Hubei

Hubei, also Hupeh or Hu-pei, province, central China. It comprises an area of rugged mountains along the western border but is dominated by a lake-studded plain that is traversed by the Yangtze and Han rivers. Summer rice and winter wheat are leading crops, with soybeans, tea, and cotton also important. Wuhan, the capital and largest city, is one of China's leading manufacturing centers; Huangshi is another industrial city located in the province.

Hubei formed part of the ancient southern state of Ch'u and was absorbed into China during the Han dynasty (206 bc-ad220). It became important as a “rice bowl” for northern China as early as the 11th century. During the 19th century, ports along the Yangtze River were important centers of European trade and industrialization. In 1911 the uprising that led to the establishment of the Chinese Republic began here at Wuhan. Area, 187,500 sq km (72,390 sq mi); population 60,017,000 (2003 estimate).