MANCHURIA: A vast, sparsely-populated region in northeastern CHINA, inhabited by about four million Manchu. In 1644 the Manchu overthrew the MING DYNASTY (1368-1644) of CHINA and established CHINA's last imperial dynasty, the CH'ING DYNASTY. The Ch'ing dynasty ruled CHINA until 1912, when the last emperor was overthrown and the republic was proclaimed. Manchuria was occupied by JAPAN between 1931 and 1932, and a nominally independent puppet-state, Manchukuo, was proclaimed under Emperor P'u-yi, the last Ch'ing emperor of CHINA. (See also China article).
