With its 66,400 sq km, Ningxia makes up only 0.69 percent of China's territory. Composed of plain that is crossed by the Huanghe River and cradled by three deserts in the north and arid mountains in the south, Ningxia is one of the poorest places in the country. Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region was established in 1958. Its culture and history are strongly influenced by Islam which is practiced by the Hui people, the descendants of Central Asian, Persian, and Arabic peoples, making this autonomous region a land rich in color and variety.