Time Zone |
Asia/Shanghai |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+8 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Time Zone |
Africa/Niamey |
Standard Time GMT / UTC |
UTC+1 |
Daylight Saving Time |
Daylight saving time is not observed in the current region. |
Xichong County is located in the northeastern part of Sichuan Province of China, under the jurisdiction of Nanchong City, and is situated in the hilly area between the Jialing and Fuling rivers. As an important agricultural county in the northeast of Sichuan, Xichong is known as the "Silk Township" and "Pepper Township", and is a national modern agricultural demonstration area and a national commercial grain base county. The county covers an area of 1108 square kilometers, with a population of about 600,000, mainly Han Chinese, and a dialect of Southwest Mandarin.
Xichong has a long history and is one of the birthplaces of the Three Kingdoms culture, which is rumored to be the place where Zhang Fei, the famous general of Shu Han, was stationed. There are natural landscapes such as Qinglong Lake Wetland Park and Fenghuang Mountain in the territory, and the forest coverage rate reaches 45%, which has won the title of "National Ecological Civilization Construction Demonstration County". The local specialties, such as Xichong red kiwi fruit and Erjingtian pepper, are famous, and the Peach Blossom Festival and Fruit Tasting Festival held every year attract a large number of tourists.
With organic agriculture, food processing and textile industry as the leading industries, Xichong is crossed by G75 Lanhai Expressway and National Highway 212, 40 kilometers away from Nanchong Gaoping Airport, and the Han-Banan High-speed Railway which is under construction will further enhance the transportation convenience. The county has a resident population of about 150,000, the urbanization rate is increasing year by year, and it is actively integrating into the construction of Chengdu-Chongqing region's twin-city economic circle.
Diffa, the capital of the Diffa region in southeastern Niger, is located on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert and shares a border with Nigeria, making it one of the most important border cities in Niger. The city is located in the lower Niger River basin around the climate of the tropical desert climate, hot and dry throughout the year, the average annual precipitation is less than 300 millimeters. The economy is based on agriculture and animal husbandry, and the surrounding areas are rich in millet, sorghum and livestock. Diffa, as a regional trade center, undertakes the function of cross-border trade with neighboring countries, such as Nigeria, and is especially famous for the trade of livestock, agricultural products and handicrafts. The city is culturally diverse, with Hausa, Tuareg and Kanuri ethnic groups living in the area, and is unique in its crafts such as traditional leather weaving and silversmithing. Despite infrastructural challenges, Diffa remains an important economic and cultural node in the south-east of the Niger, thanks to its strategic location and rich cultural heritage.