Geographic coordinates: E116°23′   N39°54′

Population: 16.95m (2008)

Area: 6,336 sq mi

Average altitude: 142.7 ft

Average temperature: 57.2 ℉ 

Annual rainfall: 19 in

IDD: 86 – 010

With a 3,000-year history, the capital of China, Beijing is one of the world's truly imposing cities. It is the political, cultural and economic center of the People's Republic of China.

The first inhabitant of the Beijing area is believed to be “Peking Man” at Zhoukoudian living about 700 thousand years ago. The city was originally founded about 3000 years ago; it is one of the six capitals of ancient China and a historical and cultural city boasting rich and colorful cultural relics and historical sites. Here you can find ancient palaces, royal gardens, temples, royal tombs, ancient pagodas, sculptures, celebrities’ formal residences, classical and modern architecture as well as various museums and memorials. The Imperial Palace, the Great Wall and Beijing Man Site at Zhoukoudian have been listed in the UNECO World Heritage List.

Rich in history, Beijing has been China's primary capital for more than seven centuries. China's imperial past and political present meet at Tiananmen Square, where the Forbidden City palace of the emperors gives way to the Great Hall of the People Congress building and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong. The old city walls have been replaced by ring roads, and many of the old residential districts of alleys and courtyard houses have been turned into high-rise hotels, office buildings, and department stores. Beijing, a dynamic city where the old and new intermingle, remains a magnet for visitors from both home and abroad.

Attractions

Great Wall   Forbidden City   Ming Tombs   Summer Palace   Temple of Heaven   Lama Temple   Tiananmen Square   National Aquatics Centre   National Stadium   Price Gong's Mansion   Hutong (Alley)