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China Travel Guide » Places in China » Heilongjiang Province
Places in China: Heilongjiang Province
For winter enthusiasts, Heilongjiang Province has a lot to offer. The brief summers offer much less than the long and harsh winters in this cold northland of China. This is the most northerly province in China, and it borders Russia, Inner Mongolia and Jilin. Historically, the region is a part of what has been referred to as Manchuria.
The population density is low since only around thirty-eight million people occupy 453,000 square kilometres of land. The Han Chinese make up about ninety-five percent of the people with Manchu, Korean, Mongol and Hui making up the majority of the remaining ethnic groups.
Russian influence is seen, especially in local architecture, in Harbin, the capital city of the province. Russian Orthodox churches also are found in this province. Some of the people's ancestors came from Russia when the Communist control of Russia happened. However, many of them returned to Russia when Communism became strong in China.
The Da Hinggan Ling mountain range is found on the western areas of the province and runs to the Russian border. The watershed from this range creates the Nen Jiang River. The sub-arctic climate creates harsh winters with very low temperatures, sometimes as low as 40 degrees below zero.
The winters, though harsh, make possible a popular winter festival, held during the coldest of winter months in the city of Harbin. It is the Harbin Snow and Ice Festival. The local people produce snow sculptures which are lighted at night. Sledding, giant ice slides, skating and other winter sports are among the events at the festival.
A few animals seem to do well in this harsh winter climate. They include the north China tiger, the red-crowned crane and the lynx.
Oil, coal and graphite are important to the economy of Heilongjiang. The province also is a successful farming area for such crops as beetroot, soy beans, timber and linen production. The powerful sub-arctic winds help the area to produce wind-derived energy. Although not considered a positive force, volcanic eruptions are experienced in the province as well.
Some modern shopping can be done in Harbin, especially at the Daoli District. You can also see a Russian Orthodox church there.
Major cities in Heilongjiang:
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