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| Introduction |
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Guangyuan is located in the north part of Sichuan Province, bordering Gansu and Shaanxi Provinces. The city covers an area of 16,314 sq km and has a population of 3.1 million.
Guangyuan has a subtropical, humid monsoon climate with four distinct seasons. The average temperature is 16.1°C, while the average annual precipitation is 800-1,000 mm.
Guangyuan is rich in natural resources. There are 11 natural reserves located in the city, two of which are state-level (Tangjia River and Micang Mountain). Forests cover 45.3% of the city’s lands. Mineral resources such as refractory clay, coal, limestone flux, gold, glass, quartz sand, silica fume, crystalline graphite, and shale are abundant.
Transportation in Guangyuan is very convenient and mainly relies on highways and railways. State Highway 108 and State Highway 212 intersect in the city, while the Guangyuan-Mianyang Expressway and the Baoji-Chengdu Railway run through the city. The Guangyuan-Bazhou Expressway and the Lanzhou-Chongqing Railway currently are under construction.
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| Economic Features |
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Though Guangyuan was badly hit by the earthquake in 2008, the city's economy recovered very quickly afterwards. In 2010, Guangyuan realized GDP of RMB 32.18 billion, representing a rise of 15.9% year on year. The city's GDP accounted for approximately 2.28% of Sichuan's total and ranked seventeenth among 21 prefecture cities in the province. The agricultural sector generated value-added industrial output of RMB7.65 billion in 2010, accounting for 26.8% of the city's GDP.
In 2010, the value-added industrial output of secondary industry (industry and construction) amounted to RMB 12.56 billion, accounting for 39% of the city's total. The value-added industrial output of the industrial sector reached RMB 10.5 billion, contributing 32.6% to the city's GDP.
Energy, non-ferrous metal smelting, electronic communications equipment and building materials are the pillar industries of Guangyuan. In 2010, these industries realized value-added industrial output of approximately RMB 7.21 billion, contributing about 81.0% to the industrial sector's total from enterprises with designated size and above.
In 2010, the service sector generated value-added industrial output of RMB 11.97 billion, contributing 39.0% of the city's GDP. Tourism is the most important industry in this sector.
In 2010, 7 million tourists visited the city, 36.7% more than in the previous year, while tourism income reached RMB 3.2 billion, representing a rise of 37.8% year on year.
The city's total foreign trade amounted to US$207 million in 2010 (comprising export value of US$174 million and import value of US$33 million), up 11.4% year on year. Chinese sausage, agricultural products, textiles and garments are the major export goods of Guangyuan. Guangyuan has traded with 41 countries and areas all over the world. Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, China Taiwan, and the U.S. are the major trading partners of Guangyuan.
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| Cultural Highlights |
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Guangyuan boasts 4,000 years of history. Liu Bang, the first emperor of the Han Dynasty, and Zhuge Liang, the Premier of Shu Kingdom, once lived here. Additionally, Wu Zetian, the only women emperor in Chinese history, was born in Guangyuan. Sima Guang, a famous historian and prime minister of the Song Dynasty, also studied and lived here when he was young.
Guangyuan is also famous for its revolutionary history. From 1934 to 1949, it was the political center of Sichuan-Shaanxi revolutionary base. The Haocao Drum, a state-level cultural heritage artifact, adds to the cultural charm of Guangyuan.
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| Tourist Attraction |
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Guangyuan is rich in historical and cultural relics as well as beautiful natural scenery. Tourists should visit Bailong Lake and Sword-Gate Shu Road, the National Reserves of Tangjia River and Micang Mountain, the National Forest park of Sword-gate Pass and Tiantai Mountain, and the Revolutionary relics of Red Army Wood Door Venue and Red Army Stone Carved Political Creed.
In addition, special tourism programs such as annual the Drinking Festival and Firebrand Festival (a local Valentine's Day festival) entice tourists to visit Guangyuan.
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