Yunnan province is situated in the southwest frontier of China, with the Tropic of Cancer stretching across the south, the whole province lies in the low-latitude belt south of 30 degrees north latitude. Its land area covers 394,000 square kilometers (4.1 percent of the total area in China).Yunnan is enclosed by Tibet Autonomous Region, Sichuan Province, Guizhou Province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region inside the China, besides, it borders on Burma, Laos and Vietnam with a length of 4060-kilometer boundary line.

　　The general topography of Yunnan presents fan-shaped distribution sloping from northwest to the southeast, in the northwest, Yunnan connects with the transition belt of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau with average elevation above 3000 meters, Mt Kawagpo (6740meters) locates here with abundance of snow mountain, while in the east is Yunnan plateau, including the highlands in eastern and central Yunnan, its average altitude about 2000 meters, the eastern part is characterized by undulating low mountains, round hills and various types of Karstland, as Stone Forest. In the south and southeast, the lowest point is 76.4 meters above sea level, is the confluence of Nanxi River and Red River, which borders with Vietnam.
　　6% basins dotted among the 94% hilly land, enable these areas to be prosperous agricultural zones, Yangtze River, Mekong River and Salween River sketch out river system in Yunnan and provide rich Hydropower. Mountainous landform is a big barrier of traffic but creates rich fauna resources and mineral resources, such as 1737 kinds of vertebrates; accounting for 58.9% of the total in China, and 142 of ores has been discovered in Yunnan.
　　Affected by the low latitudes, monsoons and mountainous plateau, the climate is quite agreeable here with average temperature 19 Centigrade ～ 22 Centigrade in whole year.

　　Up to the end of 2000, the population had reached 42 million, of whom 13.93 million (33.18%) were minority nationalities. Of these 25 minority nationalities, the Yi People has the largest population of about 4 million, and the Dulong People, with 5500 population, is the smallest group. Yunnan has the largest number of native ethic groups in China, of the 25 ethnic minority groups, 15 are uniquely found, they are Bai, Hani, Dai, Lisu, Wa, Lahu, Naxi, Jingpo, Bulang, Pumi, Achang, Jinuo, Nu, and the Dulong groups.
　　The 25 ethnic groups are distributed in different parts of Yunnan with two distinct characteristics. First, one group intermingle with others but stay by themselves in a relatively small area, 16 groups live in compact communities along the border line, so the different culture and language are influenced each others at the same time reserve the respective character.
　　Second, the distribution of minority is closely related to the landforms and climates according to their living habits.

　　Owing to variety of peoples and uneven development level, many religious exist peacefully and has each own considerable believers.
　　Buddhism
Buddhism is the most influential religion in Yunnan, and it divided into three sects:
★ Hiayanna, was introduced in Sui Dynasty (615AD), most believers/followers are Dai, Bulang De’ang, Achang People.
★ Mahayana, was introduced in Tang Dynasty,(7 century), followers are Bai, some Naxis, Yi, Lahu, and most Han (Majority) people.
★ Tibetan Buddhism, was introduced in 11th Century, followers are Tibetan, some Pumis, Naxi people.

　　Taoism

　　Taoism is the religion native to China, it took shape in 2nd Century and was introduced in Yunnan in 3rd Century. Followers are mostly Han(Majority) people.

　　Islam

　　Islam was introduced in 1253 when Kublai Khan’s army conquered Yunnan, it is believed by the Hui, some Dais, Bais, Zhuangs people.

　　Christianity

　　There are two divisions of Christianity in Yunnan, Protestantism and Catholicism
　　★ Protestantism came to Yunnan in 1877 after the Second opium war, believers are Han(Majority), Miao, Lisu, Jingpo, Yi, Wa, Nu, Dulong, Lahu and the some Dais people.
　　★ Catholic parishes were set up in Yunnan in 1843, it is believed by Han(Majority), Yi, Miao, Lisu, and Jingpo people.

　　Primitive religion in Yunnan includes Totem worship, nature fundamental worship, ancestor worship, deity worship, the feature of sexuality worship, etc. All these worships are available verily among some people of different minority groups, as Bai, Lahu, Jingpo, Lisu, Nu and Dulong people.
　　Many festivals of Yunnan ethnic groups have a close relationship with primitive religions, as Yi people’s Torch Festival, Jingpo people’s Munao Zhongge and Miao people’s Flower Festival, etc.

　　Due the remote location and historical reason, the real development of Yunnan took place after Anti-Japanese war, because the capital city was temporarily switched from Nanjing to Chongqing in 1939, and many academic institutes as well as intellectuals swarmed into the backyard, Yunnan, so caused great changed in Yunnan. Even so until 1950, some minorities still practiced slash and burn agriculture, up to now the general development level of Yunnan is still far behind other areas, in short, Yunnan’s comprehensive situation ranks 4th count backwards in China.
　　The below is some data from Yunnan Provincial Statistics Bureau, they are not so precisely reflected the truth but can provide some figures for reference.

　　Education (2000):
　　- Literacy rates (age 15+): 84.56%
Male: 90.68%; Female: 77.85%
　　- School enrolment (2002):
　　- Primary school: 99.58%
Male: 99.56%; Female: 99.6%
　　- Middle school: 87.5%
Male: 89.14%; Female: 85.68%

　　Economy (2002):
　　- Per capita GDP: USD627
　　- Income segregation:
　　　Urban per capita controllable income: USD877
　　　Urban per capita income consumption share: USD706
　　　Urban per capita income food consumption share: USD293
　　　Rural per capita income: USD195
　　　Rural per capita income consumption share: USD167
　　　Rural per capita income food consumption share: USD94
　　- Poorest 10% (urban)
　　　Per capita income: USD314
　　　Per capita controllable income: USD284
　　　Per capita income consumption share: USD355
　　- Richest 10% (urban)
　　　Per capita income: 2081
　　　Per capita controllable income: USD1992
　　　Per capita income consumption share: USD1280
　　- Economic diversity:
　　　Provincial comprehensive GDP: USD27.03 billion
　　　1st industry GDP: USD5.7billion
　　　2nd industry GDP: USD11.52 billion
　　　3rd industry GDP: USD9.8billion
　　- Unemployment (urban):
　　　Unemployment population in documentation: 0.19million
　　　Unemployment population rate in documentation: 4%
　　- Population below poverty line (rural):
　　　Absolute poverty population: 2.86million
　　　Low income population: 7.64million