Jiangxi

Province (pop., 2002 est.: 42,220,000), south-central China. It is bordered by Hubei, Anhui, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong, and Hunan provinces. It has an area of 63,600 sq mi (164,800 sq km), and its capital is Nanchang. Located in the drainage basin of the Gan River, it is one of China's richest agricultural provinces, and it is also renowned for its porcelain industry, which dates from the 11th century.

The opening of the Grand Canal under the Tang dynasty (618–907) set it on the main trade route between northern and southern China. During the Yuan dynasty (1206–1368), it included part of Guangdong; its current boundaries were established in the Ming dynasty. It was taken in 1926 by Chiang Kai-shek and was fought over by the Nationalists and the communists. Much of the province was occupied by the Japanese from 1938 to 1945 and came under communist control in 1949. Agricultural production, as well as a thriving timber industry, contributes to the economy.