Sichuan , or Ssu-ch’uan conventional Szechwan, Province, upper Yangtze River (Chang Jiang) valley, southwestern China. Area: 188,000 sq mi (487,000 sq km). Population: (2020) 83,674,866. Capital: Chengdu. It is bordered by Qinghai, Gansu, Shaanxi, Guizhou, and Yunnan provinces, Chongqing municipality, and Tibet autonomous region and encompasses the central depression called the Sichuan (or Red) Basin. Sichuan is one of China’s most densely populated and ethnically diverse provinces. It was among the first areas to be settled by the Chinese (5th century bce). From the Zhou dynasty (1046–256 bce) until the Song dynasty (960–1279 ce), it was administered through various political subdivisions. It was established as a province during the Qing dynasty (1644–1911/12). It is China’s leading producer of rice, corn (maize), sweet potatoes, cattle, and pigs. The most-industrialized province of southwestern China, it is a centre for coal mining, petroleum refining, and chemical production. Sichuan’s spicy cuisine is renowned worldwide. A powerful earthquake in the province in 2008 caused massive destruction and the deaths of some 90,000 people.
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