Yunnan

Yunnan, also known as Yunnan Province, is a province in the southwest of the People's Republic of China. It borders the Tibet Autonomous Region to the northwest, Sichuan to the north, Guizhou to the east, Guangxi to the southeast, and the countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar to the south and southwest. The capital and largest city is Kunming. Covering about 394,000 square kilometers, Yunnan has a highly varied topography dominated by the Hengduan Mountains and deep river valleys, with elevations ranging from tropical lowlands in Xishuangbanna to high plateaus in the north. The province contains multiple climate zones and is one of the most biologically diverse regions on Earth.

Yunnan is ethnically diverse, home to 25 recognized ethnic groups, including the Yi, Bai, Hani, Zhuang, Dai, Naxi, Miao, and Tibetan communities. This diversity is reflected in local cultures, languages, and traditional crafts. The economy relies on agriculture—tea (notably Pu'er tea), tobacco, fruits, and vegetables—alongside growing tourism, coffee production in some areas, and hydropower development along major rivers such as the Lancang (Mekong).

Historically, Yunnan was home to ancient polities such as the Dian Kingdom and later integrated into the Chinese state. In modern times it has developed as a gateway for Southeast Asian trade and a regional hub for transport and biodiversity research. Notable World Heritage sites include the Old Town of Lijiang, inscribed in 1997, and the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, inscribed in 2003.