SichuanIntroductionIn terms of size, Sichuan is the fifth largest province in southwest China and has two distinct geographic parts. One part is located in the eastern part of the province and is largely characterized by a fertile area known as the Sichuan Basin. The western part of the province is characterized by highly mountainous geography. The eastern part is surrounded by a series of lower mountain ranges from the east, south and north. The province has a competitive economy that matches that of fully declared countries in terms of GDP and per capita income. In 2008, the province had transacted more than $22 billion in foreign trade, translating into an annual increase of 53.3%. While these figures are largely influenced by China's foreign trade policy, the province's geography has also had a substantial role to play in making its economy a success. Over the years, Sichuan has had more stability in almost all its affairs as opposed to other parts of China. From a province once inaccessible due to lack of connections with the rest of the country, Sichuan has emerged as one of the crucial players in the development of the Chinese economy. Major efforts have been concentrated on developing the province's infrastructure, a process that has achieved great success. Currently, the province boasts long stretches of highways and expressways that stretch over 110,000 and 1,500 kilometers respectively. However, the province still faces some challenges when it comes to transporting products and people, mainly due to the highly mountainous terrain. The province has a number of successful industries ranging from nuclear, to bioengineering, to stomatology, to electronic information...... middle of paper……research is the stability of the geographical and administrative boundaries of the province. This is an important factor for foreign investors like Wal-Mart, as it affects the stability of a company's operations. Venturing into Sichuan would therefore be a wise decision on Wal-Mart's part given the evidence presented in this research. Having been a hub of investment from the international community and local investors in other parts of China, Sichuan is an ideal location for any planned expansion of operations by Wal-Mart. Therefore, I would recommend the company to open a factory or retail store in Sichuan as both are successful in a very friendly geographical location like Sichuan. The geography of the province brings with it many additional and associated advantages that would allow Wal-Mart to conduct business in the region.