Hebei Province Atlas

Author: Du Xiurong, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-01-02
Features: Hebei Province is named after its location in the lower reaches of the Yellow River to the north. Parts of the region were historically part of Ji Province, hence the short name "Ji." To the east, it borders the Bohai Sea. To the southeast and south, it adjoins Shandong and Henan provinces. To the west, it shares a border with Shanxi Province across the Taihang Mountains. To the northwest, north, and northeast, it borders Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Liaoning Province. With vast territory, it spans 36°03′ to 42°40′ north latitude and 113°27′ to 119°50′ east longitude, covering a total area of 187,700 square kilometers, accounting for 1.96% of the nation's total land area and ranking 14th. Hebei Province administers 11 prefecture-level cities, 23 county-level cities, 115 counties (including 6 autonomous counties), 910 towns, and 35 district-level cities, with a population of 66.99 million. Over 5,000 years ago, the three founding ancestors of the Chinese nation—Huangdi, Yandi, and Chiyou—engaged in warfare and eventual integration in Hebei, thus laying the foundation for Chinese civilization. During the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the region was part of Yan and Zhao states, earning the name "Yan-Zhao." During the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, when Beijing was the capital, Hebei became a key defensive region surrounding the capital. Its long history has fostered a rich cultural heritage. Hebei is the only province in China that combines coastlines, plains, lakes, hills, mountains, and plateaus, with a diverse topography and mild climate, creating unique natural landscapes. Located in North China and encircled by the Bohai Sea, with Beijing and Tianjin at its core, Hebei is a renowned tourism resource-rich province. Statistics show that Hebei has 542 provincial and above cultural relic protection units, including 58 national-level ones, ranking first in the country. Additionally, Hebei boasts two UNESCO World Heritage sites: Chengde Mountain Resort and its Surrounding Temples and the Qing Western Tombs in Baoding. It also has four national-level historical and cultural cities: Chengde, Baoding, Zhengding, and Handan; two of the country's top ten scenic spots; three of the top 40 tourist destinations in China; and five national-level scenic areas: Cangyan Mountain and Zhangshi Rock in Shijiazhuang, Chengde Mountain Resort, Beidaihe in Qinhuangdao, and Yeshan in Baoding. Furthermore, Hebei has eight national-level forest parks and three national-level nature reserves. The splendid history and culture blend harmoniously with the beautiful lakes and mountains, forming a uniquely distinctive garden of tourism.