| Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture | |
| Translit Lang1: | Name |
| Translit Lang1 Info: | Chinese: 凉山彝族自治州 Chinese: 涼山彞族自治州 |
| Translit Lang1 Info1: | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꆃꎭꆈꌠꊨꏦꏱꅉꍏ |
| Settlement Type: | Autonomous prefecture |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | People's Republic of China |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sichuan |
| Seat Type: | Prefecture seat |
| Seat: | Xichang |
| Area Total Km2: | 60261 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 4858359 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type2: | GDP[2] |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Total |
| Demographics2 Info1: | CN¥ 131.5 billion US$ 21.1 billion |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Per capita |
| Demographics2 Info2: | CN¥ 28,276 US$ 4,540 |
| Timezone: | China Standard |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| Coor Pinpoint: | Liangshan Prefecture government |
| Coordinates: | 27.88°N 102.27°W |
| Iso Code: | CN-SC-34 |
| Order: | st |
| S: | 凉山彝族自治州 |
| T: | 涼山彞族自治州 |
| P: | Liángshān Yízú Zìzhìzhōu |
| Also Known As: | Abbreviation |
| S2: | 凉山州 |
| T2: | 涼山州 |
| P2: | Liángshān Zhōu |
| Lang1 Content: | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꆃꎭꆈꌠꊨꏦꏱꅉꍏ |
| Lang1: | ii |
Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture (Northern Yi: /nɛ˨˩ʂa˧/) is an autonomous prefecture occupying much of the southern extremity of Sichuan province, People's Republic of China. Its seat is Xichang. Liangshan covers an area of 60261km2 and has over 4.8 million inhabitants as of 2020.[1] It has the largest population of ethnic Yi (or Nosu) among China's prefectures. Liangshan contains a number of isolated villages high up on its cliffs, often known as "cliff villages".[3]
Xichang has the Xichang Qingshan Airport and the Xichang Satellite Launch Center. The prefecture also features a substantial network of railways for both passengers and freight.
The Anning River, which runs into the Jinsha River (Yangtze River headwaters), is the main river in the area.
Owing to its low latitude and high elevation, Liangshan has a mild climate. Under the Köppen system, the prefecture belongs to the humid subtropical zone (Köppen Cwa). Winters feature mild days and cool nights, while summers are very warm and humid. Monthly daily mean temperatures range from 9.6°C in January to 22.3°C in July. Unlike much of the province, which lies in the Sichuan Basin, humidity levels in winter are rather low, but like the rest of the province, rainfall is concentrated in the months of June through September, and the prefecture is virtually rainless in winter.
Due to the mountainous terrain, many villages that lie among the mountain cliffs of Liangshan Yi are isolated from the rest of Sichuan. They are called cliff villages as they tend to be isolated and lie at vertical heights of about 800m (2,600feet).[4] Access to these cliff villages tends to be through vines of trees along the cliffs and steep ladders made of ropes. In 2016, the state run The Beijing News reported one such village called Atulie'er where children climbed up a rope ladder for two hours to reach their home from school, often leading to falls and deaths.[5] In light of this, the local government constructed a special steel ladder (dubbed "Stairway to heaven") in November 2016 for people to climb up and down in a safer manner.[6]
Liangshan directly controls two county-level cities, 14 counties, and 1 autonomous county.
| Map | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Yi | Yi Pinyin | Population | Area (km2) | Density (/km2) | |
| Xichang City | Chinese: 西昌市 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꀒꎂꏃ | Op Rro Shyp | 712,434 | 2,655 | 268.33 | ||
| Yanyuan County | Chinese: 盐源县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꋂꂿꑤ | Ce Mo Xiep | 350,176 | 8,388 | 41.74 | ||
| Dechang County | Chinese: 德昌县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꄓꍣꑤ | Dep Cha Xiep | 214,405 | 2,284 | 93.87 | ||
| Huili City | Chinese: 会理市 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꑌꄷꏃ | Nyi Ddix Shyp | 430,066 | 4,527 | 95.00 | ||
| Huidong County | Chinese: 会东县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꉼꄏꑤ | Hop Do Xiep | 362,944 | 3,227 | 112.47 | ||
| Ningnan County | Chinese: 宁南县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꆀꆆꑤ | Nip Nap Xiep | 170,673 | 1,667 | 102.38 | ||
| Puge County | Chinese: 普格县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꁌꐭꑤ | Pu Jjyt Xiep | 155,740 | 1,905 | 81.75 | ||
| Butuo County | Chinese: 布拖县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꀭꄮꑤ | Bux Te Xiep | 160,151 | 1,685 | 95.04 | ||
| Jinyang County | Chinese: 金阳县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꏁꇉꑤ | Shyx lo Xiep | 165,121 | 1,587 | 104.04 | ||
| Zhaojue County | Chinese: 昭觉县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꏪꐦꑤ | Juo Jjop Xiep | 251,836 | 2,699 | 93.30 | ||
| Xide County | Chinese: 喜德县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꑝꅇꑤ | Xit Ddop Xiep | 165,906 | 2,206 | 75.20 | ||
| Mianning County | Chinese: 冕宁县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꍿꆈꑤ | Rruo Nuo Xiep | 351,245 | 4,423 | 79.41 | ||
| Yuexi County | Chinese: 越西县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꃺꄧꑤ | Vyt Tuo Xiep | 269,896 | 2,257 | 119.58 | ||
| Ganluo County | Chinese: 甘洛县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꇤꇉꑤ | Ga Lo Xiep | 195,100 | 2,156 | 90.49 | ||
| Meigu County | Chinese: 美姑县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꂿꈬꑤ | Mo Ggu Xiep | 221,505 | 2,573 | 86.08 | ||
| Leibo County | Chinese: 雷波县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꃀꁧꑤ | Mop Bbo Xiep | 223,885 | 2,932 | 76.35 | ||
| Muli Tibetan Autonomous County | Chinese: 木里藏族自治县 | Sichuan Yi; Nuosu: ꃆꆹꀒꋤꊨꏦꏱꅉꑤ | Mup Li Op Zzup Zyt Jie Jux Dde Xiep | 131,726 | 13,252 | 9.94 | ||
| Nationality | Population | Percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2,226,755 | 49.13% | ||
| Han | 2,155,357 | 47.55% | |
| 60,679 (2000) | 1.49% (2000) | ||
| Mosuo and Mongol | 27,277 (2000) | 0.67% (2000) | |
| 18,385 (2000) | 0.45% (2000) | ||
| 11,912 (2000) | 0.29% | ||
| 9,121 (2000) | 0.22% (2000) | ||
| Buyei | 5,459 (2000) | 0.13% (2000) | |
| Nakhi | 5,199 (2000) | 0.13% (2000) | |
| Others | 8,751 | 0.22% |