Beijing

China · cities · history

Mega City. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital, with more than 22 million residents. That's more people than live in entire countries like Australia or Romania!

Northern Location. Beijing sits in Northern China and is surrounded mostly by Hebei Province, with Tianjin Municipality nearby to the southeast. Together, these three places form an important region called the Jing-Jin-Ji cluster.

Two Names. Beijing was previously called Peking in English. The city has been using the name Beijing (which means 'north capital') since around 1949.

Second Biggest. While Shanghai is China's largest city by area, Beijing is the second-largest and serves as the heart of China's government and culture.

Direct Control. Beijing is governed as a special provincial-level city with 16 municipal districts, giving it a unique status in how China is organized.