Geography and History

Natural Conditions and Geography

Fujian Province is called Min for short. Situated on the southeast coast of the Chinese mainland, the province faces Taiwan Straits to the east, and borders Jiangxi Province to the west, Guangdong Province to the south, and Zhejiang Province to the north. 福建省简称闽。该省位于中国大陆东南沿海，东临台湾海峡，西与江西省接壤，南与广东省接壤，北与浙江省接壤。

An early record of Fujian can be found in The Classic of Mountains and Seas, an ancient compilation of China’s mythic geography and myth, which states that Fujian sits in the sea. Fujian covers a land area of 124,000 sq. km., and a sea area of 136,000 sq. km. As one of the major marine economies in China, it boasts the second longest coastline that runs as long as 3,752 km, with a straight length of 535 km and a curving rate of 1:7.01, ranking first in the country. There are 2,214 islands in the province, and the Pingtan Island is the biggest. The total number of harbors amounts to 125, among which are 22 deepwater harbors and 7 natural harbors that allow the free access of 50,000-tonnage ships, taking up 1/6 of the national figure. The coastline resources provide us with the capacity to build 80 berths suitable for accommodating 200,000-tonnage and above ships. The sea area good for tidal power generation totals 3,000 sq. km. And the exploitable installed capacity of tidal energy reaches 10.33 million kilowatts, accounting for 49.2% of the national total and ranking first in China. 福建的早期记录可以在《山海经》中找到，这是一本关于中国神话地理和神话的古代汇编，其中指出福建位于海洋中。福建陆地面积12.4万平方公里，海域面积13.6万平方公里。作为中国主要海洋经济体之一，拥有第二长的海岸线，长达3752公里，直线长度535公里，弯曲率1:7.01，居全国第一。全省共有2214个岛屿，其中平潭岛最大。港口总数达125个，其中深水港22个，天然港7个，可供5万吨级船舶自由进出，占全国的1/6，岸线资源为我们提供了80个泊位，可容纳20万吨级及以上船舶。适合潮汐发电的海域总面积为3000平方公里。潮汐能可开发装机容量1033万千瓦，占全国总量的49.2%，居全国首位。

Located in the subtropical oceanic monsoon climate area, Fujian is lucky enough to have the mountain ranges in the northwest to ward off the cold winds in winter, and to have the sea breeze coming from the southeast to regulate the climate. Therefore, most part of the province suffer less the freezing cold in winter and the sweltering heat in summer, with the largest amount of rainfall in the country.

Endowed with favorable natural conditions, Fujian is one of the four major forest regions in China, and enjoys the fame of “Green treasure house in the south”. The woodland accounts for 65.95% of the total area with stocking volume standing at 608 million cubic meters, and bamboo forest 993,100 hectares, all ranking first in China. The province falls into the front ranks in biodiversity in the country, and witnesses the survival of many rare plants of the cretaceous period and the Tertiary period, such as gingkgo, pseudolarix and podocarpus macrophyllus. 福建地处亚热带海洋性季风气候区，有幸拥有西北山脉抵御冬季寒风，有来自东南的海风调节气候。因此，该省大部分地区受冬季严寒和夏季酷热影响较小，降雨量居全国之首。

福建自然条件优越，是中国四大林区之一，素有“南方绿色宝库”之称。林地面积占总面积的65.95%，蓄积量6.08亿立方米，竹林面积99.31万公顷，均居全国首位。该省在生物多样性方面处于全国前列，见证了许多白垩纪和第三纪珍稀植物的生存，如银杏、假落叶松和罗汉松。

Situated in one of the major metallogenic belts around the Pacific Rim, Fujian is a region rich in natural resources. By the end of 2015, 118 solid mineral deposits are registered in the records, of which the deposits of 27 types rank among the top 5 nationwide. The Zijinshan Gold Mine was rated by China Gold Association as the biggest gold mine across the country.

Boasting spectacular mountains and vast oceans, Fujian has long been renowned as the “Mountainous State in the southeast”, with Wuyi Mountains in the north, Qingyuan Mountain in the south, Taimu Mountain in the east, Guanzhai Mountain in the east and Daiyun Mountain in the midst. Each of these mountain ranges presents a picturesque landscape. Moreover, the whole province abounds with rivers and lakes, with Min River, Jiulong River, Jin River, Ting River and Jiaoxi River constituting the five major river systems in Fujian. And the numerous beautiful lakes, such as Taining Golden Lake, Xiamen Yundang Lake and Gutian Cuiping Lake shine in the land of Fujian like bright pearls. 福建地处环太平洋主要成矿带之一，自然资源丰富。截至2015年底，登记在册的固体矿产有118处，其中27种类型的矿床位列全国前5位。紫金山金矿被中国黄金协会评为全国最大的金矿。

福建素有“东南多山之州”的美誉，北有武夷山，南有清远山，东有太姥山，东有官寨山，中间有岱云山。每一座山脉都呈现出如画的风景。此外，全省江河湖泊众多，闽江、九龙河、晋江、汀江和胶西河构成福建五大水系。而众多美丽的湖泊，如泰宁金湖、厦门云荡湖、古田翠屏湖，犹如璀璨的明珠，闪耀在福建大地。

Historical Evolution

As early as 5,000 years ago, the indigenous inhabitants created the world-renowned Tanshishan culture. In the Western Zhou Dynasty, seven tribes appeared and flourished in this land, called Seven Min (seven administrative divisions). In the mid Warring States period, after the Yue State collapsed, some ethnic Yue people unwilling to submit themselves to the rule of Chu State emigrated southward to the land of Min and merged into the indigenous Min people to form the Ethnic Minyue. At the end of Warring States period, Mr. Wuzhu governed the land of Fujian and the neighboring areas of South Zhejiang, East Jiangxi and West Guangdong, and claimed himself the King of Minyue State. He established the capital in Ye (now Fuzhou city), thereafter the regime came into being in Fujian. In the Qin Dynasty, Minzhong Prefecture was set up in this area, with Fujian under its jurisdiction. Thence, Fujian started to appear in the map of China. Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty entitled Wuzhu as King of Minyue State. In 260, Jian’an County (now Jian’ou City) was established during Yong’an reign of the Three Kingdoms. In 733, an official post of Fujian military commissioner was set up during the Kaiyuan Reign of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). From then on, the area has been known as Fujian. During the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), Fujian was composed of one Fu, five Zhous, and two Juns. For that reason, the province is also known as Eight Min (eight administrative divisions). In the Yuan Dynasty, province was set up in the area. In the Ming Dynasty, Fujian administrative commissioner's office governs eight Fus, one Zhou and sixty counties. The Qing Dynasty inherits the administrative division system from the Ming Dynasty. While in 1684, the 23rd year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Taiwan Fu (municipality) was established under the jurisdiction of Fujian Province. In 1886, the 12th year during the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Taiwan was singled out from Fujian and upgraded to a province. 早在5000年前，土著居民就创造了举世闻名的坦石山文化。西周时期，在这片土地上出现并繁荣了七个部落，称为七民。战国中期，越国灭亡后，一些不愿屈从楚国统治的越人南迁闽地，与原闽人合并，形成了闽粤民族。战国末期，吴柱先生统治福建及浙南、赣东、粤西周边地区，自称为闽越国国王。他在叶城（现在的福州市）建都，此后政权在福建形成。秦朝在此设立闽中郡，辖福建。从此，福建开始出现在中国地图上。汉高祖封吴祝为明月国之王。公元260年，三国永安年间建安县（今建瓯市）成立。733年，唐朝开元年间（618-907），福建省设立了一个军事专员的官职。从那时起，该地区被称为福建。南宋时期（1127-1279），福建由一个府、五个州和两个军组成。因此，该省也被称为八民（八个行政区划）。元朝时，在该地区设立了省。明朝福建行署辖八府、一州、六十县。清代继承了明朝的行政区划制度。康熙二十三年（1684年），台湾府（直辖市）划归福建省管辖。光绪十二年（1886年），台湾从福建省独立出来，升格为一个省。

Fujian was an important birthplace of China’s marine culture and a major commercial center in history. Quanzhou City, a starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road, witnessed the flourishing international trade of China and the bustling scenarios of foreign merchants coming in flocks. And Mawei Port, the cradle of modern Chinese shipbuilding industry and a famous naval base, had cultivated numerous high-caliber talents.

福建是中国海洋文化的重要发祥地和历史上重要的商业中心。泉州市是古代海上丝绸之路的起点，见证了中国国际贸易的繁荣和外商蜂拥而至的繁华景象。马尾港是中国近代造船业的摇篮和著名的海军基地，培养了大批高素质人才。

Fujian is also the birthplace of many regional cultures, such as Minnan culture (Southern Fujian culture), Hakka culture, Mazu culture, shipyard culture, Zhu Xi culture, Ethnic SHE culture and Revolutionary culture. The province houses a number of world heritage sites. Wuyi Mountains (a world cultural and natural heritage site), Fujian Tulou (the earthen buildings, a world cultural heritage site), Taining Danxia landscape (a world natural heritage site), and two Global Geoparks (Taining and Ningde), just to name a few. 福建也是许多地域文化的发源地，如闽南文化（闽南地区文化）、客家文化、Mazu文化、船坞文化、朱子文化、畲族文化和革命文化。该省拥有许多世界遗产。武夷山（世界文化和自然遗产）、福建土楼（土楼，世界文化遗产）、泰宁丹霞景观（世界自然遗产）和两个世界地质公园（泰宁和宁德），仅举几例。

It’s here in Fujian that many outstanding talents and historical figures were brought up, such as Wang Shenzhi, Zhu Xi, Song Ci, Zheng Chenggong, Lin Zexu, Yan Fu, Lin Shu, Chen Jiageng, Bing Xin, Hou Debang, and Chen Jingrun. 在福建，有许多杰出的人才和历史人物，如王神志、朱子、Song Ci、郑成功、林则徐、严复、林纾、陈嘉庚、冰心、Hou Debang和陈景润。

Population & Administrative Divisions

Fujian has a permanent population of over 38 million, with all the 56 ethnic groups scattering across the province. According to the 6th national census, the population of ethnic groups in Fujian amounts to 796,900, among whom 365,500 are ethnic SHE, accounting for 51.6% of the total in China. We have now 19 ethnic townships, one provincial level ethnic economic development zone and 576 ethnic villages. Under the jurisdiction of Fujian are now nine multi-district cities (Fuzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, Sanming, Putian, Nanping, Longyan, and Ningde) and Pingtan Comprehensive Pilot Zone. There are 85 counties (or cities at county level) and districts in total.

福建常住人口3800多万，56个民族分布全省。根据第六次全国人口普查，福建省少数民族人口为79.69万人，其中畲族36.55万人，占全国总人口的51.6%。现有19个民族乡、1个省级民族经济开发区、576个民族村。福建现辖福州、厦门、漳州、泉州、三明、莆田、南平、龙岩、宁德等9个多区市和平潭综合试验区。共有85个县（或县级市）和区。