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Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region ), is a Hui autonomous region of the People's Republic of China, located on the northwest loess highland, the Yellow River flows through a vast area of its land.

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Ningxia and its surrounding areas have been incorporated into the Qin empire as early as the 3rd century BC. Throughout the Han dynasty and the Tang dynasty, there were further evidence of settlements and by the 11th century, the Tangut tribe have established the Xixia dynasty on the outskirts of the then Song dynasty.

It then came under Mongol domination after Genghis Khan conquered Yinchuan in the early 13th century. After the Mongols departed and its influences faded, Turkish speaking Muslims slowly began moving into Ningxia from the west. This created unavoidable tensions between the Han and the Hui ethnic groups in the following centuries.

In 1914, Ningxia was merged with the province of Gansu and became a part of it but then in 1928 Ningxia was created a province of China. In 1958, Ningxia formally became an autonomous region of China. In 1969, Ningxia's border was extended to the north and acquired parts of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region. However it was reverted back again in 1979.

Ningxia borders the provinces of Shaanxi and Gansu, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

Ningxia is a relatively dry, desert-like region. There is a significant irrigation in order to support the growing of wolfberries (a commonly consumed fruit throughout the region).

Ningxia is the home of the Hui, one of the officially recognized Chinese minority groups. While ethnically indistinguishable from the Han (the major Chinese ethnic group), the Hui have been Muslims for many centuries. As a stop along the legendary Silk Road, the Hui were converted by the Islamic traders.

regions (Tibet being the last) of all of the PRC. Its GDP is just a little over 4.6 billion USD (2003) and an annual per capita of 6,640 RMB (ca. 801 USD) contributes to just 0.3% of the entire economy.

One of Ningxia's main tourist spots is the famous Xixia Tomb located 30 kilometres west of Yinchuan. Located within an area of 50 square kilometres are the remnant tombs of 9 emperors of the Xixia dynasty and 200 other tombs from that era. Other famous sites in Ningxia include Helan Shan, the mysterious 108 Dagobas, the twin pagodas of Baisikou and the desert research outpost at Shapatou.