Shaanxi lies in the northwest of China and is said to be one of the cradles of Chinese civilisation. One of the earliest Chinese habitants settled down near the Yellow River, known as the Lantian Man.
Provincial capital Xi'an has always been, and still is, a city of great importance. It has been the capital during 13 feudal dynasties starting from the Western Zhou to the Tang dynasty and the West Gate was once the starting point of the Silk Road.
The Silk Road was a series of routes and went from Xi'an to the Middle East. This road was very important, not only because of trade but also for religious purposes and helped to lay the foundations of the modern world.
Just outside Xi'an lies the famous Terracotta Warriors excavation site. These humans of stone are China's second biggest tourist attraction after the Great Wall of course.
The Great Wall in Shaanxi can be found in the northern part. Especially Yulin is known for a well preserved tower of the Wall.
The only city ever discovered of the Xiongnu is called Tongwancheng. This white city lies in the Maowusu desert in the northern part and is unfortunately not well known by the public.
Yan'an is known as the birthplace of communism and used to be the location of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party.
Shaanxi became a provincial unit during the Mongol rule. Ningxia was a part of Shaanxi but not for long.
In 1556, one of the most disastrous earthquakes in history shook the ground near Hua Mountain. Around 830,000 people died. Most of them, ironically, died trying to run for their lives.

(D.De Hon)

Capital city: Xi'an.
Area: 205,000 km²
Adjacent provinces: Ningxia Hui, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Henan, Hubei, Chongqing, Sichuan and Gansu.
Nationalities: Han (99.4%), Hui, Mongolian and Manchu.

Shaanxi is divided into 10 prefectures.

Ankang: Ningshan County, Zhenping County, Xunyang County, Baihe County, Langao County, Pingli County, Shiquan County, Hanbin District, Ziyang County and Hanyin County.
Baoji: Taibai County, Linyou County, Feng County, Long County, Qianyang County, Qishan County, Fufeng County, Mei County, Fengxiang County, Weibin District, Chencang District,  and Jintai District.
Hanzhong: Hantai District, Xixiang County, Lueyang County, Zhenba County, Nanzheng County, Mian County, Liuba County, Chenggu County, Ningqiang County, Foping County and Yang County. 
Shangluo: Shangzhou District, Shangnan County, Zhashui County, Luonan County, Shanyang County, Zhen'an County and Danfeng County. 
Tongchuan: Yaozhou District, Wangyi District, Yintai District and Yijun County.
Weinan: Linwei District, Huayin City, Hancheng City, Chengcheng County, Hua County, Tongguan County, Baishui County, Pucheng County, Dali County, Heyang County and Fuping County.
Xianyang: Qindu District, Yangling District, Qian County, Changwu County, Wugong County, Weicheng District, Xingping City, Chunhua County, Jingyang County, Bin County, Sanyan County, Xunyi County, Yongshou County and Liquan County.
Xi'an: Lianhu District, Xincheng District, Beilin District, Chang'an District, Lantian County, Baqiao District, Weiyang District, Yanta District, Yanliang District, Lintong District, Zhouzhi County, Hu County and Gaoling County.
Yan'an: Baota District, Yanchang County, Yanchuan County, Ansai County, Zhidan County, Wuqi County, Ganquan County, Fu County, Luochuan County, Yichuan County, Huanlong County and Huangling County.
Yulin: Hengshan County, Suide County, Qingjian County, Fugu County, Dingbian County, Wubao County, Shenmu County, Jia County, Jingbian County, Yuyang District, Mizhi County and Zizhou County.