Guizhou

Guizhou /ɡweɪˈdʒoʊ/[5] (Chinese: 贵州; formerly Kweichow) is a province in the interior southwest region of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Guiyang, in the center of the province. Guizhou borders the autonomous region of Guangxi to the south, Yunnan to the west, Sichuan to the northwest, the municipality of Chongqing to the north, and Hunan to the east. The population of Guizhou stands at 38.5 million, ranking 18th among the provinces in China.

Quick facts: Guizhou 贵州, Name transcription(s), &... ▼

Guizhou 贵州
Province
Province of Guizhou
Name transcription(s)
• Chinese	贵州省 (Guìzhōu Shěng)
• Abbreviation	GZ / 黔 or 贵 (pinyin: Qián or Guì)
(clockwise from top) Huangguoshu Waterfall Fanjingshan Libo Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope Guiyang Zhaoxing
Map showing the location of Guizhou Province
Coordinates: 26°50′N 106°50′E
Country	China
Named for	Gui - Gui Mountains zhou (prefecture)
Capital	Guiyang
Largest city	Zunyi
Divisions	9 prefectures, 88 counties, 1539 townships
Government
• Type	Province
• Body	Guizhou Provincial People's Congress
• CPC Secretary	Xu Lin
• Congress chairman	Xu Lin
• Governor	Li Bingjun
• CPPCC chairman	Zhao Yongqing
Area [1]
• Total	176,167 km2 (68,018 sq mi)
• Rank	16th
Highest elevation (Jiucaiping)	2,900 m (9,500 ft)
Population  (2020)[2]
• Total	38,562,148
• Rank	17th
• Density	220/km2 (570/sq mi)
• Rank	18th
Demographics
• Ethnic composition	Han - 62% Miao - 12% Buyei - 8% Dong - 5% Tujia - 4% Yi - 2% Undistinguished - 2% Gelao - 2% Sui - 1%
• Languages and dialects	Southwestern Mandarin
ISO 3166 code	CN-GZ
GDP (2022)	CNY 1.78 trillion $ 258 billion (19th)[3]
- per capita	CNY 52,321 USD 7,779 (31st)
• growth	4.5%
HDI (2019)	0.685[4] medium · 30th
Website	http://www.gzgov.gov.cn (Simplified Chinese)

Quick facts: Guizhou, Chinese name, Simplified Chinese, Tr... ▼

Guizhou
"Guizhou" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	贵州
Traditional Chinese	貴州
Hanyu Pinyin	Guìzhōu
Postal	Kweichow
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Guìzhōu Bopomofo ㄍㄨㄟˋ   ㄓㄡ Gwoyeu Romatzyh Gueyjou Wade–Giles Kuei4-chou1 Yale Romanization Gwèijōu IPA [kwêɪ.ʈʂóʊ] Wu Romanization Kwae-tseu Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Gwaijàu or Gwaijāu Jyutping Gwai3zau1 IPA [kʷɐi˧.tsɐu˥˧] or [kʷɐi˧.tsɐu˥] Southern Min Hokkien POJ Kùi-chiu
Zhuang name
Zhuang	Gveicouh 贵州
Yi name
Yi	ꇭꍏ

The Dian Kingdom, which inhabited the present-day area of Guizhou, was annexed by the Han dynasty in 106 BC.[6] Guizhou was formally made a province in 1413 during the Ming dynasty. After the overthrow of the Qing in 1911 and following the Chinese Civil War, the Chinese Communist Party took refuge in Guizhou during the Long March between 1934 and 1935.[7] After the establishment of the People's Republic of China, Mao Zedong promoted the relocation of heavy industry into inland provinces such as Guizhou, to better protect them from potential foreign attacks.^{[citation needed]}

Guizhou is rich in natural, cultural and environmental resources. Its natural industry includes timber and forestry, and the energy and mining industries constitute an important part of its economy. Notwithstanding, Guizhou is considered a relatively undeveloped province, with the fourth-lowest GDP per capita in China as of 2020. However, it is also one of China's fastest-growing economies.[8] The Chinese government is looking to develop Guizhou as a data hub.[9][10]

Guizhou is a mountainous province, with its higher altitudes in the west and centre. It lies at the eastern end of the Yungui Plateau. Demographically, it is one of China's most diverse provinces. Minority groups account for more than 37% of the population, including sizable populations of the Miao, Bouyei, Dong, Tujia and Yi peoples, all of whom speak languages distinct from Chinese. The main language spoken in Guizhou is Southwestern Mandarin, a variety of Mandarin.