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Brief description |
Nanjing (formerly known in the West as ''Nanking'') is the capital of East China's Jiangsu Province. Since its founding as Jinling, this city has borne witness to 5,000 years of historical triumph and tragedy. Known to many throughout the world, the city received its modern name, which literally translates as ''Southern Capital,'' during the Ming dynasty.
 Situated on the vast plains of the Yangtze river, the city is located in one of the busiest economic zones in China, the Yangtze Delta. The city is a rising economic power, with a muscular 2006 growth rate of 15.1%, and major investments in electronics and IT, petrochemicals and auto manufacture. Nanjing is twinned with several Cities in Mexico, the Netherlands, Germany and Japan. Its favorable geographical location in the eastern/south-eastern part of China makes the city a regional transport and communications hub.
Considered by many tourists to be ''off the beaten path'', Nanjing is nonetheless drenched in fascinating culture and striking scenery. Among its numerous cultural gems are the Nanjing Museum, the Confucius Temple, the City Wall, and the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
Nanjing has plenty to offer in terms of nighttime activity - bar, shopping and snack districts dotted around the Qinhai River throng nightly with crowds comprising locals, tourists, and ex-pats.
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Location /Climate |
 Nestled on the Yangtze River Delta (north latitude 31°14' - 32°36', east longitude 118°22' - 119°14'), Nanjing enjoys East Asian monsoon weather that is characterized by four distinct seasons, including hot humid summers with bouts of heavy rain (average July maximums are 33C, or 92F) - and mild winters, when the temperature rarely goes below -2C (28F). The most favorable weather conditions occur during the autumn months (September to November).
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Area & Population |
| The Municipality of Nanjing occupies approximately 6,598 square kilometers. As of the 2006 census, its urban population exceeded 5.25 million, with Han (98.6%) the predominant ethnic nationality, followed by Hui (1.01%), Man (0.03%) and Zhuang (0.01%). |
History |
The ancient history of Nanjing spans 10 dynasties. It has served as the political center of the country several times, most recently as capital city of The Republic of China. It is known throughout the world because of its extensive, and occasionally tragic, history.
The city has been renamed on many occasions. It first served as a capital in 229AD, during the Three Kingdom Period, and was named Jiankang. It was during the Ming Dyansty that the city first adopted its present name of Nanjing. Historians reckon that this period was one of the most important in its development - it was then that Nanjing truly expanded, flourished, and needed a city wall.
During the Taiping Rebellion against the Qing dynasty government (1851-1864), Nanjing was captured by rebel forces in 1853. The Taipings renamed the city Tianjing (Heavenly Capital), and it remained their political headquarters until the Qing Dynasty army regained control of it in 1864 after a three-day battle in which a staggering number of people -reportedly 100,000 - lost their lives. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China, Nanjing was made national capital by the interim government. Its final stint as capital occurred from 1946 to 1949, under the control of KMT forces until their civil war defeat.
One of the most tragic periods in the history of Nanjing started on December 13, 1937, when Japanese invaders took the city and embarked on a six-week-long campaign of slaughter known today as the Nanjing Massacre. An estimated 300,000 lives were lost in this short period. The Nanjing Massacre Memorial and Museum today commemorates those victims, and ensures the barbaric act will never be forgotten.
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