Fujian, province, southeastern China, on the Taiwan Strait opposite the island of Taiwan. Also called Fukien, it has an almost entirely mountainous terrain and an irregular coast, indented by numerous bays and harbors. Fukien is bordered by the provinces of Chekiang to the north, Kiangsi to the west, and Kwangtung to the southwest and by the East China Sea to the northeast, the Taiwan Strait to the east, and the South China Sea to the southeast. The province's capital is Fu-chou.

During the Southern Sung dynasty (1127-1279), Fukien became an important shipbuilding and commercial centre for overseas and coastal trade. Since that time Fukienese have settled in great numbers in Southeast Asia. The province declined when the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) banned maritime commerce and when the Ch'ing dynasty (1644-1911/12) pursued a policy of isolation. In 1842, after the first Opium War, the cities of Fu-chou and Amoy were opened to international trade. The province's coastal cities were occupied by the Japanese in World War II.

Rice, double-cropped in the humid subtropical climate, is grown in small alluvial valleys; tea and fruit are produced in upland areas. Lumbering and fishing are also important. The capital and largest city is Fuzhou; other urban centers are Xiamen, Zhangzhou, and Nanping.

Major industrial towns are Longyan, Zhangzhou, Quanzhou, Fuzhou, Nanping, Shaowu and Xiamen.

Area 120,000 sq km (46,000 sq mi); population 34,710,000.

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