Yichun, Jiangxi

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Yichun (Chinese: 宜春; pinyin: Yíchūn; Wade-Giles: I-ch'un; Postal map spelling: I-ch'un) is a mountainous city in the Chinese province of Jiangxi. Yichun literally means "pleasant spring". It is located in the northwest of the province along a river surrouneded by mountains. Its area is 18,669 km²; 50% forested, 35% mountainous. It has a total population of 5,100,000; 1,100,000 urban and the other 4,000,000 rural. 99.5% of the people are Han but many other ethnic minorities are represented.

A large sports complex with two stadiums was built in the 1990's and draws teams for sports competitions from all across China. Agriculture is the main industry but other natural resource industries such as timber and mining are extremely important for the economy. Major mineral deposits include aluminum, tungsten, gold, zinc, and copper. Yichun is also a stop along the major railine running between Beijing and Nanchang, the capital of Jiangxi.