Sichuan Basin

A large basin in the eastern part of Sichuan Province, China. It is surrounded by the Daba Mountains to the northeast, and the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the northwest and south. It is 400-800 meters above sea level, and covers an area of ​​about 180,000 square kilometers. It was a lake about 100 million years ago, and many dinosaur fossils have been discovered there. The Yangtze River flows northeast through the southern part of the basin, and is joined by the Minjiang River, Jialing River, and Chishui River. The climate is warm in winter, with an annual rainfall of about 1,000 mm, and a long growing season for crops. It is a major producer of rice, wheat, rapeseed, and other crops, and sericulture is also thriving. The eastern part of the basin is lined with parallel mountain ranges and river valleys, while the central part is mostly hilly, but the 6,000 square kilometer Chengdu Plain in the northwest is a region rich in natural resources thanks to its use of the waters of the Min River and its fertile soil. The basin is rich in resources such as coal, natural gas, rock salt, and phosphate ore.

[Ono Kikuo]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国、四川省東部にある大盆地。北東は大巴(だいは／ターパー)山脈、北西から南は青蔵(せいぞう)高原、雲貴(うんき)高原に囲まれる。標高400～800メートル、面積約18万平方キロメートル。約一億数千万年前は湖で、多くの恐竜化石が発見される。盆地南部を揚子江(ようすこう／ヤンツーチヤン)が北東流し、岷江(びんこう／ミンチヤン)、嘉陵江(かりょうこう／チャリンチヤン)、赤水河(せきすいが／チーショイホー)などがこれに合流する。気候は冬暖かく、降水量も年約1000ミリメートルで作物の生育期間が長く、米、小麦、菜種などの主要産地であり、養蚕も盛んである。盆地東部は山脈と河谷が並行し、中央部は丘陵が多いが、北西部にある約6000平方キロメートルの成都(せいと／チョントゥー)平原は、岷江の水の利用と肥沃(ひよく)な土壌により物産の豊かな地方である。盆地には石炭、天然ガス、岩塩、燐(りん)鉱石などの資源が多い。

［小野菊雄］

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例