Beijing, also known as Peking, is the capital and one of the largest cities of China. It is one of the world’s most populous cities, which has a population of 18,546,000. The Northern Chinese metropolis is a city municipality, which is governed by the national government, with 14 urban and suburban dissects and two rural counties. The Beijing Municipality is surrounded by the Hebei Province and the Tianjin Municipality to the southeast of the city.
After Shanghai, Beijing is China’s largest city in terms of urban population. Beijing is the center of the economy (though Shanghai plays a greater role in that), Chinese politics, culture, education, commerce, finance, media, fashion, technology, transport, and the space programs. Most of China’s international and national businesses have their main headquarters in Beijing. The city is a major transportation hub, where the national highway, expressway, railway, and high-speed rail network all crisscross. The Beijing Capital International Airport is the world’s largest and busiest airport, which handles most of the nation’s air traffic.
Few cities in the world have ever had such political, cultural, and economic influence in an area very massive with only Paris, Washington D.C., Tokyo, Riyadh, and Delhi having that very similar power. Beijing is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. For centuries, it has been the center of all of China, with monuments that resemble the national historical significance of the country. The culture and art of China has always been preserved in the country’s world famed art galleries and universities. Its palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates have also made Beijing renowned worldwide.