(1)外文名称: Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
    (2)中文名称: 宁夏回族自治区概况
    (3)内容:
                     Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region
                         General Description
    This autonomous region with a large Muslim population is situated on the upper reaches of the Yellow River in Northwest China. The regional capital is Yinchuan, a city with many monsques on the lanzhou-Baotou Railway.
    The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, established on Oct. 25, 1958, covers an area of 51,800 sq km inhabited by 4,953,000 people, 1,642,000 or 33% of whom are Hui people who are descendants of emigrants came from the Middle East to China at the beginning of the 13th century.
    The region is 1, 200 km from the sea has a typical continental   climate with summer temperature rising to as high as 39 degrees Centigrade and winter temperature plummeting to as low as 30 degrees below zero.  The day\night temperature variation in summer is 17 degrees -- good for crops to synthesize starch or sugar.
                        Agriculture
   Although Ningxia is situated on the northwest loess highland, the Yellow River flows through a vast area of its land. Among its 66.4 thousand square kilometer of landmass, 8 thousand  benefit from the Yellow River. There are 11.86 million mu (15 mu equals one hectare) of cultivated lands, over 2 mu per capita, and 3.6 million mu are paddy fields, more than one mu for each agricultural persoon. Yet, there are still 610 thousand hectares of wasteland good for agriculture that haven't been reclaimed.
   The mountainous area in the south is suitable for both forestry and animal husbandry. The region has broad prospects for the development of stock raising as well as livestock processing industry, for there are 119.2 thousand hectares of forests and 3.01 million hectares of grasslands in the whole region.
   Ningxia cover a total water surface of 49.7 thousand hectares, and 20 thousand hectares can be used for aquatic product breeding. Up till now, only 10 hectares have been used to produce grass, silver carp, common carp, river shrimps and crabs. The potential for further development of aquatic products is great.
   Ningxia is one of the regions which enjoy the richest resources of sunlight, with the total solar radiation of 122.6 to 148.9 thousand calorie per square centimetre each year. The sunshine period is about 3,000 hours and the percentage of sunshine is 50% to 69%. Temperature varies greatly between day and night, and the effectiveness of accumulation temperature is high, which is favourable to the accumulation of sugar in plants. That is why the melons, fruits and beets from Ningxia are exceptionally sweet.
   Highly and mediumly sandy land covers 9.3% of Ningxia's total area. Shapotou (in Zhongwei County) gains successful experiences in planting windbreaks and sand breaks as well as in transforming deserts. Melons, fruits and vegetables such as water melon, apple pear, grape, tomato, cucumbers, etc., have been produced from the reformed dunes. The success has already drawn many countries' attention and have been praised as
"a significant and unprecedented achievement for mankind."
                            Resources
   Petroleum, natural gas, phosphorus, gold and other minerals have been discovered in the autonomous region.  But Ningxia's biggest asset is its huge reserves of coal, which has been verified at 30.5 billion tons.
   Coal is mined to fuel thermal plants to power steel and aluminum works and factories turning out chemical fertilizers and many other products.
   Of the ten kinds of coal, nine can be found in Ningxia, such as lignite, coking coal, anthracite, etc. The proved reserves is 30,800 million tons and the estimated reserves are nearly 200,000 million tons, ranking Ningxia fifth in the whole country. "Taisi Coal" produced in Rujigou Mine is the best anthracite, and it is exported to many countries in Asia and Europe.
   Ningxia has large reserves of gypsum, more than half of the gypsum deposit is of first class quality, ranking first in the country. In Tongxin and Haiyuan counties, gypsum deposits cover an area of 1,600 square kilometres. It is estimated that the prospective reserves will exceed 10,000 tons. Gypsum is an important raw material for the development of new-type wall building materials and finishing material industry. Now the
exploitation is under way in Gantang and Xiaohong Shan, Zhongwei County.
   Other minerals in Ningxia include cement limestone, glass quartz sandstone, clay, mirabilite, barite, flint, silica, petroleum, copper,iron, phosphorus, salt, etc.
   With a generating capacity of more than 1.605 million kw, Ningxia's power stations generate 9.5 billion kwh of electricity annually. This is more than enough to meet regional needs, and a good portion of the current is transmitted via high-voltage transmission lines to neighboring provinces.
                         Water Conservancy
   Water conservancy is Ningxia's important superiority in resources. The average annual flow of the Yellow River through Ningxia is 32,500 million cubic metres, and the reserves of utilization of hydropower is 2,037 thousand kilowatt.
   At present, the Qingtong Gorge Key Water Control Project in the middle section of the Yellow River is in full operation, with a generating capacity of 272 thousand kilowatts.
                              Economy
   Ningxia is now accelerating its pace of economic development with the
help of preferential state policies.

   For the past decade, the central government has invested 10.8 billion
yuan in fixed assets in the region, of which, some 8.2 billion yuan has
flowed directly to the basic and infrastructure industries, such as water
control, power and coal. During the same period, a batch of key state
construction projects have been completed, laying a strong base for the
economic development of the region.

   So far, the region has carried out some 3,000 co-operation projects with
other provinces and introduced some 500 million yuan from them.

   As agriculture and the technical renovation of large enterprises have
attracted the lion's share of foreign capital, Ningxia has received 106
million US dollars in foreign investment since the early 1990s in the form
of government or business loans or direct foreign investment. To date, 70
percent of foreign loans and investment has been used in agricultural
projects.

   The region is also making headway in boosting its export-oriented
economy. While improving infrastructural facilities, the region has
expanded economic cooperation with more than 60 countries and regions, by
taking advantage of traditional economic ties with Islamic countries.

   The region presently has 393 overseas-funded enterprises involving a
total foreign investment of 217 million US dollars. It also has used more
than 80 million US dollars loaned by the World Bank and foreign
governments to improve local farming and ecological conditions.

   Nevertheless, Ningxia aims to attract more foreign funds and launch an
export drive. In 1996, more than 34 million US dollars in overseas funds
are expected to be utilized in Ningxia, especially in basic facilities,
basic industries and industries with a high-tech content.

                            Industry

   Industry in Ningxia is developing very fast. Many industrial enterprises
have established. They consist of coal, electric power, metal working,
petroleum, machinery, chemical, building materials, textile, synthetic
fabrics, medical, plastic, daily silicate, sugar, electron, meter,
leather, paper, cigarette, and foodstuff. All these form a comparatively
full system of industry.

   There are more than 10,000 industrial firms in Ningxia, which produce
almost 100 kinds of important products that are in the industrial plan the
nation. Some of them are large or medium size ones and are in the list of
important enterprises of China.


   The coal industry based on the Shizuishan mining area forms a "coal city
on the northern frontier". A complete system has basically set up from
excavating, washing, up to comprehensive utilization. Coke is supplied to
the steelworks in Baotou and jiuquan for steel making. Refined hard coal
is for exporting and providing for blowing of the blast furnaces in
Baoshan Steelworks. Small hard coals are used in producing activated
carbon, carbon paste, coke button, water filtering agent and other carbon
products.


                       Sciences and Education

   The region's efforts for speeding up local scientific and technological
development, have resulted in more than 2,250 scientific and technological
findings since the 1980s.

   New and high-tech industries in the region are growing rapidly, with the
Yinchuan New and High-technology Development Zone alone, for example,
having witnessed the establishment of 362 Sino-foreign joint venture,
involving a total investment of 130 million yuan.


   In Ningxia, there are seven colleges and universities, and an Institute
of Social Sciences, and Institute for Agricultural and Forestry Sciences
and over 50 different special institutes.


                          External Contacts

   Ningxia has signed 2,172 agreements on economic and technical
cooperations with 27 provinces and cities in China, 117 of them are for
joint ventures and compensational trade, 1,886 for technical cooperation,
94 for economic and technical consultation and 32 for other items. A
cooperative fund of more than 100 millions has already been put into use.


   Ningxia has established economic trade relations with over 50 countries
and regions in the world and more than 100 kinds of the region's products
are exported. Besides traditional native produce such as the five
treasures: lycium Chinese, licorice root, inkstone, Tan sheep's fur,
hair-like seaw, there are also Taixi coal, ferroslicon, cashmere, knitting
wool, wollen blankets, immitations of ancient carpet, Yuan Ming noddles,
pottery and porcelain, and some high precision machines have, too, entered
international market.


   Ningxia's tourism is developing rapidly. Its long history, lots of
cultural relics and the unique scenes have attracted many foreign tourists
and compariots from Hong Kong and Macao, and overseas visitors from more
than 60 countries.


   In order to extend external exchanges and promte the development of
economy, the Autonomous Region, according to the State's relevant
stipulations, carries out a policy of guaranteeing the interests of
foreign investement in Ningxia. It also provides favourable treatments for
the investors. Ningxia warmly welcome more overseas guests coming for tour
or for trade talks.


                           Transportation

   Transportation in Ningxia is convenient. The Baotou-Lanzhou Railway runs
across its north area. The Zhongwei-Baoji Railway is under construction,
will cross Ningxia's south part and connect the Longhai Railway. There are
direct train from Yinzhuan to Beijing and Lanzhou.


   Ningxia has built an annual average of 230 km of highways over the past
15 years to help with the development of the economy. Thus over 7,700 km
high-grade highways have been built, forming a network linking up nearly
every township and village across the region. Through the newly-built
highway network, local native produce has a easy transportation to the
coastal cities and foreign countries. Furthermore, direct airlines connect
Yinchuan with Beijing, Xi'an and other places.


   The Yellow River goes fluent in Ningxia. The river is wide and the water
flows slow here. It is a unique navigation route in the upper reaches of
the Yellow River. Now the navigated route is 300 kilometres long. This
natural advantage is going to be further exploited.


                "Five Treasures" In Ningxia

   Medlar, Licorice root, Helan Stone, Tanyang Lamb-skin and star jelly are
called the Five Treasures of "red, yellow, blue, white and black" in
Ningxia, each with its own colour.

   Medlar, titled the Red Treasure. It is sparkling bright and crystal
clear, like red agates hanging from the tree. The medlar produced here is
of thin skin, thick meat, less seeds and sweet taste. It is good to the
eye, the liver and the kidney. It also contains anti-cancer and liver
nourishing elements. The medlar from Ningxia is among the best of its kind
in China.

   Licorice Root: titled the yellow treasure, it has another name called
sweet Licorice Root. It is the most commonly used detoxifying and
mediating medicaments. Licorice root can reinforce the spleen, build up
vital energy, moisten the lung and relieve a cough. In addition, it is
heat-dissipating and detoxifying. Licorice root from Ningxia is famous for
its red skin, fine and close grain, substance, richness in powder, smooth
stem, fresh appearance and fine process.

   Helan Stone: titled the Blue Treasure, Helan Stone is a kind of hard
stone with close texture, produced in Helan Mountain. Inkstones made Helan
Stone has a surprising effect of releasing and storing ink, preventing ink
from getting dry and smelly and protecting brush hair. What is particular
about it is its natural elegance -- pea green dots scatter on the deep
purple base, forming patterns like that of the cloud and the moon.

   Tanyang, Lambskin: titled the White Treasure. The fur of a 35 to 40 days
old Tanyang lamb is the sofest and the most lustrous. Such a lambskin is
the best material for fur coats after being tanned with advanced
technology with chemical preparation. The processed leather feels soft.
The hair, fine and glossy, has as many as nine wary curves. Having the
advantages of being light, warm-keeping, elegant and poised, the fur coat
made from Tanyang lambskin has long become a traditional export commodity
of China.

   Star Jelly: titled the Black Treasure. Star jelly belongs to alga
family. It is named "Star jelly" because it looks like human being. It is
a first-rate dish in feasts of jubilation, as well as auspicious and
precious holiday previous for relatives and friends. Characterized with
long and thin strings and shiny black colour, star jelly from Ningxia is
among the best of its kind, of which the protein content is over 20
percent.