or Chi-lin conventional Kirin
Province (pop., 2000 est.: 27,280,000), northeastern China.
It is bordered by Russia and Heilongjiang and Liaoning provinces, and Inner Mongolia . With an area of 72,200 sq mi (187,000 sq km), it is China's most urbanized province; its capital is Changchun , and its second largest city is Jilin. Its major river is the Sungari River, a tributary of the Amur . It was made a province in 1907. Occupied by the Japanese army in 1931, it became part of the puppet state of {{link=Manchukuo">Manchukuo (1932–45). Chinese communist forces seized the province from the Nationalists in 1948. Industrialization since the late 20th century has been rapid.