Beijing (China)

Beijing (fka Peking) is the capital of China and currently the world's 4th largest city by population (urban over 21,45 million, metro over 24 million) - after Chongqing, Shanghai and Delhi. Beijing is also the world's most populous capital city (having 1,52% of China's total population). In the top-5, China's capital is followed by New Delhi India (16,8 million, 1,1%), Tokyo Japan (9,3 million, 10,3%), Manila Philippines (12,9 million, 29%) and Moscow Russia (11,5 million, 8%).

Beijing is in northern China and is governed as a direct-controlled municipality with 16 rural, suburban and urban districts. The municipality is surrounded by Hebei Province - except Tianjin Municipality (southeast).

Since 2018, Guangshengang XRL (Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link) - high-speed railway - connects Beijing with Hong Kong (Kowloon Station) via Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The largest cities connected to Hong Kong via HSR (without interchange) also include Changsha, Guiyang, Wuhan, and Nanning.

Beijing is China's cultural, educational and political center. Here are the headquarters of the largest Chinese state-owned companies. The city is the largest hub for China's national railway system, high-speed rail, highway and expressway networks. Beijing Capital International Airport is the world's 2nd busiest by passenger traffic - following only Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (Atlanta, Georgia USA). The city's subway network is among the world's longest and busiest.

The city is famous for its temples, tombs, palaces, nature parks, and gardens, gates, walls, universities and art treasures. Beijing City has seven UNESCO Sites - Temple of Heaven, Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Zhoukoudian, Ming Tombs, Grand Canal, The Great Wall. Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics and will host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Beijing cruise terminal