Beijing Transportation and Tourism Map

Author: Compiled by the Press
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Beijing is the capital of the People's Republic of China, a municipality directly under the Central People's Government, the political and cultural center of the country, and the center for high-level political, economic, technological, and cultural exchanges and interactions between China and other countries in the world. It is also the largest industrial and commercial city in northern China. With a history of urban construction spanning 3,000 years and a history of being a capital city for 800 years, Beijing is a world-famous historical and cultural city. According to the requirements of the Central Government for Beijing, it will be built into a historical and cultural city and an international metropolis with a prosperous economy, stable society, and world-class public service facilities, infrastructure, and ecological environment.
The total land area of Beijing is 16,808 square kilometers, of which 10,417.5 square kilometers are mountainous areas, accounting for 62% of the total area; 6,390.3 square kilometers are plains, accounting for 38% of the total area; and 1,040 square kilometers are urban areas. Beijing administers 13 districts and 5 counties.
Urban Areas: Dongcheng District, Xicheng District, Chongwen District, Xuanwu District;
Suburban Areas: Chaoyang District, Haidian District, Fengtai District, Shijingshan District;
Far Suburban Areas: Mentougou District, Fangshan District, Shunyi District, Tongzhou District, Changping District;
Far Suburban Counties: Daxing County, Pinggu County, Huairou County, Miyun County, Yanqing County.
Geographical Location: Beijing is located at 39°56′ north latitude and 116°20′ east longitude. It borders Shanxi Province to the northwest, the Inner Mongolia Plateau to the north, the North China Plain to the south, and the Bohai Sea to the east. The altitude of the city center is 43.71 meters above sea level.
Natural Environment/Climate Characteristics: Beijing has a temperate semi-humid climate with distinct four seasons, short spring and autumn, and long winter and summer. The average annual temperature is 13°C, with the coldest month being January, averaging -3.7°C, and the hottest month being July, averaging 25.2°C. The average annual rainfall is 506.7 millimeters, and the frost-free period lasts for 189 days.
Tourism Resources: As early as 500,000 years ago, the ancient ancestors of the Chinese nation, the "Peking Man," lived in the Zhoukoudian area in the southwest suburbs of Beijing. From 221 BC, when Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of China, unified the country, to 937 AD, Beijing was a key northern city and the capital of local governments in northern China. In 938 AD, the Liao Dynasty, which ruled northern China, made Beijing (known as Yanjing at the time) its auxiliary capital. Subsequent dynasties of Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing all made Beijing their capital, lasting for over 650 years. The long history has left behind countless scenic spots and historical sites with high aesthetic and cultural value. Beijing boasts the world's largest palace—the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Imperial Garden of Beihai, the Summer Palace, the world-famous Great Wall, and the world's largest Siheyuan—the Prince Gong's Mansion. The city has 7,309 cultural relics and historical sites, with over 200 open-to-the-public tourist attractions. Beijing is one of the world's most attractive "hot spot" tourist cities. In 1999, it received 2.524 million overseas tourists and 92.6 million domestic tourists.
Infrastructure: Beijing ranks second among the top 50 cities in China's comprehensive urban strength and first among the top 40 cities with the best hard investment environment. Beijing Capital International Airport is 23.5 kilometers from the city center, serving as a major aviation hub and turnaround center in China and the largest and most advanced airport in mainland China. It has 98 international routes connecting 56 cities in 39 countries and regions. There are 757 domestic routes covering all areas except Taiwan. Beijing is the largest railway hub in northern China, with major railway lines such as Jingjiu, Jingguang, Jinghu, and Jingha all converging in the city. The total length of urban roads in Beijing is 3,800 kilometers, with a road area of 42 million square meters. The total length of rural and urban roads is 123.06 million kilometers, with a road density of 79 kilometers per 100 square kilometers.
Currently, Beijing has two subway lines, with a total length of 53.7 kilometers. The 17.22-kilometer Baitong Line is scheduled to begin construction within the year, the 27.7-kilometer subway Line 5 has already started construction, and the 40.5-kilometer urban rail line broke ground in December 1999. It takes about an hour to travel from Beijing to Tianjin Port, one of China's largest international container ports, via the Jingjin Tang Expressway. It takes only 15 minutes to reach the Capital International Airport from the starting point of the airport expressway, and 40 minutes to reach the famous Badaling Great Wall via the Jingchang Expressway.
Beijing is the hub for postal and communication services between China and other countries in the world and has postal services with all countries and regions. International direct dialing can reach 240 countries and regions, and domestic direct dialing can reach 2,290 cities. The phone number length in Beijing has been increased to eight digits, making it the fifth city in the world to use eight-digit phone numbers. The total switching capacity of the city reached 7.43 million lines in 1999, with a telephone penetration rate of 62 per 100 people.
Beijing's computer network communication has reached a significant scale. The main control centers of China's four major backbone networks—China Public Computer Internet (Chinanet), China Science and Technology Network (CSTnet), China Education and Research Network (CERnet), and China Golden Bridge Network (ChinaGBW)—are all located in Beijing. By July 2000, the international data transmission capacity had reached 245 Mbps, and by July 2000, the number of Internet users in Beijing had reached 3.16 million. The scale and technological level of Beijing's telecommunications network have reached the level of medium-developed countries.