Capital of Shanxi province, north China, on the River Fen He; population (2000) 2,538,300. Lying in a rich coal and iron-mining district, it is one of the most important centres of heavy industry in the north; heavy and agricultural machinery, iron, steel, and textiles are produced. It is the seat of Shanxi University.
Red, white, and blue are the pan-Slav colours. The small shields represent Croatia Ancient, Dubrovnik, Dalmatia, Istria, and Slavonia. The flag is based on the tricolour used during World War II. Effective date: 22 December 1990.