Sichuan is high in the west and low in the east in terms of topography. Generally speaking, the western part is plateaus and mountainous regions some 4,000 meters above sea level while the east features the basin and hilly land with an elevation between 1,000 and 3,000 meters. Sichuan has more than 1,300 rivers, practically all in the Yangtze River system. The Yangtze River has five major tributaries in Sichuan - the Yalong, Minjiang, Tuojiang, Jialing and Qianjiang. Many of the rivers in Sichuan flow rapidly between hills, mountains and gorges, making it the number one province in hydroelectric power potentials.

The Chinese often refer Sichuan as the ¡°Kingdom of Heaven¡±. It refers to its abundance of natural recourses and cultural heritage. It has three places on the World Cultural and Natural Heritage List: Jiuzhaigou Scenic Area, Huang Long Valley (Yellow Dragon Valley) and Mount Emeishan including Leshan Giant Buddha. Visitors to this province can experience a wide variety of beautiful landscapes including plateaus, mountains, ravines, basins, hills, plains, rivers, lakes, hot springs, waterfalls and limestone caves. In addition, tourists can visit important historic relics and taste the delicious spicy Sichuan Cuisine.