Hubei Information Overview Hubei lies in the heart of China. The capital and largest city, Wuhan, is centered on a wide portion of the Yangtse River and is surrounded by a number of large lakes, notably Dongting Lake, just over 100 miles (160 km) southwest. It is home to 60,200,000 people, the 9th largest provincial population in China. The province’s area totals almost 72,000 square miles (185,900 km), which makes it the nation’s 14th largest province. Hubei literally means lake north, or, north of Dongting Lake. Because the majority of the population is Han, the dialect of the province is closely related to Mandarin. Hubei Geography Hubei is a central province of China. The Jianghan Plain covers most of central and eastern Hubei with a number of mountains scattering the periphery. The Dabie Mountains lie primarily on the northeastern border with Anhui and run northwest along the border with Henan where they become the Tongbai Mountains. The ridge of the Mufu Mountains forms the southeastern border with Jiangxi. Hubei also borders the Hunan, Sichuan, and Sha’anxi provinces. The famous Three Gorges Dam lies in western Hubei Province. Hubei Demographics Hubei is mostly comprised of Han who total 95.5% of the population in the province. Tujia constitute just over 3.5% and Miao make up 0.4% of the population. Hui, Mongol, and Manchu are also present. Hubei History Because of the large portion of the Yangtse River in the Hubei province, it has long been a player in Chinese history. The region remained within the bounds of subsequent dynasties with its borders changing numerous times over the centuries. At the onset of the Manchu Qing Dynasty (1644 AD – 1911 AD), China’s last dynasty, the former province Huguang was split into what are now Hubei and Hunan. Wuhan then became the capital city as a mixture of three former cities. The Republic of China was established in Wuhan after the Wuchang uprising, ending the Qing Dynasty. When Nanjing was taken by the Japanese in 1937, Hankou became the headquarters for Nationalists until they were forced to retreat to Chongqing, and then it was consequentially under the Japanese control. Ending with the Japanese defeat and the creation of the People’s Republic of China in1949, Hubei became part of China once again. Hubei Industry Hubei Province is aptly suited for fishing and agriculture due to its wealth of lakes and rivers, fertile planes, and climate. Wuhan is a major center if industry and transport in central China. Motor vehicle production comprises a significant portion of the province’s revenue along with chemical production. Hubei is already home to a number of hydroelectric plants. In 2006, they completed the Three Gorges Dam, which is the largest hydroelectric dam in the world. Hubei recently emerged as a favorable economic player in China with high growth and low inflation. The region’s main setbacks were due to slow transformation of some state-owned enterprises and modernizing its many traditional industries. .