The province Sichuan and its surrounding area is the cradle of unique local civilizations, which can be dated back to at least the fifteenth century BC.
The area lies in the Sichuan basin and is surrounded by the Himalayas to the west, Qinling range to the north, and mountainous areas of Yunnan to the south. The majority of the population in the province is Han Chinese, who are found scattered throughout the region. Significant minorities of Tibetans, Yi, Qiang and Naxi reside in the western portion.
Sichuan is one of the major agricultural production bases of China. Grain, including rice and wheat, is the major product of the province. In addition to heavy industries such as coal, energy, iron, and steel, the province has also established a light industrial sector containing building materials, wood processing, food and silk processing.
Sichuan's beautiful landscapes and rich historical relics have also made the province a major centre for tourism. Monday, May 12, 2008 an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.9/8.0 hit just 79km northwest of the provincial capital of Chengdu. On May 31, the death toll was near 70,000 and with more than 350,000 injured people.