Abundant wheat and high-quality rice are produced on the Ningxia Plain. Cash crops include sesame and sugar beets. Other crops are millet, cotton, melons, and apricots. Sheep are raised for their soft, white wool. Pigs are also raised.
Mineral resources are limited to coking-coal reserves in the north.
A railway linking the province with other manufacturing areas has helped the region's industry. In the cities most people work at handicrafts, but there are some jobs in mining and manufacturing. Ningxia Huizu became part of the kingdom of Tangut in the 11th century AD . In 1914 the area became part of the province of Gansu and in 1928 a separate province. In 1954 it again merged with Gansu, and in 1956 a part occupied largely by Mongolians became part of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region.