Size: 176,000 square miles (455,000 sq km).
Population: 26 million in 2004.
Major Cities: Lanzhou (capital), Tianshui, Baiying, Jinchang, Qingyang.
Economy: 2007 GDP: 270 billion yuan ($40 billion), up 12 percent from the previous year.
Major Crops/Industry: Melons, vegetables, hops, barley, traditional Chinese medicines, animal husbandry.
Historical Note: A main stop on the Silk Road, Gansu has long held a place in ancient Chinese nation building. It has served as a province for more than 700 years and is also rich in ancient Buddhist temples carved inside caves. The province also has a significant ethic minority population which accounts for about 2.2 million people.
Official Chinese Website: http://www.gansu.gov.cn/