Sichuan is located in the Upper Yangtze Valley in the southwestern part of the country.The second largest of the Chinese provinces,it covers an area of 220,100 square miles (570,000 square kilometres).Szechwan is bordered by the provinces of Kansu and Shensi to the north,Hupeh and Hunan to the east,and Kweichow and Yunnan to the south and by the Tibet Autonomous Region to the west and the province of Tsinghai to the northwest.It is the most populous province in China.The name Szechwan means “Four Streams” and refers to the four main tributaries of the Yangtze River,which flows through the province.The capital,Ch'eng-tu,is located in the centre of the province.
From economic,political,geographical,and historical points of view,the heart and nerve centre of Szechwan is in the eastern basin area,commonly known as the Sichuan,or Red,Basin.Its mild and humid climate,fertile soil,and abundant mineral and forestry resources make it one of the most prosperous and economically self-sufficient regions of China.The area has been seen by some as China in a microcosm and is often viewed as a country within a country.The Chinese call the basin Tien Fu Chih Kuo,which literally means “Heaven on Earth.”