Shaanxi is a north-westernl province of the People’s Republic of China, which has an area of 75,600 sq mi (195,800 sq km). It includes portions of the Loess Plateau on the middle reaches of the Yellow River as well as the Qinling Mountains across the southern part of the province.
By regular Hanyu Pinyin rules, both Shaanxi and the neighboring province of Shanxi should be spelled "Shanxi" .To make the difference clear without tonal marks, the spelling "Shaanxi" was contrived (following the romanization system of Yuen Ren Chao) for the province of Shǎnxī, while "Shanxi" is used for the province of Shānxī.
Geography and climate
From north to south Shaanxi has four main regions—the loess plateau, fertile but dry; the Wei River valley, rich agriculturally and the center of population; the Qinling divide, the highest range of the province; and the upper Han River valley.
The northern part of Shaanxi is cold in the winter and very hot in summer with dry winter and spring. Its southern portion generally receives more rain. Annual mean temperature is roughly between 9°C and 16°C (48 and 61℉)with January temperature ranging from −11°C to 3.5°C (12 to 38℉)and July temperature ranging from 21°C to 28°C(70 to 82℉).


History
Shaanxi (and the city of Xi’an therein) are considered one of the cradles of Chinese civilization. Thirteen feudal dynasties established their capitals in this province during a span of more than 1,100 years, from the Zhou Dynasty to the Tang Dynasty. It is also the starting point of the Silk Road which leads to Europe, Asia and Africa.
Following the establishment of Mongol rule in the thirteenth century, wars and famine decimated and depopulated the province. Under the Ming dynasty, Shaanxi was incorporated into Gansu but was again separated in the Qing dynasty.
In 1935, the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army of China came to Yan’an in Shaanxi on its “long march”, and from 1935 to 1948, Shaanxi was the seat of the Chinese Communist Party.
Economy
The chief crops of Shaanxi are Wheat, millet, cotton, soybeans and corn .Rice, tea, and tung oil are produced in the south, and fruit orchards are cultivated in the upland areas. Livestock (notably sheep) are raised. Shaanxi has rich coal and iron deposits. Oil is extracted at Yanchang and salt is obtained from lakes.
Since the 1960s, Shaanxi has developed industrially; cotton, once sent to Shanghai for processing, is spun and woven in the province. Shaanxi’s main industrial city is Xi’an, which has a variety of heavy and light industries.