Jiangsu

Jiangsu is a province located along the Eastern coast of China. It is bordered by Shandong on the North, the Pacific Ocean on the East, Shanghai to the Southeast, Zhejiang to the South, and Anhui to the South and West.

The capital of Jiangsu is the city of Nanjing. About half of the province's population lives within urban areas in the South and Northwest. The other half of the population is spread out across rural areas within Jiangsu. With a population of over 80,000,000, Jinagsu is the most densely-populated province in China.

Historical records show that people lived in the area that is now Jiangsu as far back as 1900BC, likely being the Yueshi or the Renfang. Groups from this region and this time are usually referred to as the Dongyi, which were seen as barbarians by the various ruling dynasties over the centuries. Over time, these groups were either wiped out, or assimilated by various dynasties.

The area that is now Jiangsu became part of China in 226BC. The official provincial borders were established in 1666 during the Qing dynasty, when it was split from the province of Anhui. There numerous invasions, border changes, and occupations of Jiangsu in its four thousand year history. The most recent invasion being by Japan during World War II, which led to the Rape of Nanking, causing the deaths of possibly 200,000 unarmed civilians.

In an effort to preserve its national unity, China does not allow its provinces to have provincial flags.

Jiangsu's name comes from the names of the two largest cities in the province, Jiangning (later renamed Nanjing), and Suzhou.