Sichuan

Sichuan (Chinese: 四川; Hanyu pinyin: Síchuăn; Wade-Giles: Szechuan) is the most heavily populated province of China, located in the west of the country in a relatively isolated region separated by mountains and the Yangtse Gorges from the lower Yangtse valley. Sichuan has a population of 82,343,000 (2000 population), and an area of 487,000 square kilometres. Until 1997 the municipality of Chongqing, with a population of 31 million, also formed part of Sichuan.

The capital is Chengdu.

Sichuan is widely known throughout the world for its distinctive, hot cuisine.