beijing
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The City of Beijing.
Situated at a location 40 degrees north latitude and 116 degrees east longitude,the city of Beijing is backed by mountainous areas to the north and west and overlooks the North China Plain to the south and east.The city lies at an average elevation of about 43 meters(140 feet) above the sea level,with the Yanshan Mountains the western one,both of which converge at Nankou Pass.
The city covers an area of 16,800 square kilometers(6,490 square miles),38 percent of which is flat land while the rest is mountainous area.Its highest point,2,303 meters(7,556 feet) above sea level,is found on top of Lingshan,in the district of Mentougou.
The city stands more than 180 kilometers(112 miles) northwest of the Gulf of Bohai.It is divided into 16districts and 2 counties.
Beijing enjoys a moderate continental climate that is typical of the most of the Temperate Zone where the four seasons are distinct.Spring in Beijing is often dry and windy.Summer is usually hot and rainy.Autumn is fine and mild and is the best season of the whole year.Winter is sometimes severely cold with little snow.The amount of precipitation averages about 600-700mm(24-27 inches),with most of the annual total falling from July to August.The frost-free period is 185-200 days.
More than three thousand years ago,a city,or rather a citadel,appeared near the very site of present-day Beijing.Settlers grouped into tribes,which,in turn,strove their way toward a preliminary statehood.The first recorded city was called 'Ji'.It was later conqured by state called 'Yan',and the city was made the capital of the conqueror.Yet the exact founding date of the city of Ji had been a topic of argumentation among historisans for many years because of the lack of detailed records until it was recently dated 1045BC.In 1995 a series of celebration events were dedicated to commemorating the city's 3,040th anniversary.
Owing to its strategic position,the city of Ji remained crucial as a key point in North China through dynasties.In the course of about 1,000 years from the Empire of Qin(221-209BC) to the Sui and Tang dynasties(581-905AD),it was consecutively a major trading center and a place of strategic importance.Ever since the 10th century,the city had been decided on as the capital of the Liao,Jin,Yuan,Ming and Qing dynasties until 1911.