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Baoding

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Baoding is a major prefecture-level city located in central Hebei province. It sits on the North China Plain, positioned southwest of Beijing.

Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-9b
Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-9b

The city serves as a vital part of the Jing-Jin-Ji cluster. This cluster connects Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei province. Baoding is also a national historical and cultural city. It contains the Xiong'an New Area, which is a site for national innovation.

Baoding1
Baoding1

The geography of Baoding changes significantly across its territory. In the west, the land is dominated by the Taihang Mountains. This mountainous region covers 30.6% of the prefecture's total area. The highest point in this area is Mount Waitou. Moving toward the southeast, the terrain becomes lower and more hilly. These hills occupy about 18.9% of the area. Further east, the land becomes flat and low-lying. Many rivers flow through this plain, including the Xiaoyi, Fu, and Bao rivers.

Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-9b
Txu-pclmaps-oclc-22834566 g-9b

Baoding experiences a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate. This means the weather patterns are driven by seasonal wind shifts. Summers are typically hot and humid due to the East Asian monsoon. Winters are generally cold, windy, and very dry. This dryness comes from the influence of the Siberian anticyclone. Rainfall is highly variable and often unreliable. About 60% of the annual rainfall occurs during July and August. The city receives between 2,500 and 2,900 hours of bright sunshine each year.

The history of this region stretches back thousands of years. The Nanzhuangtou site near Baiyang Lake is a Neolithic site. It dates back approximately 9,700 to 10,500 years. During the Warring States period, the area sat between the Yan and Zhao states. The ancient capital of Yan, known as Xiadu, was located in modern Yi County. In the 1200s, the Mongol Empire conquered the region. The city was destroyed in 1213 but reconstructed during the Yuan dynasty. In 1275, the name Baoding was adopted. This name means "protecting the capital."

ZhiLiGovernorMansion
ZhiLiGovernorMansion

During the imperial era, Baoding held significant political power. In 1669, it became the capital of Zhili province. The Viceroy of Zhili lived in the city during the Qing dynasty.

ZhiLiGovernorMansion
ZhiLiGovernorMansion

This era also saw the 1902 establishment of the Baoding Military Academy. This institution was the birthplace of many famous generals. In the 20th century, Baoding served as the capital of Hebei province. It held this status from 1949 until 1968. The capital was later moved to Shijiazhuang in February 1968.

Today, Baoding is a massive center of human population. As of the 2020 census, the city had 11,544,036 inhabitants. This makes it one of only 13 Chinese cities with over 10 million people. It ranks seventh in population among such cities. The urban population is concentrated in several districts. These include Lianchi, Jingxiu, Qingyuan, and Mancheng. The city is a major hub for the Bohai Rim economic area. This area includes the nearby major cities of Beijing and Tianjin.

The economy of Baoding is driven by large-scale industrial manufacturing. It is home to several global leaders in technology. For example, the Yingli group is a top 10 global solar panel manufacturer. China Lucky Film is a major producer of photosensitive materials. Other notable companies include Great Wall Motor and the Tianwei Group. The city is also developing the Xiong'an New Area. This area covers up to 2,000 square kilometers. It focuses on high-quality living and modern innovation.

Baoding1
Baoding1
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File:NG-0395 at Baoding Railway Station (20160310114142).jpg
NG-0395 at Baoding Railway Station...
File:Baoding_Balls_in_Use.JPG
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File:ZhiLiGovernorMansion.jpg
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