Hubei (湖北 also Hupeh or Hupei), abbreviated to 鄂 (pinyin e4), is a province of China. It lies to the north of the Dongting Lake; Hubei means "lake north". It covers over 180,000 km², with a population of 60,280,000 (2001). Wuhan is the capital.
| Province Abbreviation(s): 鄂 | |
| Capital | Wuhan |
| Area - Total - % water | Ranked xth 187,500 km² xx% |
| Population
- Density | Ranked xth
321/km² |
| Administration Type | Province |
History
In 1911, Wuchang Uprising took place in modern day Wuhan.
The construction of the Three Gorges Dam began in 1993 near Yichang. In the following years, millions of people in western Hubei have been resettled to make way for the construction of the dam.
Geography
Hubei borders Anhui in the east, Hunan and Jiangxi to the south, Sichuan in the west, and Shaanxi and Henan in the north. Two rivers, the Yangtze and Hanshui meet in Wuhan and thousands of lakes are scattered about, so Hubei enjoys another beautiful name: "Province of Lakes". Xiling Gorge and part of Wu Gorge are located in western Hubei. They are part of the Three Gorges. Western part of the province is mostly mountainous. Mount Wudang is in the northwestern part of the province. Mount Dabie is on Anhui border.
Lying in a sub-tropical zone, Hubei sees its four seasons changing clearly. The average temperature is 0 degrees Centigrade in winter and 30 C. in summer.
Economy
Hubei plays an important role in China's transportation. Situated on the Yangtze and Hanshui Rivers, the natural golden waterways, Hubei enjoys the convenience of railways linking Beijing to Guangzhou, Beijing to Kowloon, Shanghai to Wuhan, Wuhan to Chengdu, and Zhicheng to Liuzhou, and from the airports in Wuhan, Yichang, Sanxia, Xiangfan, Shashi. National and provincial highways also contribute to Hubei's economic development.
Hubei is famous for its plentiful products and is called a "Hometown for Fish and Rice". Famous agricultural products in Hubei include cotton, rice, wheat, tea, while the industry majors in metallurgy, machinery, power generation, textiles, foodstuff and high-tech commodities.
Once completed, the Three Gorges Dam will be a major supplier of hydroelectricity.
Demographics
Province is mostly Han Chinese. There is a considerable Miao and Tujia population in the southwestern part of the province.
Culture
Tourism
The Chu Culture originated in Hubei, one of the main Chinese cultural schools, arising from the ancient Kingdom of Chu. This traditional culture mixed with modern civilization makes Hubei rich in tourism resources. The famous attractions include Mounts of Mount Wudang and Jiugong, Three Gorges (Sanxia), and Jingzhou City.
The ancient building complex in the Wudang Mountains has been listed by the UNESCO as one of the World Heritage Sites (1994).