeast and Guangdong towards the southeast. Nanning is its capital city, while the city of Guilin is the center of history, culture and politics.

Climate

The southern parts of Guangxi experience a tropical climate while the northern regions are subtropical . As a whole, the region has warm, wet and rainy weather. Suitable for visiting year round, this region has July as the warmest and January as the coldest months. The wet season is between April and September as 80% of the rain occurs during this time.

Average winter temperature is ± 6 C - 16 C (42.8 F - 60.8 F)
Average summer temperature is ± 23 C - 29 C (73.4 F - 84.2 F)
Annual average rainfall is ± 1250 - 1750 millimeters (49.2" - 68.9")

Places to Visit

Splendid seaside scenery symbolizes the region of Guangxi. Some of the best cities to visit in this region are:

Yangshuo
Guilin
Beihai
Nanning
Sanjiang
Longsheng
Beiliu
Daxin

People

There are 12 ethnic groups including Zhuang, Han, Miao, Yao and Dong who reside in this autonomous region. By the end of 2008, it had a total population of about 50.49 million. As the name suggests, most of the residents of the region belong to the Zhuang community.

Local Food

Rice is the staple food for most of the people residing in this region. Since it borders Vietnam, Vietnamese dishes like noodles, soups and burgers are quite popular.

If visiting the region during summer, one must try Heye Mifan, which is rice wrapped in lotus leaf. Ali Gourou Huoguo or Ali Dog Hotpot is a popular local food served especially during autumn.

Economy

Tourism is a significant part of Guangxi's economy. The industrial sector comprises of sugar refineries, fishing in the Gulf of Tongking, food and timber processing and metallurgy. The tropical climate of the region favours year round cultivation of crops like rice, barley, maize, millet, tropical fruits, sugarcane and tea.

In 2007, the region's nominal GDP grew to about 588.6 billion yuan (US$77.4 billion).