With a total population of 87 million, Sichuan claims the most populous province cross the country. Covering a land of 485,000 sq km, 5.1% of China's total area, Sichuan ranks the 5th place.

Sichuan's GDP ranks the 9th place amongst 31 provinces and municipalities of the country in 2005. In 2005, Sichuan's GDP registered 738.51 billion yuan (about US$96.61billion); up 12.6 percent over 2004 and up 69.8 percent over the year 2000.The annual average growth rate was 11.2 percent.

The proportion of agriculture, industry and the service sector was adjusted from 24.1:36.5:39.4 in 2000 to 20.3:41.3:38.4 in 2005. Ranking the ninth in the country and the first in West China.

Electronic information industry

Brought along by the investment projects of the Intel, Zhongxin International and Younisen, the electronic information industry in the Chengdu National High-tech Development Zone is gaining momentum. The zone is strong in digital frequency products, integrated circuits, and software and information safety products. Advantageous enterprises in Sichuan such as Changhong, Go Tel and Maipu are diving force behind the province's economic growth. Some multinationals have set up research and development centres in Chengdu. They include Siemens and Nokia. Molex, the world's second largest electronic connector manufacturer, has invested in Chengdu Export Processing Zone.

Tourism

Centring upon natural, ecological, historical and cultural tourism, Sichuan has improved infrastructure in the tourism sector. In 2005, it held the Third Sichuan Tourism Development Conference and the First Sichuan Winter Tourism Development Conference. Tourism has become a pillar industry in the province. It was the first to start the red tourism programme which became a new growth point in 2005. Jinayou, Yibin, Ya'an, Panzhihua and Luzhou won the laureate of China's Excellent Tourist Cities in 2005, bringing the number of Sichuan cities with the title to 14 and ranking first in West Sichuan. In 2005, Sichuan's tourism earnings were 15.51 billion more than in the previous year and 46.32 billion more than in the year 2000, a 1.8-fold increase compared with the year 2000.

Hydropower industry

Sichuan abounds in water resources. The Jinsha, Yalong and Dadu rivers have many huge power stations. Ertan, China's second largest hydropower station has started operation. The Pubugou Hydropower Station has witnessed the damming of the river. Construction of the 12.6-million kilowatt Xiluodu Hydropower Station, 6-million-kilowatt Xiangjiaba Hydropower Station and the 3.6-million-kilowatt Jinping First-class Hydropower Station has started. In 2005, the newly increased installed capacity was 2.72 million kilowatts and the province's installed capacity amounted to 23 million kilowatts. In 2005, the province generated 95.8 billion kilowatts hours of electricity, up 8.3 per cent over 2004.

The machinery and metallurgical

Sichuan has more than 10 major iron and steel producing enterprises. In 2005, its steel producing capacity reached 12.5 million tons. It real steel output was 9.89 million tons. The Panzhihua Iron and Steel Group's annual 500,000-ton, 340-millimetre consecutive casting unit started operation. The Second Heavy-Duty Group's 5-metre-thick rolling mill passed the test in the Baoshan Iron and Steel Group, ending China's history of not having rolling mills thicker than 4.2 metres. The heavy-duty equipment manufacturing base represented by the Second Heavy-Duty Machinery Plant and Dongfang Electric Group is in Deyang.

Pharmaceuticals and chemical industrial

Sichuan's modernization base of traditional Chinese medicine has taken shape. The Chengdu National Medicine Export Base has been approved by the Ministry of Commerce. The boiler saltpetre clearance project undertaken by the Dongfang Boiler (Group) Shareholding Co. Ltd and the Huadian Changsha Power Plant has broken foreign monopoly technology.

Beverage and foodstuff

Sichuan is famous for its liquor and food far and near. The output and sales of Wuliangye, Luzhou Old Cellar, Qiannanchun, Lanjiu, Quanxin and Tuopai is constantly on the rise. The 2005 China Candy and Wine Fair were held in Chengdu, further boosting the mingling of Sichuan's liquor with the international market. The industrialization and standardization process of Sichuan cuisine is accelerated. More and more Sichuan food bas found its way into the international market.