Heilongjiang

Heilongjiang is a province in northeast China. It is the northernmost and easternmost province of the country.

The province is bordered by Jilin to the south and Inner Mongolia to the west. It also shares a border with Russia to the north and east. The capital and largest city is Harbin.

Heilongjiang produces a lot of food, timber, oil, and coal, making it an important place for resources and farming.

Etymology

The name of Heilongjiang comes from the Amur River. In Mandarin Chinese, this river is called Heilongjiang, which means "black dragon river". The Amur River gives the province its name.

History

Ancient records show that Heilongjiang was home to groups like the Sushen, Buyeo, the Mohe, and the Khitan. The area was later ruled by the Bohai Kingdom and then the Liao dynasty. The Jurchen people established the Jin dynasty (1115–1234) in this region.

Heilongjiang became an official province in 1683 during the Qing dynasty. Originally, it covered only the western part of today’s province. Over time, its borders changed, especially after treaties with Russia in 1858 and 1860. By the early 1900s, most people in the area were Han Chinese. In 1931, Japan invaded Heilongjiang. After World War II, the region was taken over by communist forces during the Chinese Civil War. In 1954, two provinces merged to form the modern Heilongjiang.

Geography

Heilongjiang is a province in northeast China with many different landscapes. It has several mountain ranges, such as the Greater Khingan Range and Lesser Khingan Range. The tallest mountain is Datudingzi Mountain, which is 1,690 metres tall, on the border with Jilin.

The eastern and southwestern parts of Heilongjiang are flatter and have rivers like the Muling River, the Naoli River, the Songhua River, the Nen River, and the Mudan River. These rivers all flow into a larger river called the Amur. There is also a big lake named Xingkai Lake or Khanka Lake on the border with Russia.

The climate in Heilongjiang is mostly humid continental, meaning it has very cold winters and warm summers. Winter temperatures can be very low, while summer temperatures are usually warm. Most of the rain falls in the summer. The area also has plenty of wind, especially in the spring.

The largest cities in Heilongjiang include Harbin, Qiqihar, Mudanjiang, Jiamusi, Daqing, Jixi, Shuangyashan, Hegang, Qitaihe, Yichun, and Heihe.

Transport

Roads

Heilongjiang has many roads, with 165,989 kilometers as of October 2020. The Beijing – Harbin Expressway is a big road that starts at the border with Jilin and ends in Harbin. The Harbin – Tongjiang Expressway runs northeast and connects many towns. The Suifenhe – Manzhouli Expressway links important cities like Mudanjiang, Harbin, Daqing, and Qiqihar.

Railways

The province has 60 railway lines, totaling around 5,300 kilometers. The Harbin–Dalian high-speed railway, finished in 2012, goes from Harbin to Dalian, passing through Changchun and Shenyang. It will carry many passengers each year.

Airports

Important airports include Harbin Taiping International Airport, Qiqihar Airport, Mudanjiang Airport, Jiamusi Airport, and Heihe Airport. Harbin International Airport can handle six million passengers a year and flies to many cities.

Waterways

Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge

Main article: Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge

The Tongjiang-Nizhneleninskoye railway bridge was suggested in 2007 to connect Tongjiang, China, with Nizhneleninskoye in Russia. The Chinese side of the bridge was finished in July 2016, and work on the Russian side started in December 2016. The bridge was nearly done by March 2019, but opening dates keep changing.

Administrative divisions

Heilongjiang has 13 main areas called prefecture-level divisions. These include places like Qiqihar, Mudanjiang, Daqing, and Jixi. Each of these areas is divided into smaller parts, called county-level divisions. There are 128 of these smaller parts, which include districts, cities, counties, and one special autonomous county. These smaller parts are split into tiny neighborhoods and communities, known as township-level divisions. There are 1,284 of these tiny areas.

Politics

Further information: List of provincial leaders of the People's Republic of China

Heilongjiang, like other parts of mainland China, has a system where the government and the party work together. The party leader in Heilongjiang has more power than the governor. The party makes big decisions and helps guide the government's work.

Economy

In 2022, Heilongjiang's economy was worth 1.59 trillion RMB, about $236 billion. The main parts of the economy were farming, making things, and services.

Heilongjiang grows important crops like rice, corn, and soybeans. The soil is rich and black, helping plants grow well. The province has many forests with trees like pine and larch. Animals such as the Siberian tiger and red-crowned crane live in these forests.

Industry in Heilongjiang includes making things from coal and petroleum, as well as machinery and food products. The Daqing oilfields are a big source of petroleum. The province also has lots of wind that could be used to make electricity.

Demographics

By the end of 2022, Heilongjiang Province had about 31 million people. This was a small drop from the year before. Most people lived in cities, while some lived in the countryside.

Many people in Heilongjiang are older, with a smaller number of young children.

Ethnic groups

Most people in Heilongjiang are Han Chinese. There are also many ethnic minorities, such as the Manchus, Koreans, Mongols, Hui, Xibe, and Hezhen.

Most people are Han Chinese. The province has ten different ethnic groups. Han Chinese make up almost all of the population, with ethnic minorities making up a small part.

Religion

Further information: Religion in Northeast China

Most people in Heilongjiang do not follow a specific religion. Some people practice Chinese folk religions, like Taoism. Many Manchu people practice Manchu shamanism. A few people follow Chinese Buddhism or Tibetan Buddhism.

Culture

Heilongjiang's culture is part of the culture of Northeast China, called "Dongbei" (the northeast) in Mandarin Chinese. The culture is similar across the whole area.

Media

Heilongjiang Television and Harbin Economy Radio are the main broadcasters in the area.

Tourism

Harbin, the capital city of Heilongjiang, is a place where many different cultures meet. You can visit Bukui Mosque, a big building made with glazed tiles. The city also has churches and a place for Jewish worship.

In winter, Harbin holds a famous event with huge ice sculptures.

There are also beautiful lakes to explore, like the Wudalianchi Lakes. Lake Jingbo, part of the Mudan River, has interesting sights such as the Diaoshuilou Falls. The province has a zoo called the Harbin Siberian Tiger Park.

Colleges and universities

See also: List of universities and colleges in Heilongjiang

Here are some of the universities and colleges you can find in Heilongjiang:

• Daqing Staff and Workers University
• Harbin Institute of Technology
• Harbin Engineering University
• Harbin Medical University
• Harbin Normal University
• Harbin University of Science and Technology
• Heilongjiang August First Land Reclamation University
• Heilongjiang Commercial University
• Heilongjiang University
• Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine
• Heilongjiang International University
• Heilongjiang Institute of Technology
• Northeast Agricultural University
• Northeast Forestry University
• Northeast Petroleum University
• Qiqihar University

Sports

Heilongjiang helps China enjoy winter sports. The area works hard to grow sports that need snow and ice, like bandy. Bandy might become an Olympic sport one day.

The province has hosted special sports events. These include the 2009 Winter Universiade, the 2018 Bandy World Championship, Division B, and the Asia League Ice Hockey.

Notable people

Heilongjiang is home to many talented people. Some well-known individuals from this area include Mao Buyi, a singer-songwriter, and Meng Nan, also a singer-songwriter. Ningning is a singer who is part of the K-pop girl group Aespa. Other notable people are Song Yadong, a UFC Fighter, Wang Manyu, a Chinese table tennis player, and Zhang Shan Qi, a racing driver.