Commencing with the Qin dynasty (221-206 B.C.), Anhui was the first region of southern China to be settled by the ethnic group known as the Hans. It suffered considerable hardship and distress when the Huanghe river changed its course in the mid-18th c. The province was occupied by the Japanese during the Second World War. History
After 1949 the province’s economy developed through the mining of coal and iron and copper ore, and it became a centre of heavy industry. There are some 4-4 million ha/11 million acres of agricultural land, more than a half of which is irrigated; the main crops are rice, grain, soya beans, sweet potatoes, cotton and tea. Economy
The provincial capital of Hefei, Ma’anshan and Wuhu (see entries), together with the famous Huangshan Mountains (see Wuhu), are all of interest. Places to visit
