Yulin, Guangxi

Yulin (zh-cp |c=玉林; |p=Yùlín) is one of the fourteen prefecture-level cities of Guangxi autonomous region, in China.

Geography and Climate

Yuilin is located in southeastern Guangxi province along the border with Guangdong. It is a hilly basin with a total area of 12,838 sq. km.

Yulin's climate is tropical and monsoonal. Average annual temperature is 21°C. Yearly precipitation is 1,650 mm. Annual sunlight hours are more than 1,795.

History

Artifacts suggest that the area was settled before the Qin Dynasty but a commandery by the name of Yulin was not established until early Han Dynasty. The urban centre of Yulin became a "zhou" in 996. Since ancient times, Yulin has been important for trade and communications between central China and the south, especially the coast of the Tonkin Gulf.

Administration

Yulin has 1 city, 2 districts, 4 counties, and 119 towns and townships.

City:
*Beiliu (北流市)

Districts:
*Yuzhou (玉州区)
*Fumian (福绵管理区)

Counties:
*Rongxian (容县)
*Luchuan (陆川县)
*Bobai (博白县)
*Xingye (兴业县)

Demographics:
*Yulin has a population of approximately 5.9 million. It is home to China's largest overseas Chinese community, more than 800,000 people. The majority of Yulin's population is Han but there are Zhuang, Miao, Hakka, and other ethnic minorities totaling more than 100,000 people.

Language and culture

Some Chinese linguists have suggested that the Yulin dialect of Cantonese is the best surviving example of what ancient spoken Chinese would have sounded like based on rhyme patterns in Tang dynasty poetry.

Economy

Yulin is rich in natural resources. Important mineral resources include granite, limestone, iron, and gemstones. It is also Guangxi's biggest source of porcelain clay. Major agricultural products are rice, bananas, tomatoes, mandarin oranges, mangoes, longan, anise, tea, sugarcane, and livestock such as cattle, pigs, geese, and chickens. Industrial goods include machinery, construction materials, processed food, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cigarettes, and ceramics.

Tourism

Yulin is blessed with beautiful natural scenery and a rich cultural heritage. It is famous for its many mineral hot springs and one of China's oldest and most famous towers.