Located in the central region of Northeast Asia and at the north-eastern tip of China, Heilongjiang, lies at higher latitudes compared with all other provinces of China. It is named after the largest of the border rivers between Russia and China-the Heilongjiang River.

Geological Location
Heilongjiang Province, abbreviated as "Hei" in Chinese, is located in the Northeast of China, at the highest latitudes and the northernmost end of the country. It neighbors Russia across the Heilongjiang and Wusuli rivers running in its north and east respectively; in the west, it adjoins the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region; and to its south is Jilin Province. It covers an area of 454,000 square km, accounting for 4.7 percent of the nation’s total. Under its jurisdiction are 13 prefectures and cities, 66 counties (cities), 1,211 townships (towns) and 14,488 villages.

Provincial Capital
Harbin

Population
36.89 millions (March 2001)

Infrastructure
A comprehensive transportation network covering land, water, air and underground tunnel transport has been taking shape. Currently, the province boasts 60 railway trunks and branch lines, forming a comparatively dense area of the nation's railroad network. The province has 8 State highways and 20 provincial-level highways. The air transport industry has made rapid advances. Heilongjiang now has 67 air routes and five airports in Harbin, Qiqihar, Mudanjiang , Jiamusi and Heihe respectively.

Heilongjiang's river system is one of the country's three largest river systems open to navigation. Its main streams include Heilongjiang River, Songhua River, Nen River and Wusuli River.

The province has 331 ports and wharves with an annual handling capacity of 12 million tons. Recently, Heilongjiang has expanded its infrastructure by proceeding work to complete three super highways connecting Harbin-Beijing, Harbin-Suifen and Hegang-Jiamusi, as well as six high grade roadways including one from Yichun to Hegang. In addition, renovation works on Beihei Railroad and Heihe Airport has already begun, and also the Nierji Dam and Mopanshan Dam projects are to begin construction soon.

Restructuring and expansion work on power supply network in the countryside and grain storages is also proceeding with intensity.

The province's postal and telecommunication capability has been raised to new heights. To date, the province has laid 13,563.5 kilometers of optical-fiber cables. Popularization of telephone user has reached 13.7%, resulting in the formation of a multi-pathway-transmission communication framework with the optical-fiber network as its mainstay complemented by microwave networks. This has enabled rural village units in the province to enjoy program-controlled switchboards and digital transmissions.

Industry
At present, the province's coal mining, timber felling and transport, petroleum recovering, machinery and chemical, food, textile and light industries have possessed fairly large-scale production capacities. The province mainly produces crude oil, timber, large generating facilities, freight trains, metallurgical equipment, tools and measuring tools, mini and light motor vehicles and heavy building machines, whose output ranks first in the country and 90 per cent of the total products are transferred to other parts of the country. 

Ethnicity
The province is a habitation for many ethnic groups. According to the fourth national census taken in 1990, there are 47 ethnic groups living in the province, of which, Han people made up 94.3 percent of the province’s total; people of 42 ethnic minorities, 2 millions, accounting for 5.7 percent of the total. Major ethnic minorities include Manchu, Hui, Mongolian, Korean and Daur, Sibo, Hezhe, Oroqen, Ewenki and Kirgiz, who are distributed across the province. Dorbod Mongolian Autonomous County is the only area in the province with ethnic autonomous administration. There are 51 cities and counties where the ethnic minority population has reached 10,000 or more. There are 68 ethnic minority townships and 920 ethnic minority villages. The average population density of the province is 81.7 person per square kilometer.

Agriculture
Heilongjiang, one of the country's most important commodity grain production bases, occupies first place both in the volume of commodity grains and storage. The province's total grain output was 31.045 million tons in 1997, hitting a record high. Its farming, forestry, livestock and fishery industries contributed 50 billion yuan (US$6 billion)of value-added last year. The province's annual output and export of soy beans rank first in the country. Its exports of soy beans make up two thirds of the country's total. The province's output of flax, beet and flue-cured tobacco also stand in the front row in the country. The province's amount of milch cows, output of milk and dairy products possess first place in the country.　

Green Food
Heilongjiang Province has an abundance of land with fertile soils, which has not been subject to much pollution and environmental damages. The vast expanse of land remains clean and the streams clear, offering good potentials for developing green food. In recent years, a strong trend has emerged for a series of green food products such as grains, oil, milk, eggs, medicine, mountain native produce and beverages. In year 2000, the cultivation land area for green food products reached 500,000 hectares, representing 18.7% of the national total. The product ion output had reached 3.8 million tons, representing 28% of the national total. There are 165 organic food labels and green food labels, making up 12.1% of the national total. Among them are 9 AA-class products, making up 30% of the nation's AA-class products. Green food trade fairs were held in Guangzhou, Beijing, Shanghai and Kunming in 2000, with total contract sales reaching 6.3 billion yuan.

Tourism Resources
Heilongjiang has abundant characteristic tourism resources. Its spots for ice and snow activities are the best in China. Snow-skiing period in the province lasts 120—140 days in a year. In mountainous area, snow on the ground can be 100—300 cm deep  and it’s of good quality. Among its smooth mountain slopes, 100 has been chosen as spots good for building large-scale skiing grounds. Its beautiful landscape, forests and grasslands, wetlands and rivers and lakes provide rich resources for developing eco-tourism. Its unique history has also left it a rich cultural legacy and colorful customs. The Bohai State during the Tang Dynasty, the ruins of the Jin-dynasty capital in Huining and the ruins of Longquan Mansion are among those of historical interest. The crossing-border tours to Russia launched on the border rivers of Heilong and Wusuli attract tourists from all over the country. Such cities as Harbin, Daqing and Yichun attract travelers with their distinctive style of northern frontier cities.

Heilongjiang Province has fully utilized its special ice and snow resources to attract both national and international tourists. In 2000, reception of foreign guests had reached 552,000 person-times, which represents an increase of 35.5% over the previous year. Of that figure, foreign visitors numbered 505,000, increased over the previous year by 40%. Overseas Chinese and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan numbered 47,000 person-times, an increase of 1.3% over the previous year, creating foreign exchange from tourism amounting to US$190 million, an increase of 27.8% over the previous year. Domestic travelers numbered 27.12 million person-times, increased over the previous year by 10.9%, earning US$12.12 billion yuan representing an increase of 20.3%.

Land Resources
Heilongjiang's soil condition is considered the best in the country. There are 9.6 million hectares of cultivated land, which, when added all arable lands, make up more than one tenth of the country's total. Per capita cultivated land area is three times that of the country's average.

The organic content found in its soil is higher than that of the country's other regions. Black calcium soil and meadow soil make up more than 60 percent of the province's total cultivated land, resulting in the recognition of Heilongjiang as one of the world's three biggest black soil belts. Heilongjiang Province teems with grain crops of soybeans, wheat, corns, rice, potatoes and cash crops of beet, flax and flue-cured tobacco.

Heilongjiang's grassland covers an area approximately 4.33 million hectares, with good quality grass of high nutritious value suitable for developing animal husbandry. Amongst these grassland, Songnen Grassland is one of the world's biggest pastures for raising sheep.

Forest Resources
Heilongjiang possesses the country's largest forest zone, with a total area of 18.8 million hectares. It has a forestation stock volume of 1.4 billion cubic meters, and forest coverage of 42.9 percent. There are more than 100 varieties of woods, including over 30 kinds of timber.

Wildwoods constitute the main body of Heilongjiang's forest resources which spread throughout the DaXinganling areas, the Changbai Moutains area and some of the counties and cities in the low mountains areas. Not only do they constitute an integral part of the northeastern continental ecological system, they also serve as a natural protective barrier for the northeastern agricultural plain and the animal husbandry industry on the great Hulun Buir Grassland. They play a critical role in the continual economic and social growth of the nation.

Mineral Resources
Heilongjiang Province has already discovered 131 minerals, 75 of which have been surveyed and their ore reserves determined. Ten mineral reserves rank first place in the country, and they are petroleum, graphite, sillimanite, basalt cast stones, basalt asbestos, marble cement, dyeloess, volcanicash, marble glass, and potassium feldspar. Ranking in second place are selenium and cadmium; while ranking in third place are gold, smelt quartz crystals and zeolite. Our coal reserve is the largest of the three northeastern provinces. Heilongjiang Province has developed and utilized 39 kinds of minerals to date, with a total production value that ranks second in the country.

Water Resources
Heilongjiang is one of China's richer provinces in water resources. It has numerous lakes and rivers along its boundaries, with a water surface of more than 800,000 hectares covering more than 6,000 lakes and reservoirs, and five major rivers systems- Heilongjiang, Wusuli, Songhua , Nen and Suifen. Seventy percent of its annual precipitation occurs within crop growing seasons, in which the concurrence of rain and heat provides an excellent environment for growth.

Wild Animals and Native Mountain Product Resources
More than 500 kinds of wild animals inhabit this province. Out of these, 16 are the State's top-level protection animals, such as the Northeast tigers, red-crowned cranes and white cranes; 57 are second-level protection animals, such as red deer, brown bears and swans. There are 105 kinds of aquatic resources including chum salmon, a specialty in cold areas. There are more than 1,000 kinds of native and mountain products in this province, including ginseng and wilsonii.

Tourism Resources
Most part of Heilongjiang province lies within the moderate temperate zone. Its mountain areas receive large amounts of snowfall in winter. The snow season is long and the quality of snow superb, making Heilongjiang an ideal place for tourists who love ice and snow. The annual Harbin Ice and Snow Festival features colossal ice-figure engravings and snow sculptures that can almost match with the grandeur of nature, while the international Skiing Festival offers many exciting activities on snow. There are over a dozen magnificent and exciting skiing fields at Yabuli and Erlong Mountain, offering tourists with much pleasurable experiences.

Summer in Heilongjiang is delightfully cool. The numerous rivers and lakes as well as immense forests have helped to make our province an ideal place for summer resort. Its rivers demarcate a borderline of 2,300 kilometers, along which are 25 open ports flourishing with robust tourism.

Historical relics from the Shangjing Longquan palace of the Bohai Nation during the Tang Dynasty, and those from the Shangjing Huining Palace during the Jin Dynasty offer glimpses into this area's ancient past. Visits to the various areas of national minorities such as Manchu, Korean, Hezhe, Elunchun, and Tahur offer special glimpses into their unique and charming culture. In WuDalianchi, Zalong, and Sanjiang are 25 natural preservation areas, which, together with the scenic Jingbo Lake, Sun Island and Erlong Mountain, plus 50 forest parks in this province, constitute a magnificent landscape unmatched by other places.

People's Life
In 2000, the per capita income of city and town residents was 4,913 yuan, up 6.9 percent over the previous year. The increase, after price adjustment, was actually 8.3%. The average consumer spending by city and town residents was 3,824 yuan, up 9.8%, and actualized at 11.2% after price adjustment.

As for farmers, they were essentially able to maintain their per capita income in spite of last year's serious drought, which had caused much damage and loss. This was achieved by the province's vigorous implementation of agricultural restructuring and promotion of non-agricultural economy. In 2000, the farmers' per capita net income was 2,148 yuan, and the average living quarter for city and town residents is 9 square meters while that of farmers is 18.3 square meters.

Social security system has made rapid advances. Last year, 4,577 million workers and staff participated in pension plans.5.26 million had unemployment insurance. About 1, 566 million retired or off work persons also subscribed to pension plans.1.51 million workers and staff have participated in basic medical insurance.

Science, Technology and Education
Science and technology march steadily forward. In 2000, a work force of 979,000 professional and technical workers was under the employ of State-owned local institutions and enterprises. There are in the province a total of 776 country-level departments, institutions of higher learning, and scientific research and development institutions operated by large and medium sized industries.

Personnel engaged in scientific research number 31,000, up 7%. Among them, scientists and engineers number 21,000 up 10%.

Budgets for science and technology was 2.66 billion yuan, up 7%.Around 1.34 billion yuan was used for research and development, up 10%.

Fruits of our scientific research and technology development numbered 839 major items, among which 6 were in fundamental theories, 789 in technological application, and 44 in social science.

During 2000, 3,065 applications were submitted for patent rights, and 263 patent rights were conferred. The market for technologies had been very active, with 10,729 contracts signed, up 5% from the previous year. The transaction amount reached 1.69 billion yuan, an increase of 7.6%.

Education in all levels and all categories is moving forward steadily. At the end of 2000, there were 36 regular colleges and universities in this province. Their expanded enrollment program resulted in a total student body of 200,000, increased from the previous year by 27.4%. There were 21 graduate school units, with an enrollment of 11,000 graduate students up 22.2%. Higher learning institutions for adult students had enrolled 60,000 students, increasing by 7.1%.

There were 109 Career High Schools with 115,000 students, 2,674 Regular secondary schools with 248,700 students. The province's enrollment rate for regular secondary schools was 96.6%.

There were 13,995 elementary schools, with a student body of 2,831,000 youngsters. Enrollment of school-age children reached 98.8%. Adult career schools at the high school level had 61,000 students. Adult skills training schools had trained a total of 3,727 million students.

Culture, Health and Sport
Cultural undertaking and endeavors are growing at a healthy pace. Currently, there are 88 performing art troupes, 118 art and cultural centers, 97 public libraries, 40 museums and 175 archives. Over 1.1 million volumes of archives have been open to the public. There are 45 short and medium wave radio broadcasting and relay stations, with coverage of 97%. There are 104 TV transmission and relay stations, each having a broadcast power over 1KW. The coverage reaches 98%. The yearly printing of newspaper is 736 million copies, magazines 79 million copies, and books 99 million copies.

Public health improves with each passing day. At the end of last year, there were 7,573 health institutions in the province, including 2,000 hospitals and clinics. There were 120,000 beds under all health organizations, where hospitals and clinics account for 113,000 beds. The province has a total of 176,000 health professionals, amongst whom 56,000 were doctors and 45,000 are nurses and technicians.

In addition the province has 382 immunization and health institutions for women and children, employing 3,333 professional health workers.

Athletic undertakings has also reached new heights. Last year, the province's athletes won 12 championships in world-class competitions, and 216 gold, 163 silver and 151 bronze medals in major national sports meets. The entire population is further stepping up in its overall health exercise program.

Environmental Protection
Environment protection is rapidly moving forward with distinguished achievements. At the end of 2000, the province's environmental protection system had 4,098 persons under its employ, with 10 environmental monitor stations of different administrative levels, and 1,466 environmental surveyors.

There are 133 natural preservation areas in the province, among which 11 was State-level natural preservation areas. Completion of 631 pollutant removal projects, at a total investment of 1.11 billion yuan, are on schedule this year.

The province had established 295 smoke and dust control districts, with a coverage area of 844.4 square kilometers.

It had also established 271 districts in which the noise levels met the standard, with a coverage area of 635.6 square kilometers. About 98% of the province's cities met the quality standard of drinking water sources. Household gas line installation rate reached 72% in the cities.

Foreign Trade
Heilongjiang Province has established economic and trade relations with more than 150 countries and regions, with a total import and export volume reaching US$2.99 billion in 2000. Both border trade and barter trade value of the province rank first in the country for the same year. Export items total 4000, where major items include oil, grain, soybean, timber, petroleum, coal and flax. By the end of 2000, the province had utilized direct foreign fund of US$7.24 billion. Of that figure, 6,445 approved projects were contracted for a total of US$7.3 billion direct foreign funds, and a total of US$4.72 billion had been realized in actual foreign investment. At present, traders who invested in the province come from 58 countries and regions. These world famous firms and transnational companies investing in the province include Mitsubishi Co., Marubeni Co., Nichimen Co. Ltd., Nestle Co.ltd., John Deere Co., Daewoo Co., Israel U.D.I. Ltd., Chai Tai group, H.K Whampoo Co., China Resources Group, Jiali Group and Taiwan Unified Group.

The China Harbin Economic and Trade Fair, approved by the State's Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation bureau, has, since its inception in 1990, been held for the last twelve years at the city of Harbin, from June 15 to June 21 each year. Every year there has been over 6,000 enthusiastic participants coming from Russia, Eastern Europe and many neighboring or faraway countries and regions to discuss and complete transactions on trade and economic co-operations.

Domestic Trade
The province currently has a commercial network consisting of 4,400 wholesale and retail markets, among which over 90 large-sized markets are well known both within and outside of the province for each having a floor space of more than 10,000 square meters. All these markets have wide selections and abundant supply of products.

Fixed Assets, Fiscal Income, Financial And Insurance
In 2000, the province's total investment in fixed assets amounted to 86.93 billion yuan. Its local fiscal revenues reached 21.36 billion yuan in 2000. The deposit balance of the financial institutions was 333.4 billion yuan. The emerging securities industry is developing in accordance with long term planning.

The end of last year saw 32 companies gone public with the offering of 33 stocks. Total value of the stock market has reached 135.2 billion yuan, including that of two companies, which are registered with other security exchanges out of the province.

The insurance industries are continuing in its growth. Incomes from insurance premiums had increased 14.4% compared to the previous year, reaching a total of 4.12 billion yuan. Property insurance premiums had increased 0.8% to 1.28 billion yuan, while life insurance premiums had increased 43.9% to 2.26 billion yuan. Payment for the various insurance indemnities was 1.42 billion yuan, representing an increase of 19.3% compared to the previous year.

The Construction of Development Zones
Since 1992, harbin, Heihe and Suifenhe have been designated by the State Council respectively as the inland provincial capital and border cities for further opening to the outside world. As a result, the province has established five State-level development zones-the Harbin Economic and Technological Development Zone, Harbin and Daqing New-high Technologies Industrial Development Zones, and the Heihe and Suifenhe Border Area Economic Cooperation Zones. Approved by the State, Heilongjiang has added 25 open trading ports throughout the province, forming a new pattern of opening to the outside world. Investments in the development zones may enjoy the benefits of the numerous favorable policies made by the State and the province.

Harbin New-high Technologies Industrial Development Zone encourages investments in the following areas: Digital Information Integrated Optical-electrical System, New Materials, New Energy Sources, Biological Engineering Industry, other New Technology Related Industries, Infrastructure Installation at The Yingbin Road Consolidation District and Land Development by Tracts.

The Harbin Economic and Technological development Zone is divided into a composite industrial zone and a service and management zone. The composite industrial zone deals mainly with the development of light industries, textile, food, medicine, electrical motorcar, machine processing, office facilities and construction materials, etc.

The service and management zone mainly develops services and trade, finance and insurance, tourism and entertainment, information and consultations, etc.

Under the tertiary industry and new-high technology classification. Daqing New-high Technologies Industrial Development Zone focuses on the development of digital information, chemical industry, new materials, integrated optical-electrical system, and biological engineering.