Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879
| Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879 丁戊奇荒 | |
|---|---|
Victims of the famine forced to sell their children from The Famine in China (1878) | |
| Country | China |
| Location | Henan, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Zhili, Shandong |
| Period | 1876–1879 |
| Total deaths | 9.5–13 million |
| Causes | Drought |
| Theory | El Niño-Southern Oscillation |
The Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879 (Chinese: 丁戊奇荒) was marked by drought-induced crop failures and subsequent widespread starvation. Between 9.5 and 13 million people in China died, mostly in Shanxi province (5.5 million dead), but also in Zhili (now Hebei, 2.5 million dead), Henan (1 million) and Shandong (0.5 million). The population reduction in censuses, which include famine migration, shows a drop of 23 million people, among which Shanxi lost 48% (8.18 million), Shaanxi lost 25% (2.43 million), Henan lost 22% (7.48 million). The drought began in 1875 and was influenced by the El Niño-Southern Oscillation.