Map of Heilongjiang Province

Author: Wang Ruiping, Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2002-01-01
Features: Heilongjiang Province is located between 12°11′-135°05′ east longitude and 43°25′-53°33′ north latitude, in the northeast of China. The northern and eastern borders are defined by the Heilongjiang River and the Ussuri River, bordering Russia; the western border adjoins Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; and the southern border meets Jilin Province. It covers an area of over 460,000 square kilometers. The terrain is complex, with the Daxing'anling Mountains in the northwest, the Xiaoqingling Mountains in the north, the Zhangguangcai Mountains, Laoyeling Mountains, Taipingling Mountains, and Wandaling Mountains in the southeastern part, the Nenjiang River in the southwest, and the Songhua River running diagonally across the province from north to south, forming the Sanjiang Plain in the northeast and the Songnen Plain in the southwest. There is also Lake Hanka in the southeast. The hilly and mountainous areas, with an elevation of approximately 300-1,780 meters, account for about 70% of the province's total area, while the plains, with an elevation of about 50-250 meters, cover about 30% of the area. The distribution of mountains and plains creates a topography with higher elevations in the northwest, north, and southeast, and lower elevations in the northeast and southwest. Heilongjiang Province currently administers 13 prefecture-level administrative units. The cities under its jurisdiction include 19 county-level cities, 47 counties, 64 districts, 464 towns, 480 townships, and 9,157 villages. Population: As of the end of 2001, the total population of the province was 38.11 million, with 51 ethnic groups, including 1.999 million ethnic minorities. The population density was 83.9 people per square kilometer, and the average life expectancy was 70.2 years. Heilongjiang Province is a province in the northeast of China. As early as 30,000 to 40,000 years ago during the Paleolithic era, human activity was recorded in this region. During the pre-Qin period, the three major ethnic groups—Sushen, Puyi, and Donghu—were distributed here. Over 2,000 years ago BC, the Sushen people presented arrows and stone points to Emperor Shun. In the Han Dynasty, the Sushen were known as Yilou, in the Wei and Jin periods as Wujik, in the Sui and Tang dynasties as Mohe, in the Jin Dynasty as Nuzhen, and in the Qing Dynasty as Manchu. The earliest local government established in the Heilongjiang region was the Fuyu Kingdom in the late Warring States period. During the Tang Dynasty, the Shire Prefecture, the Heishui Prefecture, and the Bohai Prefecture were set up. After the Khitan conquered Bohai, they established Dongdan for a period. In the Jin Dynasty, the capital was established in Huining Prefecture (now Baicheng, Acheng City, Heilongjiang Province). After the capital was moved to Yanjing (including Beijing), the Yuan Dynasty's Liaoyang Circuit administered the Kailing Road and the Shuidada Road in the Heilongjiang region. During the Ming Dynasty, the Nurgan Commandery was established in the northeast, governing 384 posts and 24 stations. In the early Qing Dynasty, Ningguta Amban was established, later moved to Jilin and renamed Jilin General, with the establishment of the Heilongjiang General to govern the vast areas of the Heilongjiang River basin. In the 1980s of the 17th century, the Qing government won the victory in the Yaksa Battle, suppressing the aggressive stance of the Russian Empire and signing the Treaty of Nerchinsk, which determined the eastern border between China and Russia. In the mid-19th century, the Russian Empire forced the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Aigun and the Treaty of Beijing, ceding more than 1 million square kilometers of land north of the Heilongjiang River and east of the Ussuri River to China. After the September 18th Incident in 1931, Heilongjiang Province was occupied by Japanese imperialists. After the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1945, five provinces—Heilongjiang, Nenjiang, Songjiang, Hejiang, and Mudanjiang—were established, which were soon merged into two provinces: Heilongjiang and Songjiang. In 1954, they were merged into Heilongjiang Province, with Harbin as the provincial capital.
Heilongjiang Province is located between 12°11′-135°05′ east longitude and 43°25′-53°33′ north latitude, in the northeast of China. The northern and eastern borders are defined by the Heilongjiang River and the Ussuri River, bordering Russia; the western border adjoins Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; and the southern border meets Jilin Province. It covers an area of over 460,000 square kilometers. The terrain is complex, with the Daxing'anling Mountains in the northwest, the Xiaoqingling Mountains in the north, the Zhangguangcai Mountains, Laoyeling Mountains, Taipingling Mountains, and Wandaling Mountains in the southeastern part, the Nenjiang River in the southwest, and the Songhua River running diagonally across the province from north to south, forming the Sanjiang Plain in the northeast and the Songnen Plain in the southwest. There is also Lake Hanka in the southeast. The hilly and mountainous areas, with an elevation of approximately 300-1,780 meters, account for about 70% of the province's total area, while the plains, with an elevation of about 50-250 meters, cover about 30% of the area. The distribution of mountains and plains creates a topography with higher elevations in the northwest, north, and southeast, and lower elevations in the northeast and southwest. Heilongjiang Province currently administers 13 prefecture-level administrative units. The cities under its jurisdiction include 19 county-level cities, 47 counties, 64 districts, 464 towns, 480 townships, and 9,157 villages. Population: As of the end of 2001, the total population of the province was 38.11 million, with 51 ethnic groups, including 1.999 million ethnic minorities. The population density was 83.9 people per square kilometer, and the average life expectancy was 70.2 years. Heilongjiang Province is a province in the northeast of China. As early as 30,000 to 40,000 years ago during the Paleolithic era, human activity was recorded in this region. During the pre-Qin period, the three major ethnic groups—Sushen, Puyi, and Donghu—were distributed here. Over 2,000 years ago BC, the Sushen people presented arrows and stone points to Emperor Shun. In the Han Dynasty, the Sushen were known as Yilou, in the Wei and Jin periods as Wujik, in the Sui and Tang dynasties as Mohe, in the Jin Dynasty as Nuzhen, and in the Qing Dynasty as Manchu. The earliest local government established in the Heilongjiang region was the Fuyu Kingdom in the late Warring States period. During the Tang Dynasty, the Shire Prefecture, the Heishui Prefecture, and the Bohai Prefecture were set up. After the Khitan conquered Bohai, they established Dongdan for a period. In the Jin Dynasty, the capital was established in Huining Prefecture (now Baicheng, Acheng City, Heilongjiang Province). After the capital was moved to Yanjing (including Beijing), the Yuan Dynasty's Liaoyang Circuit administered the Kailing Road and the Shuidada Road in the Heilongjiang region. During the Ming Dynasty, the Nurgan Commandery was established in the northeast, governing 384 posts and 24 stations. In the early Qing Dynasty, Ningguta Amban was established, later moved to Jilin and renamed Jilin General, with the establishment of the Heilongjiang General to govern the vast areas of the Heilongjiang River basin. In the 1980s of the 17th century, the Qing government won the victory in the Yaksa Battle, suppressing the aggressive stance of the Russian Empire and signing the Treaty of Nerchinsk, which determined the eastern border between China and Russia. In the mid-19th century, the Russian Empire forced the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Aigun and the Treaty of Beijing, ceding more than 1 million square kilometers of land north of the Heilongjiang River and east of the Ussuri River to China. After the September 18th Incident in 1931, Heilongjiang Province was occupied by Japanese imperialists. After the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan in 1945, five provinces—Heilongjiang, Nenjiang, Songjiang, Hejiang, and Mudanjiang—were established, which were soon merged into two provinces: Heilongjiang and Songjiang. In 1954, they were merged into Heilongjiang Province, with Harbin as the provincial capital.