After the regulation of the administrative division,Sichuan now has an area of 4.85 million sq. kilometers and a population of 83.565 million, some 30 million less than before, and listing the third in the country. Sichuan has so far 19 municipalities, prefectures and autonomous prefectures, 179 countics, county-level cities and districts (the largest number in China) under its jurisdiction. Sichuan has aboundant reserves of hydropower,minerals and plants with the reserves of hydropower ranking the first in the country. Besides, Sichuan is of great importance to China as well as the world in rare metals production, and has plenty labor force that totals 52.46 million in number. Listing the 8th in the nation in overall cconomic achievements, the provincial GDP in 1996 was 298. 5 billion yuan. Sichuan is ranked the first in southwest China in terms of the output of meat, grain and oil, and also the first in the whole country in total meat output.The total retail volume of social consumption goods in 1996 rcached 109.1 billion yuan. At the end of last year,Sichuan was ranked the first in west China in total imp. & exp. volume, of which,export contributed US S.55 billion, and import US S1.06 billion. Sichuan is strong in scientific research. It is one of China’s biggest scientific and technological bascs. Scated here is the world-famous Xichang Satellite Launching Center. In recent years, Sichuan has made great efforts to improve telecommunication and transportation facilities in the province. As a rcsult, a transportation network has alrcady taken shape represented by the convenient transport by road, rail, airplane and river boat. The DCN second and third phase constrtuction have completed an alldirection telecom network, making the provincial investment environment grcatly improved. The CPC Sichuan Provincial Committce and Sichuan Provincial Government have worked out a development program, according to the actual conditions of the province, to be implemented in the period of the. “9th Five-Year Plan” and to the year 2010, in a bid to lead Sichuan to a brighter prospects of tomorrow. After the regulation of the administrative division, Sichuan now has an area of ​​4.85 million sq. Kilometers and a population of 83.565 million, some 30 million less than before, and listing the third in the country. Sichuan has so far 19 municipalities, prefectures and autonomous prefectures, 179 countics, county-level cities and districts (the largest number in China) under its jurisdiction. Sichuan has aboundant reserves of hydropower, minerals and plants with the reserves of hydropower ranking the first in the country. great importance to China as well as the world in rare metals production, and has plenty labor force that totals 52.46 million in number. Listing the 8th in the nation in overall cconomic achievements, the provincial GDP in 1996 was 298. 5 billion yuan. Sichuan is ranked the first in southwest China in terms of the output of meat, grain and oil, and also the first in the whole country in total meat output. the total retail volume of social consumpt At the end of last year, Sichuan was ranked the first in west China in total imp. & exp. volume, of which, export contributed US S.55 billion, and import US S1.06 It is one of China’s biggest scientific and technological bascs. Scated here is the world-famous Xichang Satellite Launching Center. In recent years, Sichuan has made great efforts to improve telecommunication and transportation facilities in the province. As a rcsult, a transportation network has alrcady taken shape represented by the convenient transport by road, rail, airplane and river boat. The DCN second and third phase constuction has completed an alldirection telecom network, making the provincial investment environment grcatly improved. The CPC Sichuan Provincial Committce and Sichuan Provincial Government have worked out a development program, according to the actual conditions of the province, to be implemented in th eperiod of the. “9th Five-Year Plan” and to the year 2010, in a bid to lead Sichuan to a brighter prospects of tomorrow.