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Beijing
Beijing, the capital of the People's Republic
of China, is the nation's political and cultural center.
Beijing is situated at 40 degrees north latitude and 116
degrees east longitude. It lies at approximately the same
latitude as Philadelphia in the U.S. and Madrid in Spain.
It is 43 meters above sea level and 183 kilometers from
the sea.Beijing covers an area of 16,800 square kilometer,
38% of it is flat land and 62% mountains. Surrounded by
the Yanshan Mountains on the west, north and east, Beijing
stands on the alluvial plain of the Yongding River and faces
the Bohai Sea. Beijing has a continental climate. Annual
rainfall averages nearly 700 millimeters; most of it comes
in July and August. Winter is dry and cold. The frost-free
period is 185 days. The best time to visit Beijing is May,
September and October, when people enjoy bright sunny sky.
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Beijing has a population of over 13 million;
about 6 million live in the city proper and the rest on
the outskirts. It is divided into 13 districts and 5 counties.Beijing
is the cultural cradle of the Chinese nation and also a
birthplace of human civilization. It was here that the "Peking
man" lived and multiplied in primitive communities
700,000 years ago.Beginning to take shape during the later
period of the Shang Dynasty, Beijing existed as a city more
than 3,000 years ago. A small town appeared on the present
site of southwestern Beijing in 1045 B.C. It was named Ji
and then changed to Yan. At the beginning of the 10th century,
it was the second capital of the Liao Dynasty. From then
on, the city had been the capital of the Jin, Yuan, Ming
and Qing dynasties until 1911, and it turned into a central
city for all nationalities across the country. In the early
twenties, Beijing became the cradle of China's new democratic
revolution. The May Forth Movement against imperialism and
feudalism began here in 1919.On October 1st, 1949, Chairman
Mao proclaimed to the whole world the founding of the People's
Republic of China.Beijing witnessed centuries of prosperity,
many major historical events and various nationalities'
achievements. And now, Beijing is rising as a modern city,
where ancient Chinese civilization meets with modern achievements
of human society, creating a new spirit and charm.
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