Shanglin County

Administrative divisions

Shanglin County is divided into 7 towns, 3 townships and 1 ethnic township: ;towns

• Dafeng Town 大丰镇
• Mingliang Town 明亮镇
• Xiangxian Town 巷贤镇
• Baixu Town 白圩镇
• Sanli Town 三里镇
• Qiaoxian Town 乔贤镇
• Xiyan Town 西燕镇 ;townships
• Chengtai Township 澄泰乡
• Mushan Township 木山乡
• Tanghong Township 塘红乡 ;ethnic township
• Zhenxu Yao Ethnic Township 镇圩瑶族乡

Climate

|Jan record high C = 27.5 |Jan record low C = 0.6 |Feb record high C = 34.4 |Feb record low C = 0.5 |Mar record high C = 35.5 |Mar record low C = 2.6 |Apr record high C = 37.7 |Apr record low C = 8.2 |May record high C = 37.8 |May record low C = 13.4 |Jun record high C = 37.3 |Jun record low C = 16.2 |Jul record high C = 39.1 |Jul record low C = 20.3 |Aug record high C = 38.4 |Aug record low C = 20.2 |Sep record high C = 38.1 |Sep record low C = 14.9 |Oct record high C = 35.8 |Oct record low C = 8.8 |Nov record high C = 32.4 |Nov record low C = 3.1 |Dec record high C = 29.9 |Dec record low C = 0.0

Gold mining

Shanglin County has a longstanding tradition of gold mining, with deposits concentrated in three of its towns. This legacy has shaped not only the local economy but also patterns of international migration. Beginning in 2006, large numbers of Shanglin residents began traveling to Ghana to engage in small-scale gold mining. At its peak before 2013, the Shanglin migrant mining population in Ghana alone exceeded 12,000.

Following a crackdown on illegal mining launched by Ghanaian authorities in 2013, many Shanglin miners left the country, while others relocated to countries such as Mali, Togo, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. By 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic further disrupted outbound migration, and the number of Shanglin miners across Africa fell to an estimated 10,000.

These mining ventures are typically financed and coordinated through robust social networks based on shared hometown ties. Shanglin miners often operate in informal or artisanal mining sectors, assuming roles such as mine owners, foremen, or technicians. Local African partners typically provide access to land and assist with obtaining permits, in exchange for rent or a share of profits. Over time, the boundary between worker and investor is fluid: successful workers may establish their own operations, while former mine owners may return to wage labor to recover from losses.

References

References

1. Nanning City Land Use Plan (2006–20)/{{zh. zh Accessed 8 July 2014.
2. (December 2012). 中国统计出版社
3. "Shanglin".
4. link. [[National Bureau of Statistics of China]]
5. link. [[China Meteorological Administration]]
6. [https://www.mideq.org/en/inequalities/inequalities-resources/shanglin-gold-miners-and-their-social-network/ Dongsheng Wang. "Shanglin gold miners and their social network", MIDEQ, 15 March 2022]