- a province in northern central China. 137,104 sq. mi. (355,099 sq. km). Capital: Lanzhou.
- a province of NW China, between Tibet and Inner Mongolia: mountainous, with desert regions; forms a corridor, the Old Silk Road, much used in early and medieval times for trade with Turkestan, India, and Persia. Capital: Lanzhou. Pop: 26 030 000 (2003 est). Area: 366 500 sq km (141 500 sq miles)
