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Shanxi province

Shanxi Province
山西省
Province
Name transcription(s)
 • Chinese 山西省 (Shānxī Shěng)
 • Abbreviation Chinese: (pinyin: Jìn)
Map showing the location of Shanxi Province
Map showing the location of Shanxi Province
Coordinates: 37°42′N 112°24′E / 37.7°N 112.4°E / 37.7; 112.4Coordinates: 37°42′N 112°24′E / 37.7°N 112.4°E / 37.7; 112.4
Named for shān - mountain
xī - west
"west of the Taihang Mountains"
Capital Taiyuan
Largest city Yuncheng
Divisions 11 prefectures, 119 counties, 1388 townships
Government
 • Secretary Luo Huining
 • Governor Lou Yangsheng (acting)
Area
 • Total 156,000 km2 (60,000 sq mi)
Area rank 19th
Population (2014)
 • Total 36,500,000
 • Rank 18th
 • Density 230/km2 (610/sq mi)
 • Density rank 19th
Demographics
 • Ethnic composition Han - 99.7%
Hui - 0.2%
 • Languages and dialects Jin, Zhongyuan Mandarin, Jilu Mandarin
ISO 3166 code CN-14
GDP (2014) CNY 1.3 billion
USD 208 billion (21st)
 • per capita CNY 35,000
USD 5,700 (17th)
HDI (2010) 0.693 (medium) (15th)
Website www.shanxigov.cn (Chinese)
Shanxi
Shanxi (Chinese characters).svg
"Shanxi" in Chinese characters
Chinese 山西
Postal Shansi
Literal meaning "West of the [Tàiháng] Mountains"

Shanxi (Chinese: 山西; pinyin: About this sound Shānxī; postal: Shansi) is a province of China, located in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" (pinyin: Jìn), after the state of Jin that existed here during the Spring and Autumn period.

The name Shanxi means "West of the Mountains", a reference to the province's location west of the Taihang Mountains. Shanxi borders Hebei to the east, Henan to the south, Shaanxi to the west, and Inner Mongolia to the north and is made up mainly of a plateau bounded partly by mountain ranges. The capital of the province is Taiyuan.

In the Spring and Autumn period (722–403 BC), the state of Jin was located in what is now Shanxi. It underwent a three-way split into the states of Han, Zhao and Wei in 403 BC, the traditional date taken as the start of the Warring States period (403–221 BC). By 221 BC, all of these states had fallen to the state of Qin, which established the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BC).


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Wikipedia

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