Why is only a small share of Yunnan’s land suitable for farming?

Only about 6 percent of Yunnan’s land is considered arable, primarily due to the province's rugged and mountainous topography.1

The region is dominated by a series of high mountain chains that branch out from the Tibetan border, creating a landscape characterized by deep, V-shaped valleys and steep slopes. In the western canyon region, these mountains reach elevations exceeding 18,000 feet, leaving little level ground for cultivation outside of specific upland plains and more open southern valleys. Similarly, the eastern Yunnan-Guizhou (Yungui) Plateau is defined by high elevations and intermontane basins, which limit the availability of flat land suitable for large-scale agriculture. Consequently, farming is largely restricted to these limited plains, open valleys, and terraced hillsides.21