Autonomous Region - Guangxi
Meaning of the name - Wide West
Guangxi is a Zhuang autonomous region of the People's Republic of China.
"Guang" itself means "expanse", and was associated with the region from the Western Jin Dynasty onwards. "Guangxi" and neighbouring Guangdong literally mean "Guang West" and "Guang East". Together, Guangdong and Guangxi are called the "Two Guangs" (两广 Liǎng Guǎng).
The abbreviation of the Autonomous Region is 桂 (Gui), which comes from Guilin, a major city in the autonomous region.
Major Cities:
Nanning, Liuzhou, Guilin, Longsheng, Wuzhou, Beihai, Yangshuo, Pingxiang, Bose
Neighboring Areas:
Yunnan, Guizhou, Hunan and Guangdong provinces
Municipal government office address:
1 Minyue Road, Nanning
Tel: (0771) 2807778
Website: www.gxi.gov.cn
Table of contents
Administrative divisions
Guangxi is divided into 14 prefecture-level cities: Nanning, Guilin, Liuzhou, Wuzhou, Guigang, Yulin, Qinzhou, Beihai, Fangchenggang, Chongzuo, Baise, Hechi, Laibin, and Hezhou. These are subdivided into 56 counties, 34 districts, 12 ethnic autonomous counties and 7 county-level cities.
Culture
Guangxi is known for its linguistic diversity. In the capital of Nanning, for example, four dialects / languages are spoken locally: Southwestern Mandarin, Cantonese, Pinghua, and Zhuang.
Demographics
The region has a high concentration of Zhuang, one of the major minority ethnicities of China. Over 90% of Zhuang in China live in Guangxi, especially in the central and western regions. There is also a significant number of both Dong and Miao minority peoples. Other ethnic groups include: Yao, Hui, Yi (Lolo), Shui, and Gin (Vietnamese).
Tourism
The major tourist attraction of Guangxi is Guilin, a town famed across China and the world for its spectacular setting by the Lijiang River (Li River) amongst severe karst peaks. It also used to be the capital of Guangxi, and Jingjiang Princes City, the old princes residence, is open to the public. South of Guilin down the river is the town of Yangshuo, which has become a favourite destination for foreign tourists, particularly backpackers.
Ethnic minorities native to Guangxi, such as the Zhuang and Dong, are also interesting for tourists. The northern part of the province, bordering with Guizhou, is home to the Longmen rice terraces, said to be some of the steepest in the world. Nearby Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County.