Harbin

Harbin Map

Often referred to as the "Oriental Moscow" or "Oriental Paris for its mix of Western and Chinese cultures, Harbin is one of the major cities in Northeast China. Located on the banks of the Songhua River, Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang Province as well as the biggest city in Northeast China. The city is famous for its moderate weather in summer and its wonderland of ice and snow in winter. Since the founding of the new China, the city has undergone great changes and recorded impressive achievements. Having grown up alongside the far-east railway, built here in 1898, Harbin has become a famous historical city as well as being the cradle of Chinese J in Dynasty (1115-1234 ) Culture. In the early 20`t' century, it became an important international business port and distribution centre for Northeast Asia. Encompassing 53,775 square kilometres with a population of 9.27 million, Harbin is one of the most important industrial cities in China and is the country's largest capital city in terms of area. It is a front-runner in industries
such as automobile manufacturing, food production, medicine, mechanics and electrical equipment manufacturing. Lying in the hinterland of the Songhua River ( 1,840kilometres long), with a drainage area of 545,600 square kilometres) and the Nen River Plains, the city has more than 13.3 million hectares of arable land and has the largest grain provisions in China. Harbin also has an advanced transportation network including five railways and seven main highways that pass through the city. The city contains buildings in European-styles and attracts tourists every year for its ice and snow, forest,
Jin-dynasty attractions and traditional customs. In 1998, the city was honoured as one of the best tourist cities in China. The city boasts 24 higher education institutes and more than 400 research institutes. The city has so far built trade relations with more than 100 countries and cultivated ties with 11 cities in 9 countries.

In the 1930s, the city became an important finance and trade centre for Northeast Asia. At that time 16 countries had consulates in the city and the 200,000 expatriates who lived there made up a third of the city's totalpopulation. Deeply influenced by foreign culture, the city boasts many examples of Gothic, Baroque and Byzantine architecture.

Ice and Snow Festival in Harbin

Harbin Ice and Snow Festival, held on January 5 every year, reflects the city's economic development and its unique culture. The festival is a unique event celebrated by the Harbin people. Each year, many tourists from home and abroad, especially those who have never seen ice and snow, will come to the event to enjoy the magic ice sculptures made by the Harbin people. Various splendid ice lanterns will be shown in the Harbin Ice Lantern Park and snow sculptures will be on display at the Sun Island in the city. Besides the ice art exhibition, a series of activities will be held, including winter swimming, ice hockey, skiing and trade fairs. The festival, which has been held every year since 1985, is expected to attract foreigners to invest in the city once they have
seen it beauty.