View source for Place:Beijing

{{Short description|Capital city of China}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name               = Beijing
| native_name        = 北京
| native_name_lang   = zh
| official_name      = Municipality of Beijing
| other_name         = Peking
| settlement_type    = Capital city and municipality
| image_flag         = 
| image_skyline      = {{multiple image
| border                 = infobox
| total_width            = 300
| image_style            = border:1;
| caption_align = center
| perrow                 = 1/2/2/1
| image1                 = Skyline of Beijing CBD from the southeast (20210907094201).jpg
| caption1               = Beijing central business district
| image2                 = 20200110 Hall of Supreme Harmony courtyard-1.jpg
| caption2               = Forbidden City
| image3                 = 11 Temple of Heaven.jpg
| caption3               = Temple of Heaven
| image4                 = 2014.08.19.110005 Great Wall Badaling.jpg
| caption4               = Great Wall of Badaling
| image5                 = Tiananmen Gate.jpg
| caption5               = Tiananmen
| image6                 = National Centre for the Performing Arts and Great Hall of the People.jpg
| caption6               = Great Hall of the People (left) and<br /> National Centre for the Performing Arts (right)
}}
| image_map          = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|type=shape|stroke-width=2|stroke-color=#000000|zoom=7|frame-lat=40.26|frame-long=116.6}}
| image_map1         = Beijing in China (+all claims hatched).svg
| map_caption1       = Location of Beijing Municipality within China
| coordinates        = {{Coord|39|54|24|N|116|23|51|E|type:adm1st_region:CN-11|display=it}}
| coor_pinpoint      = Tian'anmen Square national flag
| subdivision_type   = Country
| subdivision_name   = {{wipe|China}}
| established_title  = Established
| established_date   = 1045 BC
| founder            = Zhou dynasty (Western Zhou)
| parts_type         = Divisions<br />&nbsp;- County-level<br />&nbsp;- Township-<br />level
| parts              = <br />16 districts<br />343 towns and subdistricts
| government_type    = Municipality
| governing_body     = Beijing Municipal People's Congress
| seat_type          = Municipal seat
| seat               = Tongzhou District
| leader_title       = [[Organization:Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary|CCP Secretary]]
| leader_name        = Yin Li
| leader_title1      = Congress Chairman
| leader_name1       = Li Xiuling
| leader_title2      = Mayor
| leader_name2       = Yin Yong
| leader_title3      = CPPCC Chairman
| leader_name3       = Wei Xiaodong
| leader_title4      = National People's Congress Representation
| leader_name4       = 53 deputies
| total_type         = Municipality
| area_footnotes     = <ref>{{cite web |title=Doing Business in China – Survey |url=http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zt_business/lanmub/ |publisher=Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China |access-date=5 August 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140526181645/http://english.mofcom.gov.cn/article/zt_business/lanmub/ |archive-date=26 May 2014}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 16410.54
| area_land_km2      = 16410.54
| area_water_km2     = 
| area_urban_km2     = 16410.54
| area_metro_km2     = 12796.5
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m        = 43.5
| elevation_max_ft   = 7556
| elevation_max_point = Mount Ling
| population_total   = 21,893,095
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_as_of   = 2020 census
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |date=11 May 2021 |title=Communiqué of the Seventh National Population Census (No. 3) |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |access-date=11 May 2021 |publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of China |archive-date=11 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210511104847/http://www.stats.gov.cn/english/PressRelease/202105/t20210510_1817188.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
| population_urban   = 21,893,095
| population_density_urban_km2 = auto
| population_metro   = 22,366,547
| population_density_metro_km2 = auto
| population_blank1_title = Ranks in China
| population_blank1  = Population: 27th;<br />Density: 4th
| population_demonym = <!--Don't restore Beijinger without cite. See talk page-->
| demographics_type1 = Major ethnic groups
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1 = Han
| demographics1_info5 = 0.7%
| postal_code_type   = Postal codes
| postal_code        = '''1000'''00–'''1026'''29
| area_code          = 10
| iso_code           = [[ISO 3166-2:CN|CN-BJ]]
| demographics_type2   = GDP<ref name="data2022">{{cite web|url=https://data.stats.gov.cn/english/easyquery.htm?cn=E0103|title=National Data|publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of China|date=1 March 2022|access-date=23 March 2022}}</ref>
| blank_info_sec1    = 2022
| demographics2_title1 = Total
| demographics2_info1 = ¥4.161 trillion (13th)<br />$618.648 billion (nominal)<br /> $1.016 trillion (PPP)
| demographics2_title2 = Per capita
| demographics2_info2 = ¥190,059 (2nd)<br />$28,258 (nominal)<br />$46,401 (PPP)
| blank3_name_sec1   = &nbsp;– Growth
| blank3_info_sec1   = {{increase}} 0.7%
| blank4_name_sec2   = [[Engineering:Human Development Index|HDI]] (2021)
| blank4_info_sec2   = 0.907<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://globaldatalab.org/shdi/shdi/?interpolation=0&extrapolation=0&nearest_real=0|title=Sub-national HDI - Subnational HDI - Global Data Lab|website=globaldatalab.org|access-date=2021-12-31}}</ref> (1st) – {{color|green|very high}}
| blank5_name        = License plate prefixes
| blank5_info        = {{lang|zh-cn|京A, C, E, F, H, J, K, L, M, N, P, Q, Y}}<br />{{lang|zh-CN|京B}} (taxis)<br />{{lang|zh-cn|京G}} (outside urban area)<br />{{lang|zh-cn|京O, D}} (police and authorities)
| blank6_name        = Abbreviation
| blank6_info        = {{plainlist|
* BJ / {{linktext|lang=zh-Hans|京}} ({{zh|labels=no|p=jīng}})
}}
| website            = {{url|https://www.beijing.gov.cn/}} {{in lang|zh}}<br />{{url|http://english.beijing.gov.cn|English version}}
| footnotes          = 
| demographics1_info1 = 95%
|
| timezone           = CST
| utc_offset         = +08:00
| module             = {{Infobox place symbols| embedded=yes
 | tree = Chinese arborvitae (''Platycladus orientalis'')<br>[[Biology:Styphnolobium japonicum|Pagoda tree]] (''Styphnolobium japonicum'')
 | flower = [[Biology:Rosa chinensis|China rose]] (''Rosa chinensis'')<br>[[Biology:Chrysanthemum|Chrysanthemum]] (''Chrysanthemum morifolium'')
 | bird = 
 | flowering_tree = 
 | butterfly = 
 | fish = 
 | other_symbols = 
}}
}}
{{Infobox Chinese
| pic = Beijing name.svg
| piccap = "Beijing" in regular Chinese characters
| picupright = 0.5
| l = "Northern Capital"
| p = Běijīng
| psp = Peking{{NoteTag|Loaned earlier via French "Pékin".}}<br />Peiping <small>(1368–1403;<br />1928–1937; 1945–1949)</small>
| w = Pei<sup>3</sup>-ching<sup>1</sup>
| mi = {{IPAc-cmn|AUD|Zh-Beijing.ogg|b|ei|3|.|j|ing|1}}
| bpmf = ㄅㄟˇ&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ㄐㄧㄥ
| gr = Beeijing
| j = Bak1ging1
| y = Bākgìng ''or'' Bākgīng
| ci = {{IPAc-yue|b|ak|1|.|g|ing|7}} ''or'' {{IPAc-yue|b|ak|1|.|g|ing|1}}
| suz = Poh-cin
| poj = Pak-kiaⁿ
| tl = Pak-kiann
| buc = Báe̤k-gĭng
| h = Bet<sup>5</sup>-gin<sup>1</sup>
| showflag = p
| t = 
| s = 
| altname = 
| tp = 
}}

'''Beijing''' ({{IPAc-en|b|eɪ|ˈ|dʒ|ɪ|ŋ}} {{Respell|bay|JING}},<ref>{{Cite dictionary |url=http://www.lexico.com/definition/Beijing |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025042536/https://www.lexico.com/definition/beijing |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 October 2020 |title=Beijing |dictionary=Lexico UK English Dictionary |publisher=[[Organization:Oxford University Press|Oxford University Press]]}}</ref><ref name="longman">{{cite book |last=Wells |first=John |title = Longman Pronunciation Dictionary |publisher=Pearson Longman |edition=3rd |date=3 April 2008 |isbn=978-1-4058-8118-0 }}</ref> {{Lang-zh|c=北京|p=Běijīng}}; {{Small|Mandarin pronunciation:}} {{IPAc-cmn|AUD|Beijing pronunciation.ogg|b|ei|3|.|j|ing|1}}), [[Social:Chinese postal romanization|alternatively romanized]] as '''Peking'''<ref>{{Cite book |title = China Postal Album: Showing the Postal Establishments and Postal Routes in Each Province |edition = 1st |location = Shanghai, China |publisher = Directorate General of Posts |year = 1907 }}</ref> ({{IPAc-en|p|iː|ˈ|k|ɪ|ŋ}} {{Respell|pee|KING}}),<ref>{{cite OED|Peking}}</ref> is the capital of the {{wipe|China}}. With about 22 million residents, Beijing is the world's [[Place:List of national capitals by population|most populous national capital city]] as well as China's second largest city after [[Place:Shanghai|Shanghai]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/china/cities/|title=China: Provinces and Major Cities - Population Statistics, Maps, Charts, Weather and Web Information|website=City Population |accessdate=15 August 2023}}</ref> It is located in Northern China, and is governed as a municipality under the direct administration of the State Council with 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts.<ref name="figures">Figures based on 2006 statistics published in 2007 National Statistical Yearbook of China and available online at {{lang|zh-Hans|[http://www.chinapop.gov.cn/wxzl/rkgk/200806/t20080629_157020.htm 2006年中国乡村人口数 中国人口与发展研究中心]}} ([https://web.archive.org/web/20090310163630/http://www.chinapop.gov.cn/wxzl/rkgk/200806/t20080629_157020.htm archive]). Retrieved 21 April 2009.</ref> Beijing is mostly surrounded by Hebei Province with the exception of neighboring [[Place:Tianjin|Tianjin]] to the southeast; together, the three divisions form the Jingjinji megalopolis and the national capital region of China.<ref name="basic">{{cite web |title=Basic Information |url = http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/esite/bjsq/jbqk/ |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120313225759/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/esite/bjsq/jbqk/ |archive-date=13 March 2012 |publisher = Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics |access-date=9 February 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Beijing is a [[Global city|global city]] and one of the world's leading centres for culture, diplomacy, politics, [[Finance:Global Financial Centres Index|finance]], business and economics, education, research, language, tourism, media, sport, science and technology and transportation. It is home to the headquarters of most of China's largest state-owned companies and houses the largest number of Fortune Global 500 companies in the world, as well as the world's four biggest [[Social:List of largest banks|financial institutions]] by total assets.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Top 100 Banks in the World |url = https://www.relbanks.com/worlds-top-banks/assets |publisher=www.relbanks.com |language=en-gb |access-date=12 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180729045255/https://www.relbanks.com/worlds-top-banks/assets |archive-date=29 July 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> It is also a major hub for the national highway, expressway, railway, and high-speed rail networks. For a decade before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Beijing Capital International Airport was Asia's busiest airport (2009–2019) and the second busiest airport in the world (2010–2019).<ref name="ACI aero">{{cite web |title=Year to date Passenger Traffic |url=http://www.aci.aero/Data-Centre/Monthly-Traffic-Data/Passenger-Summary/Year-to-date |publisher=Airports Council International |access-date=26 June 2014 |date=23 June 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170129021001/http://www.aci.aero/Data-Centre/Monthly-Traffic-Data/Passenger-Summary/Year-to-date |archive-date=29 January 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, the Beijing subway was the fourth busiest and second longest in the world.<ref>{{Cite web |last=UITP Secretariat |date=May 2022 |title=WORLD METRO FIGURES 2021 |url=https://cms.uitp.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Statistics-Brief-Metro-Figures-2021-web.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109094107/https://cms.uitp.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Statistics-Brief-Metro-Figures-2021-web.pdf |archive-date=9 November 2023 |access-date=14 December 2023 |website=UITP}}</ref> The Beijing Daxing International Airport, Beijing's second international airport, is the largest single-structure airport terminal in the world.<ref>{{cite news |date=15 April 2019 |title=What does the world's largest single-building airport terminal look like? |publisher=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-47914210/what-does-the-world-s-largest-single-building-airport-terminal-look-like |access-date=20 April 2019 |archive-date=18 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190418003115/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-asia-47914210/what-does-the-world-s-largest-single-building-airport-terminal-look-like |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Alan |title=Photos: The World's Largest Airport-Terminal Building - The Atlantic |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/01/photos-the-worlds-largest-airport-terminal-building/580954/ |access-date=25 September 2019 |website=The Atlantic |language=en |archive-date=25 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925225834/https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2019/01/photos-the-worlds-largest-airport-terminal-building/580954/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Combining both modern and traditional style architectures, Beijing is one of the oldest cities in the world, with a rich history dating back over three millennia. As the last of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Beijing has been the political center of the country for most of the past eight centuries,<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |title = Peking (Beijing) |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |edition = ''Macropædia'', [[Encyclopædia Britannica#Edition summary|15th]] |volume = 25 |page = 468 }}</ref> and was the [[History:List of largest cities throughout history|largest city in the world by population]] for much of the second millennium CE.<ref name="Top Ten Cities By Population Throughout History">{{cite web|title=Top Ten Cities Through History |url=http://www.thingsmadethinkable.com/item/top_ten_cities_through_history.php |publisher=things made unthinkable |access-date=28 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110624043713/http://www.thingsmadethinkable.com/item/top_ten_cities_through_history.php |archive-date=24 June 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> With mountains surrounding the inland city on three sides, in addition to the old inner and outer city walls, Beijing was strategically poised and developed to be the residence of the emperor and thus was the perfect location for the imperial capital. The city is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, parks, gardens, tombs, walls and gates.<ref name="world book">{{Cite encyclopedia |url=http://worldbookonline.com/wb/Login?ed=wb |title=Beijing |encyclopedia=[[Company:World Book Encyclopedia|World Book Encyclopedia]] |year = 2008 |access-date=7 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080519232539/http://worldbookonline.com/wb/Login?ed=wb |archive-date=19 May 2008|url-status=live}}</ref> Beijing is one of the most important tourist destinations of the world. In 2018, Beijing was the second highest earning tourist city in the world after [[Place:Shanghai|Shanghai]].<ref name=":12">{{Cite web |last=Töre |first=Özgür |title=WTTC reveals the world's best performing tourism cities |date=22 October 2018 |url=https://ftnnews.com/other-news/35281-wttc-reveals-the-world-s-best-performing-tourism-cities |access-date=7 August 2021 |publisher=ftnnews.com |language=en-gb}}</ref> Beijing is home to many national monuments and museums and has seven UNESCO World Heritage Sites—the Forbidden City, Temple of Heaven, Summer Palace, Ming Tombs, [[Earth:Zhoukoudian|Zhoukoudian]], and parts of the Great Wall and the Grand Canal—all of which are popular tourist locations.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://beijingww.qianlong.com/1470/2014/08/18/Zt290@228841.htm |script-title=zh:走进北京七大世界文化遗产 – 千龙网 |date=18 August 2014 |website=qianlong.com |language=zh-hans |access-date=21 November 2014 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141129035045/http://beijingww.qianlong.com/1470/2014/08/18/Zt290@228841.htm |archive-date=29 November 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Siheyuans, the city's traditional housing style, and hutongs, the narrow alleys between siheyuans, are major tourist attractions and are common in urban Beijing.

Beijing's public universities make up more than one-fifth of Double First-Class Universities, and many of them consistently [[Organization:Rankings of universities in China|rank]] among the best in the Asia-Pacific and the world.<ref name=":5">{{Cite web|title=US News Best Global Universities in Beijing|url=https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/search?city=beijing|website=US News|access-date=27 September 2020|archive-date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106123931/https://www.usnews.com/education/best-global-universities/search?city=beijing|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=ShanghaiRanking's Academic Ranking of World Universities |url=https://www.shanghairanking.com/rankings/arwu/2023 |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=www.shanghairanking.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-27 |title=World University Rankings 2024: China creeps closer to top 10 |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/world-university-rankings-2024-china-creeps-closer-top-10 |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref> Beijing is home to the two best C9 League universities (Tsinghua and Peking) in Asia & Oceania region and emerging countries.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-25 |title=World University Rankings |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2024/world-ranking |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web|date=22 January 2020|title=Emerging Economies|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2020/emerging-economies-university-rankings|access-date=13 September 2020|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en|archive-date=20 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220042605/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2020/emerging-economies-university-rankings|url-status=live}}</ref> Beijing CBD is a center for Beijing's economic expansion, with the ongoing or recently completed construction of multiple skyscrapers. Beijing's Zhongguancun area is a world leading center of scientific and technological innovation as well as entrepreneurship. Beijing has been ranked the city with the largest scientific research output by the Nature Index since 2016.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":9">{{cite web|author=jknotts|date=25 September 2020|title=Beijing Defends its Title as World's Top City for Scientific Research|url=https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2020/09/25/beijing-defends-its-title-worlds-top-city-scientific-research|access-date=27 September 2020|website=www.thebeijinger.com|language=en|archive-date=27 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927011316/https://www.thebeijinger.com/blog/2020/09/25/beijing-defends-its-title-worlds-top-city-scientific-research|url-status=live}}</ref> The city has hosted numerous international and national sporting events, the most notable being the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2008 Summer Paralympics Games. In 2022, Beijing became the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics,<ref name=":2" /> and also the Summer and Winter Paralympics.<ref name=":3" /> Beijing hosts 175 foreign embassies as well as the headquarters of many organizations, including the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), the Silk Road Fund, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Central Academy of Fine Arts, the Central Academy of Drama, the Central Conservatory of Music, and the Red Cross Society of China.

== Etymology ==

Over the past 3,000 years, the city of Beijing has had numerous other names. The name ''Beijing'', which means "Northern Capital" (from the [[Social:Chinese characters|Chinese characters]] {{lang|zh|北}} {{transl|zh|běi}} for ''north'' and {{lang|zh|京}} {{transl|zh|jīng}} for ''capital''), was applied to the city in 1403 during the Ming dynasty to distinguish the city from Nanjing (the "Southern Capital").<ref name="minggov">{{cite journal |jstor = 2718619|title = Governmental Organization of the Ming Dynasty |journal = Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies |volume = 21 |pages = 1–66 |last = Hucker |first = Charles O. |year = 1958 |doi = 10.2307/2718619 }}</ref> The English spelling ''Beijing'' is based on the government's official [[Social:Romanization of Chinese|romanization]] (adopted in the 1980s) of the two characters as they are pronounced in Standard Mandarin. An older English spelling, ''Peking'', was used by Jesuit missionary Martino Martini in a popular atlas published in Amsterdam in 1655.<ref>Martini, Martino, ''De bello Tartarico historia'', 1654.
* Martini, Martino (1655), ''Novus Atlas Sinensis'', "Prima Provencia Peking Sive Pecheli", p. 17.</ref> Although Peking is no longer the common name for the city, some of the city's older locations and facilities, such as Beijing Capital International Airport, with the [[Organization:International Air Transport Association code|IATA code]] PEK, and Peking University, still retain the former romanization.

The single Chinese character abbreviation for Beijing is {{linktext|京}}, which appears on automobile license plates in the city. The official Latin alphabet abbreviation for Beijing is "BJ".<ref>Standardization Administration of China (SAC). "[http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~chgis/work/design/chinastdb_1210.doc GB/T-2260: Codes for the administrative divisions of the People's Republic of China]" (Microsoft Word). {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040305025950/http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~chgis/work/design/chinastdb_1210.doc |date=5 March 2004 }}.</ref>

== History ==

=== Early history ===
The earliest traces of human habitation in the Peking municipality were found in the caves of Dragon Bone Hill near the village of [[Earth:Zhoukoudian|Zhoukoudian]] in Fangshan District, where [[Earth:Peking Man|Peking Man]] lived. ''[[Biology:Homo erectus|Homo erectus]]'' fossils from the caves date to 230,000 to 250,000 years ago. [[Earth:Paleolithic|Paleolithic]] ''Homo sapiens'' also lived there more recently, about 27,000 years ago.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unesco.org/ext/field/beijing/whc/pkm-site.htm|title=The Peking Man World Heritage Site at Zhoukoudian|access-date=7 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130309111645/http://www.unesco.org/ext/field/beijing/whc/pkm-site.htm|archive-date=9 March 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> Archaeologists have found [[History:Neolithic|neolithic]] settlements throughout the municipality, including in Wangfujing, located in central Peking.

The first [[Engineering:Ancient Chinese urban planning|walled city]] in Beijing was Jicheng, the capital city of the state of Ji which was built in 1045 BC.<!--not BCE; see talk--> Within modern Beijing, Jicheng was located around the present Guang'anmen area in the south of Xicheng District.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web |title=Beijing's History |url=http://china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/30785.htm |publisher=China Internet Information Center|access-date=1 May 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080501152800/http://www1.china.org.cn/english/features/beijing/30785.htm|archive-date= 1 May 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> This settlement was later conquered by the state of Yan and made its capital.<ref>Haw, Stephen. ''Beijing: A Concise History''. Routledge, 2007. p. 136.</ref>

=== Early Imperial China ===
[[File:Tianning Temple Pagoda.jpg|thumb|The Tianning Pagoda, built around 1120 during the Liao dynasty|267x267px]]
After the First Emperor unified China in 221 BC, Jicheng became a prefectural capital and<ref name="hist">{{cite web |title = Township divisions |url=http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Government/Administration_region/t930369.htm |publisher = ebeijing.gov.cn |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20090903193329/http://www.ebeijing.gov.cn/Government/Administration_region/t930369.htm |archive-date=3 September 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> during the Three Kingdoms period, it was held by Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao before falling to the Wei Kingdom of Cao Cao. The AD third-century Western Jin demoted the town, placing the prefectural seat in neighboring Zhuozhou. During the [[History:Sixteen Kingdoms|Sixteen Kingdoms]] period when northern China was conquered and divided by the Wu Hu, Jicheng was briefly the capital of the [[Social:Xianbei|Xianbei]] Former Yan Kingdom.<ref name=Rene>{{cite book |last=Grousset |first=Rene |title = The Empire of the Steppes |url = https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppes00grou |url-access=registration |publisher=Rutgers University Press |year=1970 |isbn=978-0-8135-1304-1 |page=[https://archive.org/details/empireofsteppes00grou/page/58 58]}}</ref>

After China was reunified by the Sui dynasty in 581, Jicheng, also known as Zhuojun, became the northern terminus of the Grand Canal. Under the Tang dynasty, Jicheng as Youzhou, served as a military frontier command center. During the An-Shi Rebellion and again amidst the turmoil of the late Tang, local military commanders founded their own short-lived Yan dynasties and called the city Yanjing, or the "Yan Capital." Also in the Tang dynasty, the city's name Jicheng was replaced by Youzhou or Yanjing. In 938, after the fall of the Tang, the Later Jin ceded the frontier territory including what is now Beijing to the Khitan Liao dynasty, which treated the city as Nanjing, or the "Southern Capital", one of four secondary capitals to complement its "Supreme Capital" Shangjing (modern Baarin Left Banner in [[Place:Inner Mongolia|Inner Mongolia]]). Some of the oldest surviving pagodas in Beijing date to the Liao period, including the Tianning Pagoda.

The Liao fell to the Jurchen Jin dynasty in 1122, which gave the city to the Song dynasty and then retook it in 1125 during its conquest of northern China. In 1153, the Jurchen Jin made Beijing their "Central Capital", or Zhongdu.<ref name="hist" /> The city was besieged by Genghis Khan's invading Mongolian army in 1213 and razed to the ground two years later.<ref name="economist">{{cite news |title=Beijing – Historical Background |url = http://www.economist.com/cities/findstory.cfm?city_id=BJS&folder=Facts-History |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070522144445/http://www.economist.com/cities/findstory.cfm?city_id=BJS&folder=Facts-History |archive-date=22 May 2007 |newspaper=The Economist |year=2007 }}</ref> Two generations later, Kublai Khan ordered the construction of Dadu (or Daidu to the Mongols, commonly known as Khanbaliq), a new capital for his Yuan dynasty to the northeast of the Zhongdu ruins. The construction took from 1264 to 1293,<ref name="hist" /><ref name="economist" /><ref>Brian Hook, ''Beijing and Tianjin: Towards a Millennial Megalopolis'', p.&nbsp;2.</ref> but greatly enhanced the status of a city on the northern fringe of [[Place:China proper|China proper]]. The city was centered on the Drum Tower slightly to the north of modern Beijing and stretched from the present-day Chang'an Avenue to the northern part of Line 10 subway. Remnants of the Yuan [[Chemistry:Rammed earth|rammed earth]] wall still stand and are known as the Tucheng.<ref>{{cite web |script-title=zh:元大都土城遗址公园 |url=http://www.tuniu.com/places/17645 |work=Tuniu.com |access-date=15 June 2008 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205205807/http://www.tuniu.com/places/17645 |archive-date=5 February 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Ming dynasty ===
[[File:BeijingWatchTower.jpg|thumb|left|One of the corner towers of the Forbidden City, built by the Yongle Emperor during the early Ming dynasty|200x200px]]

In 1368, soon after declaring the new Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, the rebel leader Zhu Yuanzhang captured Dadu/Khanbaliq and razed the Yuan palaces to the ground.<ref name="patbu">Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. ''The Cambridge Illustrated History of China''. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999. {{ISBN|0-521-66991-X}}</ref> Since the Yuan continued to occupy Shangdu and Mongolia, Dadu was used to supply the Ming military garrisons in the area and renamed Beiping ([[Social:Wade–Giles|Wade–Giles]]: Peip'ing, "Northern Peace").<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=23}}</ref> Under the Hongwu Emperor's feudal policies, Beiping was given to his son Zhu Di, who was created "Prince of Yan".[[File:Beijings layout genom historien.jpg|thumb|Overlapping layout of Beijing during the Liao, Jin, Yuan and Ming dynasties]]

The early death of Zhu Yuanzhang's heir led to a succession struggle upon his death, one that ended with the victory of Zhu Di and the declaration of the new Yongle era. Since his harsh treatment of the Ming capital Yingtian (modern Nanjing) alienated many there, he established his fief as a new co-capital. The city of Beiping became Beijing ("Northern Capital") or Shuntian<ref name=WDL1>{{cite book|title=An Illustrated Survey of Dikes and Dams in Jianghan Region|year=1567|url=http://www.wdl.org/en/item/4451|publisher=[[World Digital Library]]|access-date=9 May 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210203250/http://www.wdl.org/en/item/4451/|archive-date=10 February 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> in 1403.<ref name="minggov"/> The construction of the new imperial residence, the Forbidden City, took from 1406 to 1420;<ref name="economist"/> this period was also responsible for several other of the modern city's major attractions, such as the Temple of Heaven<ref>{{cite web |title=The Temple of Heaven |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/kuaixun/75120.htm |work=China.org |date=13 April 2001 |access-date=14 June 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080620072750/http://www.china.org.cn/english/kuaixun/75120.htm|archive-date= 20 June 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> and Tian'anmen. On 28 October 1420, the city was officially designated the capital of the Ming dynasty in the same year that the Forbidden City was completed.<ref name="Hymes">{{cite book |author=Robert Hymes |url=https://archive.org/details/columbiachronolo00john |title=Columbia Chronologies of Asian History and Culture |publisher=Columbia University Press |year=2000 |isbn=978-0-231-11004-4 |editor=John Stewart Bowman |page=[https://archive.org/details/columbiachronolo00john/page/42 42] |url-access=registration}}</ref> Beijing became the empire's primary capital, and Yingtian, also called Nanjing ("Southern Capital"), became the co-capital. (A 1425 order by Zhu Di's son, the Hongxi Emperor, to return the primary capital to Nanjing was never carried out: he died, probably of a heart attack, the next month. He was buried, like almost every Ming emperor to follow him, in an elaborate necropolis to Beijing's north.)

By the 15th century, Beijing had essentially taken its current shape. The Ming city wall continued to serve until modern times, when it was pulled down and the 2nd Ring Road was built in its place.<ref>{{cite web |title=Renewal of Ming Dynasty City Wall |url=http://www.btmbeijing.com/contents/en/btm/2003-02/knowyourbeijing/ming |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050503175902/http://www.btmbeijing.com/contents/en/btm/2003-02/knowyourbeijing/ming |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 May 2005 |work=Beijing This Month |date=1 February 2003 |access-date=14 June 2008
}}</ref> It is generally believed that Beijing was the largest city in the world for most of the 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries.<ref>
{{cite web |last=Rosenburg |first=Matt T. |title=Largest Cities Through History |url=http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm |publisher=About.com |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050527095609/http://geography.about.com/library/weekly/aa011201a.htm |archive-date=27 May 2005 |url-status=live }}
</ref> The first known church was constructed by Catholics in 1652 at the former site of Matteo Ricci's chapel; the modern Nantang Cathedral was later built upon the same site.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=33}}</ref>

The capture of Beijing by Li Zicheng's peasant army in 1644 ended the dynasty, but he and his Shun court abandoned the city without a fight when the Manchu army of Prince Dorgon arrived 40 days later.

=== Qing dynasty ===
[[File:Summer Palace in Beijing2022 Spring.jpg|thumb|left|Summer Palace is one of the several palatial gardens built by Qing emperors in the northwest suburb area. ]]

Dorgon established the Qing dynasty as a direct successor of the Ming (delegitimising Li Zicheng and his followers)<ref name="britannica ming qing">{{cite encyclopedia |title=Beijing – History – The Ming and Qing Dynasties |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/448956/Beijing/14708/Centuries-of-growth#toc=toc14709 |encyclopedia=Britannica Online Encyclopedia |year=2008 |access-date=16 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080512030123/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/448956/Beijing/14708/Centuries-of-growth#toc=toc14709 |archive-date=12 May 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> and Beijing became China's sole capital.<ref>{{harvnb|Elliott|2001|p=98}}</ref> The Qing emperors made some modifications to the Imperial residence but, in large part, the Ming buildings and the general layout remained unchanged. Facilities for Manchu worship were introduced, but the Qing also continued the traditional state rituals. Signage was bilingual or Chinese. This early Qing Beijing later formed the setting for the Chinese novel ''Dream of the Red Chamber''. Northwest of the city, Qing emperors built several large palatial gardens including the Old Summer Palace and the Summer Palace.

During the Second Opium War, Anglo-French forces captured the outskirts of the city, looting and burning the Old Summer Palace in 1860. Under the Convention of Peking{{efn|When Europeans first came into sustained contact with China, "Pekin" and "Peking" were the most popular ways of romanizing the name of Beijing.<ref>Anville, Jean Baptiste Bourguignon, ''[http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.gmd/g7820m.gct00075 Atlas général de la Chine, de la Tartarie chinoise, et du Tibet : pour servir aux différentes descriptions et histoires de cet empire]'' (1790). This is an expanded edition of an atlas first published in 1737.</ref><ref>Lane Harris, "[http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tcc/summary/v034/34.1.harris.html A 'Lasting Boon to All': A Note on the Postal Romanization of Place Names, 1896–1949] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151005145921/http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/tcc/summary/v034/34.1.harris.html |date=2015-10-05 }}". ''Twentieth Century China'' 34.1 (2008): 99.</ref>}} ending that war, Western powers for the first time secured the right to establish permanent diplomatic presences within the city. From 14 to 15 August 1900 the Battle of Peking was fought. This battle was part of the [[Religion:Boxer Rebellion|Boxer Rebellion]]. 
The attempt by the Boxers to eradicate this presence, as well as Chinese Christian converts, led to Beijing's reoccupation by eight foreign powers.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|pp=119–120}}</ref> During the fighting, several important structures were destroyed, including the Hanlin Academy and the (new) Summer Palace.
A peace agreement was concluded between the Eight-Nation Alliance and representatives of the Chinese government Li Hongzhang and Yikuang on 7 September 1901. The treaty required China to pay an indemnity of US$335 million (over US$4 billion in current dollars) plus interest over a period of 39 years. Also required was the execution or exile of government supporters of the Boxers and the destruction of Chinese forts and other defenses in much of northern China. Ten days after the treaty was signed the foreign armies left Beijing, although legation guards would remain there until [[Social:World War II|World War II]].<ref>Preston, p. 310–311</ref>

With the treaty signed the Empress Dowager Cixi returned to Beijing from her "tour of inspection" on 7 January 1902 and the rule of the Qing dynasty over China was restored, albeit much weakened by the defeat it had suffered in the Boxer Rebellion and by the indemnity and stipulations of the peace treaty.<ref>Preston, pp. 312–315</ref> The Dowager died in 1908 and the dynasty imploded in 1911.

=== Republic of China ===
[[File:Chiang KaiShek Portrait Tiananmen Beijing.jpg|thumb|A large portrait of Chiang Kai-shek was displayed above Tiananmen after WWII.]]

The fomenters of the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 sought to replace Qing rule with a republic and leaders like Sun Yat-sen originally intended to return the capital to Nanjing. After the Qing general Yuan Shikai forced the abdication of the last Qing emperor and ensured the success of the revolution, the revolutionaries accepted him as president of the new Republic of China. Yuan maintained his capital at Beijing and quickly consolidated power, declaring himself emperor in 1915. His death less than a year later<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|pp=133–134}}</ref> left China under the control of the warlords commanding the regional armies. Following the success of the Kuomintang's Northern Expedition, the capital was formally moved to Nanjing in 1928. On 28 June the same year, Beijing's name was returned to Beiping (written at the time as "Peiping").<ref name="columbia encyclopaedia">{{cite encyclopedia |year=2008 |title=Beijing |encyclopedia=The Columbia Encyclopedia |url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Beijing.aspx |access-date=22 July 2009 |edition=6th |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212121906/http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Beijing.aspx |archive-date=12 February 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|MacKerras|Yorke|1991|p=8}}</ref>

On 7 July 1937, the 29th Army and the Japanese army in China exchanged fire at the Marco Polo Bridge near the Wanping Fortress southwest of the city. The Marco Polo Bridge Incident triggered the Second Sino-Japanese War, [[Social:World War II|World War II]] as it is known in China. During the war,<ref name="columbia encyclopaedia"/> Beijing fell to Japan on 29 July 1937<ref>{{cite web |title=Incident on 7 July 1937 |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/27/content_3141055.htm |publisher=Xinhua News Agency |date=27 June 2005 |access-date=20 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141848/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-06/27/content_3141055.htm |archive-date=16 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and was made the seat of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China, a [[Social:Puppet state|puppet state]] that ruled the ethnic-Chinese portions of Japanese-occupied northern China.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=166}}</ref> This government was later merged into the larger Wang Jingwei government based in Nanjing.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cheung|first=Andrew |title=Slogans, Symbols, and Legitimacy: The Case of Wang Jingwei's Nanjing Regime|url=http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/resources/working_paper/noframe_6a_sloga.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071023222730/http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/resources/working_paper/noframe_6a_sloga.htm|archive-date=23 October 2007 |publisher=Indiana University |year=1995 |access-date=20 June 2008}}</ref>

=== People's Republic of China ===
[[File:Tiananmen 13.jpg|thumb|Tiananmen during People's Republic of China]]
In the final phases of the Chinese Civil War, the People's Liberation Army seized control of the city peacefully on 31 January 1949 in the course of the Pingjin Campaign. On 1 October that year, [[Biography:Mao Zedong|Mao Zedong]] announced the creation of the People's Republic of China from atop Tian'anmen. He restored the name of the city, as the new capital, to Beijing,<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=168}}</ref> a decision that had been reached by the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference just a few days earlier.

In the 1950s, the city began to expand beyond the old walled city and its surrounding neighborhoods, with heavy industries in the west and residential neighborhoods in the north. Many areas of the Beijing city wall were torn down in the 1960s to make way for the construction of the Beijing Subway and the 2nd Ring Road.

During the Cultural Revolution from 1966 to 1976, the Red Guard movement began in Beijing and the city's government fell victim to one of the first purges. By the autumn of 1966, all city schools were shut down and over a million Red Guards from across the country gathered in Beijing for eight rallies in Tian'anmen Square with Mao.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://dangshi.people.com.cn/GB/85039/14329784.html |script-title=zh:毛主席八次接见红卫兵的组织工作 |script-work=zh:中国共产党新闻网 |date=7 April 2011 |language=zh-CN |access-date=27 December 2011 |archive-date=6 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170706102741/http://dangshi.people.com.cn/GB/85039/14329784.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In April 1976, a large public gathering of Beijing residents against the Gang of Four and the Cultural Revolution in Tiananmen Square was forcefully suppressed. In October 1976, the Gang was arrested in Zhongnanhai and the Cultural Revolution came to an end. In December 1978, the Third Plenum of the 11th Party Congress in Beijing under the leadership of [[Biography:Deng Xiaoping|Deng Xiaoping]] reversed the verdicts against victims of the Cultural Revolution and instituted the "policy of reform and opening up."

Since the early 1980s, the urban area of Beijing has expanded greatly with the completion of the 2nd Ring Road in 1981 and the subsequent addition of the 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th Ring Roads.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=217}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=255}}</ref> According to one 2005 newspaper report, the size of newly developed Beijing was one-and-a-half times larger than before.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=252}}</ref> Wangfujing and Xidan have developed into flourishing shopping districts,<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=149}}</ref> while Zhongguancun has become a major center of electronics in China.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|pp=249–250}}</ref> In recent years, the expansion of Beijing has also brought to the forefront some problems of urbanization, such as heavy traffic, [[Earth:Air pollution|poor air quality]], the loss of historic neighborhoods, and a significant influx of migrant workers from less-developed [[Earth:Rural area|rural area]]s of the country.<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|pp=255–256}}</ref> Beijing has also been the location of many significant events in recent Chinese history, principally the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989.<ref name="BBC News">[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4313282.stm Picture Power:Tiananmen Standoff] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217014228/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4313282.stm |date=17 February 2009 }} BBC News.</ref> The city has also hosted major international events, including the 2008 Summer Olympics and the 2015 World Championships in Athletics, and the 2022 Winter Olympics, making it the first city to ever host both Winter and Summer Olympics.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://huffingtonpost.com/entry/2022-winter-olympics_55bb4805e4b06363d5a1aa34|title=IOC: Beijing To Host 2022 Winter Olympics|agency=Associated Press|date=31 July 2015|work=The Huffington Post|access-date=11 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150810230449/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/2022-winter-olympics_55bb4805e4b06363d5a1aa34|archive-date=10 August 2015|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Geography ==
Beijing is situated at the northern tip of the roughly triangular North China Plain, which opens to the south and east of the city. Mountains to the north, northwest and west shield the city and northern China's agricultural heartland from the encroaching desert steppes. The northwestern part of the municipality, especially Yanqing District and Huairou District, are dominated by the Jundu Mountains, while the western part is framed by ''Xishan'' or the Western Hills. The Great Wall of China across the northern part of Beijing Municipality was built on the rugged topography to defend against nomadic incursions from the steppes. Mount Dongling, in the Western Hills and on the border with Hebei, is the municipality's highest point, with an altitude of {{convert|2303|m}}.

Major rivers flowing through the municipality, including the Chaobai, Yongding, Juma, are all tributaries in the Hai River system, and flow in a southeasterly direction. The Miyun Reservoir, on the upper reaches of the Chaobai River, is the largest reservoir within the municipality. Beijing is also the northern terminus of the Grand Canal to Hangzhou, which was built over 1,400 years ago as a transportation route, and the South–North Water Transfer Project, constructed in the past decade to bring water from the Yangtze River basin.

The urban area of Beijing, on the plains in the south-central of the municipality with elevation of {{convert|40|to(-)|60|m|ft|abbr=off}}, occupies a relatively small but expanding portion of the municipality's area. The city spreads out in concentric ring roads. The Second Ring Road traces the old city walls and the Sixth Ring Road connects satellite towns in the surrounding suburbs. Tian'anmen and Tian'anmen Square are at the center of Beijing, directly to the south of the Forbidden City, the former residence of the emperors of China. To the west of Tian'anmen is Zhongnanhai, the residence of China's current leaders. Chang'an Avenue, which cuts between Tiananmen and the Square, forms the city's main east–west axis.

Beijing's pattern of development from the old inner city to its urban fringe are frequently described as "spreading like a pancake" (''tan da bing'').<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|page=135}} This pattern of development is frequently cited as a reason for Beijing's urban problems.<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|page=135}}

=== Climate ===
[[File:Beijing average annual temperatures 1970 to 2019.jpg|thumb|360x380px|Beijing average annual temperatures from 1970 to 2019 during summer (June, July, and August) and winter (December, January, and February). Weather station data from [https://web.archive.org/web/20211009101925/ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/noaa/ NOAA]. For comparison the [[Physics:Global temperature record|Global Surface Temperature Anomaly]] rose by approximately one degree over the same time period.|alt=]] Beijing has a temperate semi-arid climate (Köppen: ''BSk''), bordering on a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen: ''Dwa''), characterized by hot, humid summers due to the East Asian monsoon, and brief but cold, dry winters that reflect the influence of the vast Siberian anticyclone.<ref name="people's daily">{{cite web |date=March 2001 |title=Beijing |url=http://english.people.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518043113/http://english.people.com.cn/data/province/beijing.html |archive-date=18 May 2008 |access-date=22 June 2008 |work=People's Daily}}</ref> Spring can bear witness to sandstorms blowing in from the [[Earth:Gobi Desert|Gobi Desert]] across the Mongolian steppe, accompanied by rapidly warming, but generally dry, conditions. Autumn, similar to spring, is a season of transition and minimal precipitation. According to China's seasonal division standard, Beijing enters spring on March 26, summer on May 20, autumn on September 13, and winter on October 31. The monthly daily average temperature in January is {{convert|−2.7|°C|1}}, while in July it is {{convert|27.2|°C|1}}. Precipitation averages around {{convert|528|mm|in|0|abbr=on}} annually, with close to three-quarters of that total falling from June to August. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 42% in July to 62% in January and February, the city receives 2,490.5 hours of bright sunshine annually. Extremes since 1951 have ranged from {{convert|−27.4|°C|1}} on 22 February 1966 to {{convert|41.9|°C|1}} on 24 July 1999 (unofficial record of {{convert|42.6|°C|1}} was set on 15 June 1942).<ref>{{cite web |title=无标题文档 |url=http://cdc.cma.gov.cn/dataSetLogger.do?changeFlag%3DdataLogger |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130318113757/http://cdc.cma.gov.cn/dataSetLogger.do?changeFlag=dataLogger |archive-date=18 March 2013 |access-date=18 February 2013}}</ref><ref name="Mherrera" />
{{Beijing weatherbox|Caption=Beijing annual temperature averages during summer (June, July, and August), and winter (December, January, and February). Weather station data from ftp://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/noaa/
For comparison, the Global surface record temperature rose by approximately one degree over the same time period.}}
<div style="width: 80%;"></div>
{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Beijing.tab
| title=Beijing temperature
}}

Beijing broke a seven-decade cold-weather record in December 2023 as it recorded more hours of sub-zero temperatures than in any year since 1951. A Beijing weather observatory recorded more than 300 hours of sub-zero temperatures since 11 December 2023 which included nine consecutive days of temperatures below minus 10 degrees Celsius.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-12-24 |title=Beijing sees most hours of sub-freezing temperatures in December since 1951 |language=en |work=AP News |url=https://apnews.com/article/china-extreme-cold-weather-9a71586a1272fa404dbd67551f9c5cd1 |access-date=2023-12-26}}</ref>

== Cityscape ==
{{wide image|2017-05-07 The Forbidden City.jpg|700px|align-cap=center|A panorama of the Forbidden City, viewed from the Jingshan Park}}

=== Architecture ===
[[File:Views from Jingshan Park 1.jpg|thumb|left|The North-South Central Axis of Beijing City]]
Three styles of architecture are predominant in urban Beijing. First, there is the traditional architecture of imperial China, perhaps best exemplified by the massive Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace), which remains the People's Republic of China's trademark edifice, the Forbidden City, the Imperial Ancestral Temple and the Temple of Heaven. Next, there is what is sometimes referred to as the "Sino-Sov" style, with structures tending to be boxy and sometimes poorly constructed, which were built between the 1950s and the 1970s.<ref>{{cite book |title=Business Guide to Beijing and North-East China |edition=2006–2007 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M2TvFN9DmqkC&q=%22sino-sov%22+%2Barchitecture&pg=PA108 |page=108 |isbn=978-988-98673-3-1 |year=2006 |publisher=China Briefing Media |location=Hong Kong |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-date=7 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307165627/https://books.google.com/books?id=M2TvFN9DmqkC&q=%22sino-sov%22+%2Barchitecture&pg=PA108 |url-status=live }}</ref> Finally, there are much more modern architectural forms, most noticeably in the area of the Beijing CBD in east Beijing such as the new CCTV Headquarters, in addition to buildings in other locations around the city such as the Beijing National Stadium and National Center for the Performing Arts.

Since 2007, buildings in Beijing have received the CTBUH Skyscraper Award for best overall tall building twice, for the Linked Hybrid building in 2009 and the CCTV Headquarters in 2013. The CTBUH Skyscraper award for best tall overall building is given to only one building around the world every year.

In the early 21st century, Beijing has witnessed tremendous growth of new building constructions, exhibiting various modern styles from international designers, most pronounced in the CBD region. A mixture of both 1950s design and neofuturistic style of architecture can be seen at the 798 Art Zone, which mixes the old with the new. Beijing's tallest building is the 528-meter China Zun.

[[File:Wangjing SOHO6.jpg|thumb|Wangjing SOHO]]
Beijing is famous for its ''siheyuans'', a type of residence where a common courtyard is shared by the surrounding buildings. Among the more grand examples are the Prince Gong Mansion and Residence of Soong Ching-ling. These courtyards are usually connected by alleys called ''hutongs''. The ''hutongs'' are generally straight and run east to west so that doorways face north and south for good Feng Shui. They vary in width; some are so narrow only a few pedestrians can pass through at a time. Once ubiquitous in Beijing, ''siheyuans'' and ''hutongs'' are rapidly disappearing,<ref>
{{cite news |last=Shen |first=Wei |title=Chorography to record rise and fall of Beijing's Hutongs |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-02/16/content_306506.htm |work=China Daily |date=16 February 2004 |access-date=27 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080308141253/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-02/16/content_306506.htm |archive-date=8 March 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref> as entire city blocks of ''hutongs'' are replaced by high-rise buildings.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=1160 |title=Farewell to the Hutongs: Urban Development in Beijing |author=Amy Stone |magazine=Dissent magazine |date=Spring 2008 |access-date=14 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519103106/http://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=1160 |archive-date=19 May 2011}}</ref> Residents of the ''hutongs'' are entitled to live in the new buildings in apartments of at least the same size as their former residences. Many complain, however, that the traditional sense of community and street life of the ''hutongs'' cannot be replaced,<ref>{{harvnb|Li|Dray-Novey|Kong|2007|p=253}}</ref> and these properties are often government owned.<ref>{{cite web |last=Gallagher |first=Sean |title=Beijing's urban makeover: the 'hutong' destruction |url=http://www.opendemocracy.net/arts-photography/hutong_destruction_3632.jsp |work=Open Democracy |date=6 December 2006 |access-date=27 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080525080332/http://www.opendemocracy.net/arts-photography/hutong_destruction_3632.jsp |archive-date=25 May 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Environmental issues ===
Beijing has a long history of environmental problems.<ref>J.R. McNeill, ''Something New Under the Sun: An Environmental History of the 20th-Century World''. New York: Norton, 2000, {{ISBN|978-0-14-029509-2}}.</ref> Between 2000 and 2009 Beijing's urban extent quadrupled, which not only strongly increased the extent of anthropogenic emissions, but also changed the meteorological situation fundamentally, even if [[Physics:Exhaust gas|emissions]] of human society are not included. For example, surface [[Earth:Albedo|albedo]], wind speed and [[Physics:Humidity|humidity]] near the surface were decreased, whereas ground and near-surface air temperatures, vertical air dilution and [[Chemistry:Ozone|ozone]] levels were increased.<ref>Mark Z. Jacobson, Son V. Nghiem, Alessandro Sorichetta, Natasha Whitney, ''Ring of impact from the mega-urbanization of Beijing between 2000 and 2009''. In: ''[[Earth:Journal of Geophysical Research|Journal of Geophysical Research]]: Atmospheres'' 120, Issue 12, (2015), 5740–5756, {{doi|10.1002/2014JD023008}}.</ref> Because of the combined factors of urbanization and pollution caused by burning of fossil fuel, Beijing is often affected by serious environmental problems, which lead to health issues of many inhabitants. In 2013 heavy [[Earth:Smog|smog]] struck Beijing and most parts of northern China, impacting a total of 600 million people. After this "pollution shock" [[Earth:Air pollution|air pollution]] became an important economic and social concern in China. After that the government of Beijing announced measures to reduce air pollution, for example by lowering the share of coal from 24% in 2012 to 10% in 2017, while the national government ordered heavily polluting vehicles to be removed from 2015 to 2017 and increased its efforts to transition the energy system to clean sources.<ref>Peter Sheehan, Enjiang Cheng, Alex English, Fanghong Sun, ''China's response to the air pollution shock''. In: ''Nature Climate Change'' 4, (2014), 306–309, {{doi|10.1038/nclimate2197}}.</ref>

==== Air quality ====
Joint research between American and Chinese researchers in 2006 concluded that much of the city's pollution comes from surrounding cities and provinces. On average 35–60% of the [[Chemistry:Ozone|ozone]] can be traced to sources outside the city. Shandong Province and [[Place:Tianjin|Tianjin]] Municipality have a "significant influence on Beijing's air quality",<ref>David G. Streetsa, Joshua S. Fub, Carey J. Jangc, Jiming Haod, Kebin Hed, Xiaoyan Tange, Yuanhang Zhange, Zifa Wangf, Zuopan Lib, Qiang Zhanga, Litao Wangd, Binyu Wangc, Carolyne Yua, [https://web.archive.org/web/20130724181603/http://www.cee.mtu.edu/~reh/papers/pubs/non_Honrath/streets07.pdf Air quality during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games] accessed 23 April 2012</ref> partly due to the prevailing south/southeasterly flow during the summer and the mountains to the north and northwest.

In preparation for the 2008 Summer Olympics and to fulfill promises to clean up the city's air, nearly US$17&nbsp;billion was spent.<ref name=sundance>{{cite web|url=http://www.sundancechannel.com/sunfiltered/2008/08/green-olympics-effort-draws-un-environment-chief-to-beijing/|title=Green Olympics Effort Draws UN Environment Chief to Beijing|publisher=Sundance Channel|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320014244/http://www.sundancechannel.com/sunfiltered/2008/08/green-olympics-effort-draws-un-environment-chief-to-beijing/|archive-date=20 March 2012}}</ref> Beijing implemented a number of air improvement schemes for the duration of the Games, including halting work at all construction sites, closing many factories in Beijing permanently, temporarily shutting industry in neighboring regions, closing some gas stations,<ref>{{cite news |title=Beijing petrol stations to close |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7246955.stm |work=BBC News |date=15 February 2008 |access-date=15 February 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080218153943/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7246955.stm|archive-date= 18 February 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> and cutting motor traffic by half by limiting drivers to odd or even days (based on their license plate numbers),<ref>{{cite news |last=Yardley |first=Jim |title=Smoggy Beijing Plans to Cut Traffic by Half for Olympics, Paper Says |newspaper=The New York Times |date=24 January 2008 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/world/asia/24beijing.html |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417050854/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/24/world/asia/24beijing.html |archive-date=17 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> reducing bus and subway fares, opening new subway lines, and banning high-emission vehicles.<ref name=octpoll>{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/28/content_10126448.htm |title=Post-Olympics Beijing car restrictions to take effect next month |publisher=News.xinhuanet.com |date=28 September 2008 |access-date=1 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141853/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/28/content_10126448.htm |archive-date=16 December 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=polluteban>{{cite web|url=http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1010598/Only-green-vehicles-permitted-to-enter-Beijing.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527141518/http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1010598/Only-green-vehicles-permitted-to-enter-Beijing.html |archive-date=27 May 2009 |title=Only 'green' vehicles permitted to enter Beijing |publisher=Autonews.gasgoo.com |date=22 May 2009 |access-date=1 June 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The city further assembled 3,800 [[Chemistry:Natural gas|natural gas]]-powered buses, one of the largest fleets in the world.<ref name=sundance/> Beijing became the first city in China to require the Chinese equivalent to the Euro 4 [[Earth:Emission standard|emission standard]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.automotiveworld.com/AEM/content.asp?contentid=65589 |title=China: Beijing launches Euro 4 standards |publisher=Automotiveworld.com |date=4 January 2008 |access-date=1 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100427051912/http://www.automotiveworld.com/news/emerging-markets/65589-china-beijing-launches-euro-4-standards |archive-date=27 April 2010}}</ref>

Coal burning accounts for about 40% of the [[Earth:Particulates|PM 2.5]] in Beijing and is also the chief source of nitrogen and sulphur dioxide.<ref name="MotherJones">[https://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/01/beijing-coal-smog-crisis-chart James West, ''Mother Jones''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429191515/http://www.motherjones.com/blue-marble/2013/01/beijing-coal-smog-crisis-chart |date=29 April 2017 }}. 18 January 2013.</ref> Since 2012, the city has been converting coal-fired power stations to burn natural gas<ref name="CNDaily20120308">[http://www.china.org.cn/china/NPC_CPPCC_2012/2012-03/08/content_24838378.htm "Beijing to switch from coal to gas to go green". ''China Daily''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131205152207/http://www.china.org.cn/china/NPC_CPPCC_2012/2012-03/08/content_24838378.htm |date=5 December 2013 }}. 8 March 2012.</ref> and aims to cap annual coal consumption at 20 million tons. In 2011, the city burned 26.3 million tons of coal, 73% of which for heating and power generation and the remainder for industry.<ref name="CNDaily20120308"/> Much of the city's air pollutants are emitted by neighboring regions.<ref name="MotherJones"/> Coal consumption in neighboring Tianjin is expected to increase from 48 to 63 million tons from 2011 to 2015.<ref name="SCMP20130205">[http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1143423/beijings-air-quality-will-worsen-without-coal-control-greenpeace-says Li Jing, "Beijing's air quality will worsen without coal control, Greenpeace says". ''South China Morning Post''. 5 February 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131115051634/http://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/1143423/beijings-air-quality-will-worsen-without-coal-control-greenpeace-says |date=15 November 2013 }}.</ref> Hebei Province burned over 300 million tons of coal in 2011, more than all of Germany, of which only 30% were used for power generation and a considerable portion for steel and cement making.<ref>"Detecting the Heavy Metal Concentration of PM2.5 in Beijing", Greenpeace.org. 8 June 2013.</ref> Power plants in the coal-mining regions of Shanxi, Inner Mongolia and Shaanxi, where coal consumption has tripled since 2000, and Shandong also contribute to air pollution in Beijing.<ref name="MotherJones"/> Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei and Inner Mongolia, respectively rank from first to fourth, among Chinese provinces by coal consumption.<ref name="SCMP20130205"/> There were four major coal-fired power plants in the city to provide electricity as well as heating during the winter. The first one (Gaojing Thermal Power Plant) was shut down in 2014.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Stanway|first1=David|title=Beijing shuts big coal-fired power plant to ease smog –Xinhua|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/china-pollution-beijing-idUKL4N0PY3FF20140723|access-date=31 May 2016|work=Reuters|date=23 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630013015/http://uk.reuters.com/article/china-pollution-beijing-idUKL4N0PY3FF20140723|archive-date=30 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Another two were shut in March 2015. The last one (Huaneng Thermal Power Plant) would be shut in 2016.<ref name=ChinaDaily>{{cite news|last1=Chang|first1=Lyu|title=Beijing shuts two more coal-fired power plants|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/beijing/2015-03/24/content_19894259.htm|access-date=31 May 2016|work=The China Daily|date=24 March 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160630071249/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/beijing/2015-03/24/content_19894259.htm|archive-date=30 June 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> Between 2013 and 2017, the city planned to reduce 13 million tons of coal consumption and cap coal consumption to 15 million tons in 2015.<ref name=ChinaDaily/>

The government sometimes uses cloud-seeding measures to increase the likelihood of rain showers in the region to clear the air prior to large events, such as prior to the 60th anniversary parade in 2009 as well as to combat drought conditions in the area.<ref>{{cite news |title=Communist China celebrates 60th anniversary with instruments of war and words of peace |first=Barbara |last=Demick |newspaper={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}} |date=2 October 2009 |url=https://latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fg-china-parade2-2009oct02,0,5892663.story |access-date=11 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091014045438/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-fg-china-parade2-2009oct02,0,5892663.story |archive-date=14 October 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> More recently, however, the government has increased its usage of such measures as closing factories temporarily and implementing greater restrictions for cars on the road, as in the case of "APEC blue" and "parade blue," short periods during and immediately preceding the APEC China 2014 and the 2015 China Victory Day Parade, respectively.<ref>{{cite news|title="Parade Blue" Joins "APEC Blue" as Distant Memories as Nasty Air Returns to Beijing|url=https://thenanfang.com/beijing-air-quality-quickly-deteriorates-september-3-parade/|work=The Nanfang|first=Charles|last=Liu|date=12 May 2016|access-date=28 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128194925/https://thenanfang.com/beijing-air-quality-quickly-deteriorates-september-3-parade/|archive-date=28 November 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> During and prior to these events, Beijing's air quality improved dramatically, only to fall back to unhealthy levels shortly after.

On 8 and 9 December 2015 Beijing had its first [[Earth:Smog|smog]] alert which shut down a majority of the industry and other commercial businesses in the city.<ref>{{cite news|title = As Beijing Shuts Down Over Smog Alert, Worse-Off Neighbors Carry On|url = https://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/world/asia/beijing-air-pollution-red-alert.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 9 December 2015|access-date = 9 December 2015|issn = 0362-4331|first = Edward|last = Wong|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151209190120/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/12/10/world/asia/beijing-air-pollution-red-alert.html|archive-date = 9 December 2015|url-status=live|df = dmy-all}}</ref> Later in the month another smog "red alert" was issued.<ref name="abc-2nd-red">{{cite news |title=Beijing issues second red alert for choking smog |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-18/beijing-issues-second-red-alert-for-pollution/7042490?section=environment |access-date=18 December 2015 |work=ABC News |agency=ABC |date=18 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151218153144/http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-12-18/beijing-issues-second-red-alert-for-pollution/7042490?section=environment |archive-date=18 December 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to Beijing's environmental protection bureau's announcement in November 2016, starting from 2017 highly polluting old cars will be banned from being driven whenever Smog "red alerts" are issued in the city or neighboring regions.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://asiatimes.com/article/beijing-ban-polluting-cars-smog-alerts/|title=Beijing to ban polluting cars during smog alerts|agency=Reuters|date=22 November 2016|website=www.atimes.com|access-date=2 December 2016|archive-date=7 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220307165627/https://asiatimes.com/2016/11/beijing-ban-polluting-cars-smog-alerts/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In recent years, there has been measurable reductions in pollutants after the "war on pollution" was declared in 2014, with Beijing seeing a 35% reduction in fine particulates in 2017<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/upshot/china-pollution-environment-longer-lives.html|title=Four Years After Declaring War on Pollution, China Is Winning|last=Greenstone|first=Michael|date=12 March 2018|work=The New York Times|access-date=15 January 2019|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190111192818/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/12/upshot/china-pollution-environment-longer-lives.html|archive-date=11 January 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> and further reduction by 2020.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |last=Hu |first=Richard |title=Reinventing the Chinese City |date=2023 |publisher=Columbia University Press |isbn=978-0-231-21101-7 |location=New York}}</ref>{{Rp|page=52}} The primary factors behind this reduction were replacing coal power with natural gas and cleaning up polluting industrial facilities in the Beijing area.<ref name=":03" />{{Rp|pages=169-170}}

=== Readings ===
Due to Beijing's high level of air pollution, there are various readings by different sources on the subject. Daily pollution readings at 27 monitoring stations around the city are reported on the website of the Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau (BJEPB).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bjepb.gov.cn/ |script-title=zh:首页 |publisher=Beijing Municipal Web |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151229060137/http://www.bjepb.gov.cn/ |archive-date=29 December 2015 }}</ref> The American Embassy of Beijing also reports hourly [[Earth:Particulates|fine particulate (PM2.5)]] and [[Chemistry:Ozone|ozone]] levels on Twitter.<ref name=Demick/> Since the BJEPB and US Embassy measure different pollutants according to different criteria, the pollution levels and the impact to human health reported by the BJEPB are often lower than that reported by the US Embassy.<ref name=Demick>{{cite news |title=U.S. Embassy air quality data undercut China's own assessment |author=Barbara Demick |newspaper={{wipe|Los Angeles Times}} |date=29 October 2011 |url=https://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/29/world/la-fg-china-air-quality-20111030 |access-date=7 November 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107091929/http://articles.latimes.com/2011/oct/29/world/la-fg-china-air-quality-20111030 |archive-date=7 November 2011 |url-status=live }} (login required)</ref>

The smog is causing harm and danger to the population. The air pollution does directly result in significant impact on the morbidity rate of cardiovascular disease and respiratory disease in Beijing.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Zhao|first1=Xiaoli|last2=Yu|first2=Xueying|last3=Wang|first3=Ying|last4=Fan|first4=Chunyang|date=1 June 2016|title=Economic evaluation of health losses from air pollution in Beijing, China|journal=Environmental Science and Pollution Research|language=en|volume=23|issue=12|pages=11716–11728|doi=10.1007/s11356-016-6270-8|pmid=26944425|bibcode=2016ESPR...2311716Z |s2cid=3075757|issn=0944-1344}}</ref> Exposure to large concentrations of polluted air can cause respiratory and cardiovascular problems, emergency room visits, and even death.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Maji|first1=Kamal Jyoti|last2=Arora|first2=Mohit|last3=Dikshit|first3=Anil Kumar|date=1 April 2017|title=Burden of disease attributed to ambient PM2.5 and PM10 exposure in 190 cities in China|journal=Environmental Science and Pollution Research|language=en|volume=24|issue=12|pages=11559–11572|doi=10.1007/s11356-017-8575-7|pmid=28321701|bibcode=2017ESPR...2411559M |s2cid=37640939|issn=0944-1344}}</ref>

==== Dust storms ====
Dust from the erosion of deserts in northern and northwestern China results in seasonal [[Earth:Dust storm|dust storm]]s that plague the city; the Beijing Weather Modification Office sometimes artificially induces rainfall to fight such storms and mitigate their effects.<ref>{{cite news |title=China says it made rain to wash off sand |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/12644965 |work=NBC News |date=5 May 2006 |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-date=14 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200814115224/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/12644965 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the first four months of 2006 alone, there were no fewer than eight such storms.<ref>
{{cite news |title=Beijing hit by eighth sandstorm |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia-pacific/4915690.stm |work=BBC News |date=17 April 2006 |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930013642/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/world/asia-pacific/4915690.stm |archive-date=30 September 2009 |url-status=live }}
</ref> In April 2002, one dust storm alone dumped nearly 50,000&nbsp;tons of dust onto the city before moving on to Japan and Korea.<ref>{{cite news |last=Weaver|first=Lisa Rose |title=More than a dust storm in a Chinese teacup |url=http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2002/WEATHER/04/03/dust.storm/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070113212753/http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2002/WEATHER/04/03/dust.storm/ |archive-date=13 January 2007 |work=CNN|date=4 April 2002 |access-date=7 February 2008}}</ref>

== Government ==

The municipal government is regulated by the local Chinese Communist Party (CCP), led by the Beijing [[Organization:Chinese Communist Party Committee Secretary|CCP Secretary]] ({{zh|中共北京市委书记}}). The local CCP issues administrative orders, collects taxes, manages the economy, and directs a standing committee of the Municipal People's Congress in making policy decisions and overseeing the local government.

Government officials include the mayor ({{zh|市长}}) and vice-mayor. Numerous bureaus focus on law, public security, and other affairs. Additionally, as the capital of China, Beijing houses all of the important national governmental and political institutions, including the National People's Congress.<ref name="britannica government">{{cite encyclopedia |title = Beijing – Administration and society – Government |url = https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/448956/Beijing/232381/Administration-and-society#toc=toc232382 |encyclopedia=Britannica Online Encyclopedia |year=2008 |access-date=16 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080609035720/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/448956/Beijing/232381/Administration-and-society#toc=toc232382 |archive-date=9 June 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Administrative divisions ===

Beijing Municipality currently comprises 16 administrative county-level subdivisions including 16 urban, suburban, and rural districts. On 1 July 2010, Chongwen and Xuanwu were merged into Dongcheng and Xicheng, respectively. On 13 November 2015 Miyun and Yanqing were upgraded to districts.

{|class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:90%; text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="14" |'''Administrative divisions of Beijing'''
|-
|colspan="14" |<div class="center" style="position: relative">
{{Image label begin|image=Administrative Division Beijing.svg|width=600|link=}} 
{{Image label|x=294|y=420|scale=600/600|text={{small|'''Dongcheng'''}}}}
{{Image label|x=245|y=420|scale=600/600|text={{small|'''Xicheng'''}}}}
{{Image label|x=286|y=388|scale=600/600|text='''Chaoyang'''}}
{{Image label|x=230|y=440|scale=600/600|text='''Fengtai'''}}
{{Image label|x=190|y=405|scale=600/600|text={{small|'''Shijingshan'''}}}}
{{Image label|x=230|y=375|scale=600/600|text='''Haidian'''}}
{{Image label|x=100|y=390|scale=600/600|text='''Mentougou'''}}
{{Image label|x=120|y=490|scale=600/600|text='''Fangshan'''}}
{{Image label|x=350|y=460|scale=600/600|text='''Tongzhou'''}}
{{Image label|x=350|y=335|scale=600/600|text='''Shunyi'''}}
{{Image label|x=200|y=310|scale=600/600|text='''Changping'''}}
{{Image label|x=270|y=500|scale=600/600|text='''Daxing'''}}
{{Image label|x=320|y=205|scale=600/600|text='''Huairou'''}}
{{Image label|x=470|y=310|scale=600/600|text='''Pinggu'''}}
{{Image label|x=430|y=185|scale=600/600|text='''Miyun'''}}
{{Image label|x=190|y=210|scale=600/600|text='''Yanqing'''}}
{{Image label end}}
</div>
|-
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Division code<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjbz/cxfldm/2011/index.html |script-title=zh:国家统计局统计用区划代码 |publisher=National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China |access-date=24 November 2015 |archive-date=5 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130405092331/http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjbz/cxfldm/2011/index.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Division
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Area in km<sup>2</sup><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ghgtw.beijing.gov.cn/art/2018/9/14/art_1949_560635.html |script-title=zh:2017年度北京市土地利用现状汇总表|website=ghgtw.beijing.gov.cn|access-date=13 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190113182323/http://ghgtw.beijing.gov.cn/art/2018/9/14/art_1949_560635.html|archive-date=13 January 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Total population 2010<ref>{{cite book | author1=Census Office of the State Council of the People's Republic of China| author2=Population and Employment Statistics Division of the National Bureau of Statistics of the People's Republic of China |script-title=zh:中国2010年人口普查分乡、镇、街道资料 |date=2012|publisher=China Statistics Print |location=Beijing|isbn=978-7-5037-6660-2|edition=1}}<!--|access-date=25 November 2015--></ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Urban area<br />population 2010<ref name ="2010PRCcensus">{{cite book |author=国务院人口普查办公室、国家统计局人口和社会科技统计司编 |date=2012 |script-title=zh:中国2010年人口普查分县资料 |location=Beijing |publisher=China Statistics Print |isbn=978-7-5037-6659-6 }}</ref>
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Seat
!! scope="col" rowspan=2 |Postal code
!! scope="col" colspan=8 |Subdivisions<ref>{{lang|zh-hans|《中国民政统计年鉴2012》}}</ref>{{Full citation needed|date=September 2018}}
|-
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"|Subdistricts
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"|Towns
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"|Townships<br />{{#tag:ref|Including Ethnic townships & other township related subdivisions.|name=other|group=n}}
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"|Residential communities
!! scope="col" style="width:45px;"|Villages
|- style="font-weight: bold"
! 110000 !! Beijing
|16406.16 ||19,612,368 ||16,858,692 ||Dongcheng / Tongzhou ||100000 ||149 ||143 ||38 ||2538 ||3857
|-
! 110101 !! Dongcheng
|41.82 || colspan="2" |919,253 ||Jingshan Subdistrict ||100000 ||17 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||216 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;
|-
! 110102 !! Xicheng
|50.33 || colspan="2" |1,243,315 ||Jinrong Street Subdistrict ||100000 ||15 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||259 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;
|-
! 110105 !! Chaoyang
|454.78 ||3,545,137 ||3,532,257 ||Chaowai Subdistrict ||100000 ||24 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||19 ||358 ||5
|-
! 110106 !! Fengtai
|305.53 ||2,112,162 ||2,098,632 ||Fengtai Subdistrict ||100000 ||16 ||2 ||3 ||254 ||73
|-
! 110107 !! {{nowrap|Shijingshan}}
|84.38 || colspan="2" |616,083 ||Lugu Subdistrict ||100000 ||9 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||130 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;
|-
! 110108 !! Haidian
|430.77 ||3,280,670 ||3,208,563 ||Haidian Subdistrict ||100000 ||22 ||7 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||603 ||84
|-
! 110109 !! Mentougou
|1447.85 ||290,476 ||248,547 ||Dayu Subdistrict ||102300 ||4 ||9 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||124 ||179
|-
! 110111 !! Fangshan
|1994.73 ||944,832 ||635,282 ||Gongchen Subdistrict||102400 ||8 ||14 ||6 ||108 ||462
|-
! 110112 !! Tongzhou
|905.79 ||1,184,256 ||724,228 ||Beiyuan Subdistrict ||101100 ||6 ||10 ||1 ||40 ||480
|-
! 110113 !! Shunyi
|1019.51 ||876,620 ||471,459 ||Shengli Subdistrict ||101300 ||6 ||19 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||61 ||449
|-
! 110114 !! Changping
|1342.47 ||1,660,501 ||1,310,617 ||Chengbei Subdistrict ||102200 ||8 ||14 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||180 ||303
|-
! 110115 !! Daxing
|1036.34 ||1,365,112 ||965,683 ||Xingfeng Subdistrict ||102600 ||5 ||14 ||style="background:gray;"|&nbsp;||64 ||547
|-
! 110116 !! Huairou
|2122.82 ||372,887 ||253,088 ||Longshan Subdistrict ||101400 ||2 ||12 ||2 ||27 ||286
|-
! 110117 !! Pinggu
|948.24 ||415,958 ||219,850 ||Binhe Subdistrict ||101200 ||2 ||14 ||2 ||23 ||275
|-
! 110118 !! Miyun
|2225.92 ||467,680 ||257,449 ||Gulou Subdistrict ||101500 ||2 ||17 ||1 ||57 ||338
|-
! 110119 !! Yanqing
|1994.89 ||317,426 ||154,386 ||Rulin Subdistrict ||102100 ||3 ||11 ||4 ||34 ||376
|}
{|class="wikitable sortable collapsible collapsed" style="margin:1em auto 1em auto; width:90%; text-align:center"
! colspan="5" |Divisions in Chinese
|-
! English
! Chinese
! Pinyin
|-
! Beijing Municipality
|{{lang|zh-hans|北京市}}
|Běijīng Shì
|-
! Dongcheng District
|{{lang|zh-hans|东城区}}
|Dōngchéng Qū
|-
! Xicheng District
|{{lang|zh-hans|西城区}}
|Xīchéng Qū
|-
! Chaoyang District
|{{lang|zh-hans|朝阳区}}
|Cháoyáng Qū
|-
! Fengtai District
|{{lang|zh-hans|丰台区}}
|Fēngtái Qū
|-
! Shijingshan District
|{{lang|zh-hans|石景山区}}
|Shíjǐngshān Qū
|-
! Haidian District
|{{lang|zh-hans|海淀区}}
|Hǎidiàn Qū
|-
! Mentougou District
|{{lang|zh-hans|门头沟区}}
|Méntóugōu Qū
|-
! Fangshan District
|{{lang|zh-hans|房山区}}
|Fángshān Qū
|-
! Tongzhou District
|{{lang|zh-hans|通州区}}
|Tōngzhōu Qū
|-
! Shunyi District
|{{lang|zh-hans|顺义区}}
|Shùnyì Qū
|-
! Changping District
|{{lang|zh-hans|昌平区}}
|Chāngpíng Qū
|-
! Daxing District
|{{lang|zh-hans|大兴区}}
|Dàxīng Qū
|-
! Huairou District
|{{lang|zh-hans|怀柔区}}
|Huáiróu Qū
|-
! Pinggu District
|{{lang|zh-hans|平谷区}}
|Pínggǔ Qū
|-
! Miyun District
|{{lang|zh-hans|密云区}}
|Mìyún Qū
|-
! Yanqing District
|{{lang|zh-hans|延庆区}}
|Yánqìng Qū
|}
{{reflist|group=n}}

==== Towns ====
Beijing's 16 county-level divisions (districts) are further subdivided into 273 lower third-level administrative units at the township level: 119 towns, 24 townships, 5 ethnic townships and 125 subdistricts.
Towns within Beijing Municipality but outside the urban area include (but are not limited to):
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Changping {{lang|zh|昌平}} <!-- same in traditional -->
* Huairou {{lang|zh-Hans|怀柔}}
* Miyun {{lang|zh-Hans|密云}}
* Liangxiang {{lang|zh-Hans|良乡}}
* Liulimiao {{lang|zh-Hans|琉璃庙}}
* Tongzhou {{lang|zh|通州}} <!-- same in traditional -->
* Yizhuang {{lang|zh-Hans|亦庄}}
* Tiantongyuan {{lang|zh|天通苑}} <!-- same in traditional -->
* Beiyuan {{lang|zh|北苑}} <!-- same in traditional -->
* Xiaotangshan {{lang|zh-Hans|小汤山}}
{{div col end}}
Several place names in Beijing end with ''mén'' ({{lang|zh-Hans|门}}), meaning "gate", as they were the locations of gates in the former Beijing city wall. Other place names end in ''cūn'' ({{lang|zh|村}}), meaning "village", as they were originally villages outside the city wall.

=== Judiciary and procuracy ===
The judicial system in Beijing consists of the Supreme People's Court, the highest court in the country, the Beijing Municipal High People's Court, the high people's court of the municipality, three intermediate people's courts, one intermediate railway transport court, 14 basic people's court (one for each of the municipality's districts and counties), and one basic railway transport court. The Beijing No. 1 Intermediate People's Court in Shijingshan oversees the basic courts of Haidian, Shijingshan, Mentougou, Changping and Yanqing.<ref name="Xinhuacourts"/> The Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court in Fengtai oversees the basic courts of Dongcheng, Xicheng, Fengtai, Fangshan and Daxing.<ref name="Xinhuacourts"/> The Beijing No. 3 Intermediate People's Court in Laiguangying, is the newest of the three intermediate people's courts and opened on 21 August 2013.<ref name="Xinhuacourts"/> It oversees the district courts of Chaoyang, Tongzhou, Shunyi, Huairou, Pinggu and Miyun.<ref name="Xinhuacourts">{{cite news |url=http://www.bj.xinhuanet.com/jzzg/2013-08/06/c_116836392.htm |script-title=zh:北京市第三中级人民法院、北京市人民检察院第三分院同日成立 |work=Xinhua |date=6 August 2013 |language=zh-cn |access-date=21 August 2013 |archive-date=29 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130929133838/http://www.bj.xinhuanet.com/jzzg/2013-08/06/c_116836392.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=BJcourts>{{cite web |url=http://bjgy.chinacourt.org/article/detail/2013/08/id/1043607.shtml |script-title=zh:北京市高级人民法院关于我市中级人民法院管辖调整有关问题的规定（暂行） |website=chinacourt.org |date=2 August 2013 |language=zh-cn |access-date=21 August 2013 |archive-date=14 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130814035143/http://bjgy.chinacourt.org/article/detail/2013/08/id/1043607.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> Each court in Beijing has a corresponding people's procuratorate.

== Economy ==
{{as of|2022}}, Beijing's [[Finance:Gross domestic product|nominal GDP]] was [[Finance:Renminbi|CN¥]]4.16 trillion ($619 billion in nominal, $1.016 trillion in [[Finance:Purchasing power parity|PPP]]), about 3.44% of the country's GDP and ranked 13th among province-level administrative units; its nominal GDP per capita was US$28,258 (CN¥190,059) and ranked the 1st in the country.<ref name="data2022"/><ref name="SNA2008">''Historical GDP of Beijing'' published on Beijing Statistical Yearbook 2017, ALSO see [http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/zwgk/tzgg/201710/t20171010_384290.html Beijing GDP Revision (Chinese)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213144732/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/zwgk/tzgg/201710/t20171010_384290.html |date=13 December 2017}} (10 October 2017)</ref> It also ranks the tenth largest in the metropolitan economies in the world.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Global Wealth PPP Distribution: Who Are The Leaders Of The Global Economy? - Full Size|url=https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Global-Wealth-PPP-Distribution.html|access-date=16 January 2022|website=www.visualcapitalist.com|archive-date=20 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211020135357/https://www.visualcapitalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Global-Wealth-PPP-Distribution.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Due to the concentration of state owned enterprises in the national capital, Beijing in 2013 had more Fortune Global 500 Company headquarters than any other city in the world.<ref name="JLL">[http://www.ap.jll.com/asia-pacific/en-gb/Documents/Five_years_after_the_Olympics_EN.pdf "Jones Lang LaSalle Research Report – Five years after the Olympics – Growth in Beijing has continued, what to expect next?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140518083246/http://www.ap.jll.com/asia-pacific/en-gb/Documents/Five_years_after_the_Olympics_EN.pdf |date=18 May 2014 }} August 2013</ref> As of August 2022, Beijing has 54 Fortune Global 500 companies, more than Japan (47), the third-place country after China (145) and the United States (124).<ref>{{Cite web |title=2022 Global 500 in Beijing |url=https://fortune.com/global500/2022/ |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=Fortune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chinese companies top list of Fortune 500 |url=http://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202208/04/WS62eb1934a310fd2b29e702ca.html |access-date=2022-08-09 |website=global.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref> Beijing has also been described as the "billionaire capital of the world".<ref name=":0">{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=Ariel R. |title=Beijing is 'Billionaire Capital of the World' |url=https://www.barrons.com/articles/beijing-is-billionaire-capital-of-the-world-1519939245 |access-date=19 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709153824/https://www.barrons.com/articles/beijing-is-billionaire-capital-of-the-world-1519939245 |archive-date=9 July 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{cite news |title=Beijing is new 'billionaire capital' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35657107 |work=BBC News |date=25 February 2016 |access-date=19 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719162201/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-35657107 |archive-date=19 July 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2020, Beijing is the fifth wealthiest city in the world, with a total wealth amounts to $2 trillion.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Wealth|first=New World|title=The Wealthiest Cities in the World 2021|url=https://newworldwealth.com/reports/f/the-wealthiest-cities-in-the-world-2021|access-date=27 January 2022|website=New World Wealth|language=en-ZA|archive-date=22 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220122050955/https://newworldwealth.com/reports/f/the-wealthiest-cities-in-the-world-2021|url-status=live}}</ref> Beijing is classified as an Alpha+ (global first-tier) city by the [[Organization:Globalization and World Cities Research Network|Globalization and World Cities Research Network]], indicating its influence in the region and worldwide and making it one of the world's Top 10 major cities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=GaWC - The World According to GaWC 2020|url=https://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2020t.html|access-date=26 February 2021|website=www.lboro.ac.uk|archive-date=24 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200824031341/https://www.lboro.ac.uk/gawc/world2020t.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In the 2021 [[Finance:Global Financial Centres Index|Global Financial Centres Index]], Beijing was ranked as having the sixth-most competitive financial center in the world and fourth-most competitive in the whole Asia & Oceania region (behind Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore).<ref name="GFCI2">{{cite web|date=March 2021|title=The Global Financial Centres Index 29|url=https://www.longfinance.net/media/documents/GFCI_29_Full_Report_2021.03.17_v1.1.pdf|access-date=18 March 2021|publisher=Long Finance|archive-date=22 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210322132130/https://www.longfinance.net/media/documents/GFCI_29_Full_Report_2021.03.17_v1.1.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

As of 2021, Beijing was ranked first globally in terms of "''Global City Competitiveness''" in the ''2020–2021 Global Urban Competitiveness Report'' jointly released by the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) and the United Nations Programme for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat).<ref>{{Cite web|date=9 December 2020|title=Beijing tops the world as most competitive city in the era of Covid-19|url=https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3113168/beijing-rises-worlds-most-competitive-city-covid-19-saps|access-date=12 December 2020|website=South China Morning Post|language=en|archive-date=12 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201212081220/https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3113168/beijing-rises-worlds-most-competitive-city-covid-19-saps|url-status=live}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;"
|+Historical [[Finance:Gross domestic product|GDP]] of Beijing for 1978–present (SNA2008)<ref name="BeijingHistoricalGDP">{{Cite web|url=https://nj.tjj.beijing.gov.cn/nj/main/2022-tjnj/zk/e/zk/indexch.htm|title=北京统计年鉴2022|website=nj.tjj.beijing.gov.cn|accessdate=15 August 2023}}</ref><br />(purchasing power parity of Chinese Yuan, as [[Finance:International dollar|international dollar]] based on IMF WEO October&nbsp;2022)<ref>Purchasing power parity (PPP) for Chinese yuan is estimate according to [[Organization:International Monetary Fund|IMF]] ''[[Finance:World Economic Outlook|WEO]]'' ([https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO/weo-database/2022/October]) data; exchange rate of CN¥ to US$ is according to State Administration of Foreign Exchange, published on http://www.stats.gov.cn/tjsj/ndsj/2022/indexch.htm ''China Statistical Yearbook'' .</ref>
|-
!scope="col"| Year
!scope="col"| [[Finance:Renminbi|CNY]]<br />{{small|(millions)}}
!scope="col"| USD<br />{{small|(millions)}}
!scope="col"| [[Finance:Purchasing power parity|PPP]]<br />([[Finance:International dollar|Int'l$]])<br />{{small|(millions)}}
!scope="col"| Real growth<br />(%)
!scope="col"| CNY<br />{{small|per capita}}*
!scope="col"| USD<br />{{small|per capita}}*
!scope="col"| PPP<br />(Int'l$.)<br />{{small|per capita}}*
!scope="col"| Reference index:<br />USD 1<br />to CNY
!scope="col"| Reference index:<br />Int'l$. 1<br />to CNY

|-
!scope="row"| 2021
| 4,026,960||624,190||957,432||8.5||183,980||28,517||43,742||6.4515||4.206
|-
!scope="row"| 2020
| 3,594,330||521,099||846,920||1.1||164,158||23,799||38,680||6.8976||4.244
|-
!scope="row"| 2019
| 3,544,510||513,809||835,575||6.1||161,776||23,451||38,137||6.8985||4.242
|-
!scope="row"| 2018
| 3,310,600||500,287||782,833||6.7||150,962||22,813||35,697||6.6174||4.229
|-
!scope="row"| 2017
| 2,988,300||442,593||714,221||6.8||136,172||20,168||32,546||6.7518||4.184
|-
!scope="row"| 2016
| 2,704,120||407,106||677,894||6.9||123,391||18,577||30,932||6.6423||3.989
|-
!scope="row"| 2015
| 2,477,910||397,841||640,121||6.9||113,692||18,253||29,370||6.2284||3.871
|-
!scope="row"| 2014
| 2,292,600||373,217||609,846||7.4||106,732||17,375||28,394||6.1428||3.759
|-
!scope="row"| 2013
| 2,113,460||341,255||576,818||7.7||100,569||16,240||27,448||6.1932||3.664
|-
!scope="row"| 2012
| 1,902,470||301,381||534,252||7.7||92,758||14,694||26,048||6.3125||3.561
|-
!scope="row"| 2011
| 1,718,880||266,130||487,764||8.1||86,246||13,353||24,474||6.4588||3.524
|-
!scope="row"| 2010
| 1,496,400||221,050||440,910||10.4||78,307||11,568||23,544||6.7695||3.326
|-
!scope="row"| 2009
| 1,290,900||188,977||407,481||10.0||71,059||10,402||22,430||6.8310||3.168
|-
!scope="row"| 2008
| 1,181,310||170,093||369,969||9.0||68,541||9,869||21,466||6.9451||3.193
|-
!scope="row"| 2007
| 1,042,550||137,105||343,736||14.4||63,629||8,368||20,979||7.6040||3.033
|-
!scope="row"| 2006
| 838,700||105,208||290,308||12.8||53,438||6,703||18,497||7.9718||2.889
|-
!scope="row"| 2005
| 714,980||87,281||249,296||12.3||47,182||5,760||16,451||8.1917||2.868
|-
!scope="row"| 2000
| 327,780||38,809||118,148||12.0||22,054||3,022||8,081||8.2784||2.729
|-
!scope="row"| 1995
| 151,620||18,156||55,275||12.0||12,762||1,529||4,653||8.3510||2.743
|-
!scope="row"| 1990
| 50,080||10,470||29,184||5.2||4,635||969||2,701||4.7832||1.716
|-
!scope="row"| 1985
| 25,710||8,755||18,312||8.7||2,643||972||1,882||2.9367||1.404
|-
!scope="row"| 1980
| 13,910||9,283||9,273||11.8||1,544||1,009||1,029||1.4984||1.500
|-
!scope="row"| 1978
| 10,880||6,462||||10.5||1,257||797||||1.684||
|}
{{asterisk}} Per-capita GDP is based on mid-year population.

=== Sector composition ===
[[File:Sanlitun at dusk.jpg|thumb|The Taikoo Li Sanlitun shopping arcade is a destination for locals and visitors.]]

The city has a [[Social:Post-industrial economy|post-industrial economy]] that is dominated by the [[Finance:Tertiary sector of the economy|tertiary sector]] (services), which generated 83.8% of output, followed by the [[Finance:Secondary sector of the economy|secondary sector]] (manufacturing, construction) at 15.8% and the primary sector (agriculture, mining) at 0.26%.<ref name="data2022"/> The services sector is broadly diversified with professional services, wholesale and retail, information technology, commercial real estate, scientific research, and residential real estate each contributing at least 6% to the city's economy in 2022.<ref name="data2022"/><ref name="2013 Beijing Stats">{{cite web |url=http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/xwgb/tjgb/ndgb/201402/t20140213_267744.htm |author=NBS Beijing investigatory team ({{lang|zh-Hans|国家统计局北京调查总队}}) |script-title=zh:北京市2013年国民经济和社会发展统计公报 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Statistics |date=13 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140310101546/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/xwgb/tjgb/ndgb/201402/t20140213_267744.htm |archive-date=10 March 2014 |language=zh-cn}}</ref>

The single largest sub-sector remains industry, whose share of overall output has shrunk to 12.1% in 2022.<ref name="data2022"/> The mix of industrial output has changed significantly since 2010 when the city announced that 140 highly-polluting, energy and water resource intensive enterprises would be relocated from the city in five years.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.chinanews.com/ny/2010/11-17/2660474.shtml |script-title=zh:北京五年淘汰140余家"三高"企业 |script-work=zh:北京商报 |date=17 November 2010 |language=zh-cn |access-date=18 November 2014 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129085504/http://www.chinanews.com/ny/2010/11-17/2660474.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref> The relocation of Capital Steel to neighboring Hebei province had begun in 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title=Capital Steel opens new branch to step up eastward relocation |newspaper=People's Daily Online |date=23 October 2005 |url=http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200510/23/eng20051023_216163.html |access-date=24 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216141745/http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200510/23/eng20051023_216163.html |archive-date=16 December 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Beijing abandons Mao's dream of workers' paradise |first=Richard |last=Spencer |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=18 July 2008 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/07/18/eachina118.xml |location=London |access-date=25 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819203300/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fearth%2F2008%2F07%2F18%2Feachina118.xml |archive-date=19 August 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In 2013, output of automobiles, aerospace products, [[Physics:Semiconductor|semiconductors]], pharmaceuticals, and food processing all increased.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/>

In the farmland around Beijing, vegetables and fruits have displaced grain as the primary crops under cultivation.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/> In 2013, the tonnage of vegetable, edible fungus and fruit harvested was over three times that of grain.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/> In 2013, overall acreage under cultivation shrank along with most categories of produce as more land was reforested for environmental reasons.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/>

=== Economic zones ===

[[File:Parkview Green and CBD skyline (20210927131419).jpg|alt=|thumb|The skyline of Beijing CBD]]
[[File:Zhongguancun from Huangzhuang North Footbridge (20201214122926).jpg|thumb|right|Zhongguancun is a technology hub in Haidian District.]]
In 2006, the city government identified six high-end economic output zones around Beijing as the primary engines for local economic growth. In 2012, the six zones produced 43.3% of the city's GDP, up from 36.5% in 2007.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.bjhigh-endarea.gov.cn/gnq/ |script-title = zh:六大功能区 |language = zh-cn |access-date = 18 November 2014 |archive-date = 14 September 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130914061955/http://www.bjhigh-endarea.gov.cn/gnq/ |url-status = dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url = http://bjrb.bjd.com.cn/html/2013-10/09/content_114683.htm |last=Tu |first = Lufang (涂露芳) |script-title=zh:六大功能区创造北京四成多GDP |work=Beijing Daily |date=9 October 2013 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131014195346/http://bjrb.bjd.com.cn/html/2013-10/09/content_114683.htm |archive-date=14 October 2013 }}</ref>
The six zones are:
# Zhongguancun, China's silicon village in Haidian District northwest of the city, is home to both established and start-up tech companies. In the first two quarters of 2014, 9,895 companies registered in the six zones, among which 6,150 were based in Zhongguancun.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/sjfb/bssj/jdsj/2014/201408/t20140812_277808.htm |script-title=zh:北京市统计局 六大高端产业功能区主要经济指标 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Statistics |date=12 August 2014 |language=zh-cn |access-date=18 November 2014 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129054926/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/sjfb/bssj/jdsj/2014/201408/t20140812_277808.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Zhongguancun is also the center of Beijing-Tianjin-Shijiazhuang Hi-Tech Industrial Belt. 
# Beijing Financial Street, in Xicheng District on the west side of the city between Fuxingmen and Fuchengmen, is lined with headquarters of large state banks and insurance companies. The country's financial regulatory agencies including the [[Company:People's Bank of China|central bank]], bank regulator, securities regulator, and foreign exchange authority are located in the neighborhood.
# Beijing Central Business District (CBD), is actually located to the east of downtown, near the embassies along the eastern Third Ring Road between Jianguomenwai and Chaoyangmenwai. The CBD is home to most of the city's skyscraper office buildings. Most of the city's foreign companies and professional service firms are based in the CBD.
# Beijing Economic and Technological Development Area, better known as Yizhuang, is an industrial park the straddles the southern Fifth Ring Road in Daxing District. It has attracted pharmaceutical, information technology, and materials engineering companies.<ref name="social economic">{{cite web |title=Statistical Communique on the 2003 National Economic and Social Development of the City of Beijing |url = http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/esite/tjgb/200611/t20061121_77051.html |publisher=Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics |date=12 February 2004 |access-date=15 March 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080305151412/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/esite/tjgb/200611/t20061121_77051.html |archive-date=5 March 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
# Beijing Airport Economic Zone was created in 1993 and surrounds the Beijing Capital International Airport in Shunyi District northeast of the city. In addition to logistics, airline services, and trading firms, this zone is also home to Beijing's automobile assembly plants.
# Beijing Olympic Center Zone surrounds the Olympic Green due north of downtown and is developing into an entertainment, sports, tourism and business convention center.

Shijingshan, on the western outskirts of the city, is a traditional heavy industrial base for steel-making.<ref>{{cite web |title=ShiJingShan |url=http://www.bjinvest.gov.cn/english/dac/sjs/ |publisher=Beijing Economic Information Center |access-date=22 June 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081120074109/http://www.bjinvest.gov.cn/english/dac/sjs/ |archive-date=20 November 2008 }}</ref> Chemical plants are concentrated in the far eastern suburbs.

Less legitimate enterprises also exist. Urban Beijing is known for being a center of [[Copyright infringement|infringed]] goods; anything from the latest designer clothing to DVDs can be found in markets all over the city, often marketed to expatriates and international visitors.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pirates weave tangled web on 'Spidey' |url=https://hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i1ea868cbfd17e7ac48b8fbc3fcc3473c
|work=The Hollywood Reporter |agency=Reuters |date=27 April 2007 |access-date=15 March 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070429110926/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/film/news/e3i1ea868cbfd17e7ac48b8fbc3fcc3473c |archive-date=29 April 2007}}</ref>

== Demographics ==
{{Historical populations
|type=China
|percentages = pagr
|1953|276,8149
|1964|756,8495
|1982|923,0687
|1990|10,819,407
|2000|13,569,194
|2010|19,612,368
|2020<ref name="BeijingHistoricalGDP"/>|21,893,095

|footnote = Population size may be affected by changes on administrative divisions.
|}}

In 2021, Beijing had a total population of 21.89 million within the municipality, of which 19.16 million (87.5 percent) resided in urban districts or suburban townships and 2.73 million (12.5) lived in rural villages.<ref name="data2022"/> The encompassing metropolitan area was estimated by the [[Organization:OECD|OECD]] (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) to have, {{As of|2010|lc=y}}, a population of 24.9 million.<ref>{{cite news|last1=CNBC.com|first1=Justina Crabtree; special to|title=A tale of megacities: China's largest metropolises|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/20/biggest-megacities-in-china.html|work=CNBC|date=20 September 2016|quote=slide 4|access-date=8 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209044105/https://www.cnbc.com/2016/09/20/biggest-megacities-in-china.html|archive-date=9 December 2017|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="oecd2015">{{cite book|doi=10.1787/9789264230040-en|title=OECD Urban Policy Reviews: China 2015, OECD READ edition|url=http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/urban-rural-and-regional-development/oecd-urban-policy-reviews-china-2015_9789264230040-en#page39|publisher=OECD|page=37|language=en|year=2015|issn=2306-9341|isbn=978-92-64-23003-3|access-date=8 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170327210032/http://www.keepeek.com/Digital-Asset-Management/oecd/urban-rural-and-regional-development/oecd-urban-policy-reviews-china-2015_9789264230040-en#page39|archive-date=27 March 2017|url-status=live}}Linked from the OECD [http://www.oecd.org/china/oecd-urban-policy-reviews-china-2015-9789264230040-en.htm here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209044027/http://www.oecd.org/china/oecd-urban-policy-reviews-china-2015-9789264230040-en.htm |date=9 December 2017 }}</ref>

Within China, the city ranked second in urban population after Shanghai and the third in municipal population after Shanghai and Chongqing. Beijing also ranks among the most populous cities in the world, a distinction the city has held for much of the past 800 years, especially during the 15th to early 19th centuries when it was [[History:List of largest cities throughout history|the largest city in the world]].

About 13 million of the city's residents in 2013 had local ''hukou'' permits, which entitles them to permanent residence in Beijing.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/> The remaining 8 million residents had ''hukou'' permits elsewhere and were not eligible to receive some social benefits provided by the Beijing municipal government.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/>

The population increased in 2013 by 455,000 or about 7% from the previous year and continued a decade-long trend of rapid growth.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/> The total population in 2004 was 14.213 million.<ref name=2004pop>{{cite web |url=http://www.allcountries.org/china_statistics/4_9_age_composition_and_dependency_ratio.html |title=Age Composition and Dependency Ratio of Population by Region (2004) in China Statistics 2005 |access-date=5 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204033531/http://www.allcountries.org/china_statistics/4_9_age_composition_and_dependency_ratio.html |archive-date=4 December 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> The population gains are driven largely by migration. The population's [[Rate of natural increase|rate of natural increase]] in 2013 was a mere 0.441%, based on a [[Birth rate|birth rate]] of 8.93 and a [[Mortality rate|mortality rate]] of 4.52.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/> The [[Social:Human sex ratio|gender balance]] was 51.6% males and 48.4% females.<ref name="2013 Beijing Stats"/>

Working age people account for nearly 73.6% of the population.<ref name="data2022"/> Compared to 2004, residents age 0–14 as a proportion of the population dropped from 9.95% to 9.92% in 2013, but again increased to 12.1% in 2021.<ref name="data2022"/>
Residents over the age of 65 declined from 11.12% to 8.58%, but increased to 14.2% in 2021.<ref name="data2022"/> From 2002 to 2011, the percentage of city residents with at least some college education nearly doubled, from 20.4% to 37.3%, and further increased to 49.1% by 2021.<ref name="data2022"/> About 66.4% have senior secondary school education and 88.2% had reached middle school.<ref name="data2022"/>

According to the 2010 census, nearly 96% of Beijing's population are ethnic Han Chinese.<ref name=2010census/> Of the 800,000 ethnic minority population living in the capital, Manchu (336,000), Hui (249,000), Korean (77,000), Mongol (37,000) and Tujia (24,000) constitute the five largest groups.<ref name=2010minorities>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/lhzl/rkpc/201201/t20120109_218572.htm |script-title=zh:北京市少数民族人口状况 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Statistics |date=30 May 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203152457/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/lhzl/rkpc/201201/t20120109_218572.htm |archive-date=3 February 2014 |language=zh-cn}}</ref> In addition, there were 8,045 Hong Kong residents, 500 [[Place:Macau|Macau]] residents, and 7,772 Taiwan residents along with 91,128 registered foreigners living in Beijing.<ref name=2010census>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/xwgb/tjgb/pcgb/201105/t20110504_201364.htm |script-title=zh:北京市2010年第六次全国人口普查主要数据情况 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Statistics|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140219080018/http://www.bjstats.gov.cn/xwgb/tjgb/pcgb/201105/t20110504_201364.htm |archive-date=19 February 2014 }}</ref> A study by the Beijing Academy of Sciences estimates that in 2010 there were on average 200,000 foreigners living in Beijing on any given day including students, business travellers and tourists that are not counted as registered residents.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.china.com/zh_cn/domestic/945/20101009/16177409.html |script-title=zh:在北京外国人数量或已达20万人 超过市人口总数1% |script-work=zh:中国新闻网 |date=9 October 2010 |language=zh-cn |access-date=22 November 2014 |archive-date=29 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141129075245/http://news.china.com/zh_cn/domestic/945/20101009/16177409.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2017 the Chinese government implemented population controls for Beijing and Shanghai to fight what it called the "big city disease" which includes congestion, pollution, and shortages of education and health care services. From this policy, Beijing's population declined by 20,000 from 2016 to 2017.<ref name="cap">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/19/plan-big-city-disease-populations-fall-beijing-shanghai |title=China's radical plan to limit the populations of Beijing and Shanghai |last=Roxburgh |first=Helen |date=19 March 2018 |website=The Guardian |language=en |access-date=16 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180409171520/https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/mar/19/plan-big-city-disease-populations-fall-beijing-shanghai |archive-date=9 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> Some low-income people are being forcibly removed from the city as both legal and illegal housing is being demolished in some high-density residential neighborhoods.<ref name="cap" /> The population is being redistributed to Jing-Jin-Ji and Xiong'an New Area, the transfer to the latter expected to include 300,000-500,000 people working in government research, universities, and corporate headquarters.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/china-to-move-half-a-million-people-from-beijing-to-new-city/articleshow/60191750.cms|title=China to move half a million people from Beijing to new city|newspaper=The Economic Times|access-date=13 December 2019|archive-date=29 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200229203309/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world-news/china-to-move-half-a-million-people-from-beijing-to-new-city/articleshow/60191750.cms|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.economist.com/china/2017/04/06/a-plan-to-build-a-city-from-scratch-that-will-dwarf-new-york|title=A plan to build a city from scratch that will dwarf New York|date=6 April 2017|newspaper=The Economist|access-date=13 December 2019|archive-date=13 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191213043535/https://www.economist.com/china/2017/04/06/a-plan-to-build-a-city-from-scratch-that-will-dwarf-new-york|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Education and research ==
{{See also|Rankings of universities in China|List of universities in China|Double First Class University Plan|label 1=}}Beijing is a world leading center for scientific and technological innovation and has been ranked the No.1 city in the world with the largest scientific research output, as tracked by the Nature Index since 2016.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal|last=Jia|first=Hepeng|date=19 September 2020|title=Beijing, the seat of science capital|journal=Nature|language=en|volume=585|issue=7826|pages=S52–S54|doi=10.1038/d41586-020-02577-x|bibcode=2020Natur.585S..52J|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|title=The top cities for research in the Nature Index|url=https://www.natureindex.com/news-blog/top-cities-for-scientific-research-nature-index|access-date=27 September 2020|website=www.natureindex.com|date=25 September 2020 |archive-date=20 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201020031614/https://www.natureindex.com/news-blog/top-cities-for-scientific-research-nature-index|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":9" /> The city is also leading the world with the highest share of articles published in the fields of physical sciences, [[Chemistry:Chemistry|chemistry]], and earth and environmental sciences, especially in the United Nations'17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related output.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Leading 200 science cities in SDG research|url=https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/top-200-by-sdg|access-date=27 September 2021|website=www.natureindex.com|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927033133/https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/top-200-by-sdg|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Leading 25 science cities in Earth & environmental sciences|url=https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/earth-and-environmental|access-date=27 September 2021|website=www.natureindex.com|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927033133/https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/earth-and-environmental|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Leading 50 science cities in physical sciences|url=https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/physical-sciences|access-date=27 September 2021|website=www.natureindex.com|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927033131/https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/physical-sciences|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Leading 50 science cities in chemistry|url=https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/chemistry|access-date=27 September 2021|website=www.natureindex.com|archive-date=27 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927033131/https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2021-science-cities/tables/chemistry|url-status=live}}</ref>

Beijing has over 90 public colleges and universities, which is the largest urban public university system in Asia and the first city in China with most higher education institutions,<ref name="Beijing's Universities">{{cite web |date=22 May 2015 |script-title=zh:2015年北京市高校名单（共91所） |url=http://www.gaokao.com/e/20150522/555e867ac971b.shtml |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130185436/http://www.gaokao.com/e/20150522/555e867ac971b.shtml |archive-date=30 November 2016 |access-date=29 November 2016 |publisher=gaokao.com}}</ref><ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=Top 10 Chinese cities with most higher education institutions |url=https://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202208/04/WS62eaf941a310fd2b29e7022c.html |access-date=2022-08-08 |website=www.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref> and it is home to the two best universities (Tsinghua and Peking) in the whole of Asia-Oceania region and emerging countries with its shared rankings at 16th place in the world by the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings.<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 August 2021|title=World University Rankings 2022|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2022/world-ranking|access-date=3 September 2021|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en|archive-date=29 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150629020315/https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2015/world-ranking|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |date=28 May 2020 |title=Asia University Rankings |url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2020/regional-ranking |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200604055001/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/world-university-rankings/2020/regional-ranking |archive-date=4 June 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020 |website=Times Higher Education (THE) |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":8" /> Both are members of the C9 League, an alliance of elite Chinese universities offering comprehensive and leading education.<ref>{{Cite web|date=17 February 2011|title=Eastern stars: Universities of China's C9 League excel in select fields|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/eastern-stars-universities-of-chinas-c9-league-excel-in-select-fields/415193.article|access-date=25 February 2021|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en|archive-date=25 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225152504/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/news/eastern-stars-universities-of-chinas-c9-league-excel-in-select-fields/415193.article|url-status=live}}</ref>

Beijing also has the highest number of universities of any city in the country, representing more than one-fifth of 147 Double First-Class Universities, a national plan to develop elite Chinese universities into world-class institutions by the end of 2050.<ref>{{Cite web |title='World-class' universities list expanded |url=https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202202/15/WS620add2aa310cdd39bc86918.html |access-date=2022-12-03 |website=global.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref> A number of Beijing's [[Organization:Rankings of universities in China|most prestigious universities]] consistently rank among the best in the [[Earth:Asia-Pacific|Asia-Pacific]] and the world, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Renmin University of China, Beijing Normal University, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beihang University, Beijing Institute of Technology, China Agricultural University, Minzu University of China, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, University of International Business and Economics, University of Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and Central University of Finance and Economics.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Top 10 institutions in Beijing |url=https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2020-science-cities/tables/beijing |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200920182600/https://www.natureindex.com/supplements/nature-index-2020-science-cities/tables/beijing |archive-date=20 September 2020 |access-date=27 September 2020 |website=www.natureindex.com}}</ref><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite web|date=29 October 2020|title=Best universities in Beijing|url=https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-beijing|access-date=7 December 2020|website=Times Higher Education (THE)|language=en|archive-date=24 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210124135711/https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/best-universities/best-universities-beijing|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=30 November 2015|title=Beijing|url=https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/qs-best-student-cities/beijing|access-date=7 December 2020|website=QS Top Universities|language=en|archive-date=30 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030074418/https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings-articles/qs-best-student-cities/beijing|url-status=live}}</ref> These universities were selected as "985 universities" or "211 universities" by the Chinese government in order to build world-class universities.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Beijing 985 Project Universities {{!}} Study in China {{!}} CUCAS|url=https://www.cucas.cn/studyinchina/province/Beijing_1/Beijing_1/985_Project_3_4.html|access-date=25 February 2021|website=www.cucas.cn|archive-date=27 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427225208/https://www.cucas.cn/studyinchina/province/Beijing_1/Beijing_1/985_Project_3_4.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Beijing 211 Project Universities {{!}} Study in China {{!}} CUCAS|url=https://www.cucas.cn/studyinchina/province/Beijing_1/Beijing_1/211_Project_3_5.html|access-date=25 February 2021|website=www.cucas.cn|archive-date=27 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427220618/https://www.cucas.cn/studyinchina/province/Beijing_1/Beijing_1/211_Project_3_5.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The city is a seat of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which has been consistently ranked the No.1 research institute in the world by ''Nature Index'' since the list's inception in 2014, by [[Company:Nature Research|Nature Research]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2014 |title=Nature Index tables 2012-2013 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=515 |issue=7526 |pages=S98–S108 |doi=10.1038/515S98a |issn=1476-4687 |pmid=25390156 |s2cid=205083319 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=2016 tables: Institutions {{!}} 2016 tables {{!}} Institutions {{!}} Nature Index |url=https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2016/institution/all/all |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127054226/https://www.natureindex.com/annual-tables/2016/institution/all/all |archive-date=27 November 2020 |access-date=19 November 2020 |website=www.natureindex.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 August 2018 |title=Institution outputs {{!}} Nature Index |url=https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/All/global/All/score |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200108231135/https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/All/global/All/score |archive-date=8 January 2020 |access-date=19 November 2020 |website=www.natureindex.com}}</ref> The academy also runs the University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, which is located in Beijing and ranked among the world's top five research institutions by the Nature Index.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2023 tables: Institutions {{!}} Annual tables {{!}} Nature Index |url=https://www.nature.com/nature-index/annual-tables/2023/institution/all/all/global |access-date=2023-07-27 |website=www.nature.com}}</ref> Beijing is also a site of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences and National Natural Science Foundation of China.

Some of the national key universities in Beijing are:{{Div col}}
* Beijing Forestry University
* Beijing Jiaotong University
* Beijing University of Technology
* Beijing University of Chinese Medicine
* Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications
* Beijing Electronic Science and Technology Institute
* Beijing Foreign Studies University
* Beijing Language and Culture University
* Beijing Sport University
* Central Conservatory of Music
* Central Academy of Fine Arts
* Central Academy of Drama
* China University of Geosciences (Beijing)
* China University of Petroleum (Beijing)
* China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing)
* China University of Political Science and Law
* China Foreign Affairs University
* Chinese People's Public Security University
* China Women's University
* China Youth University for Political Sciences
* China Institute of Industrial Relations
* [[Organization:Communication University of China|Communication University of China]]
* North China Electric Power University
* Peking Union Medical College
* University of International Relations{{Div col end}}

Beijing is also home to several religious institutions, Some of them are listed as follows:{{Div col}}
* {{interlanguage link|China Islamic Institute|zh|中国伊斯兰教经学院}} (中国伊斯兰教经学院)
* {{interlanguage link|Beijing Islamic Institute|zh|北京伊斯兰教经学院}} (北京伊斯兰教经学院)
* {{interlanguage link|The Buddhist Academy of China|zh|中国佛学院}} (中国佛学院)
* {{interlanguage link|High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China|zh|中国藏语系高级佛学院}} (中国藏语系高级佛学院)
* National Seminary of Catholic Church in China (中国天主教神哲学院)
{{Div col end}}

The city's [[Social:Compulsory education|compulsory education]] system is among the best in the world: in 2018, 15-year-old students from Beijing (together with [[Place:Shanghai|Shanghai]], Zhejiang and Jiangsu) outperformed all of the other 78 participating countries in all categories (math, reading, and science) in the Program for International Student Assessment, a worldwide study of academic performance conducted by the OECD.<ref name="PISA2018">{{citation|title=PISA 2018: Insights and Interpretations|date=3 December 2019|url=http://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA%202018%20Insights%20and%20Interpretations%20FINAL%20PDF.pdf|publisher=[[Organization:OECD|OECD]]|access-date=25 February 2021|archive-date=9 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209150356/https://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA%202018%20Insights%20and%20Interpretations%20FINAL%20PDF.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Culture ==
[[File:Ancient Beijing observatory 10.jpg|thumb|The Beijing Ancient Observatory]]

People native to urban Beijing speak the Beijing dialect, which belongs to the Mandarin subdivision of spoken Chinese. This speech is the basis for ''putonghua'', the standard spoken language used in mainland China and Taiwan, and one of the four official languages of [[Place:Singapore|Singapore]]. Rural areas of Beijing Municipality have their own dialects akin to those of Hebei province, which surrounds Beijing Municipality.

Beijing or Peking opera is a traditional form of Chinese theater well known throughout the nation. Commonly lauded as one of the highest achievements of Chinese culture, Beijing opera is performed through a combination of song, spoken dialogue, and codified action sequences involving gestures, movement, fighting and acrobatics. Much of Beijing opera is carried out in an archaic stage dialect quite different from Modern Standard Chinese and from the modern Beijing dialect.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Jingxi |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/112926/jingxi |encyclopedia=Britannica Online Encyclopedia |year=2008 |access-date=16 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080503130136/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/112926/jingxi |archive-date=3 May 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Sliced Peking Duck.jpg|thumb|Sliced Peking duck served with traditional condiments]]
Beijing cuisine is the local style of cooking. Peking duck is perhaps the best known dish. Fuling jiabing, a traditional Beijing snack food, is a pancake (''bing'') resembling a flat disk with a filling made from ''fu ling'', a fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine. Teahouses are also common in Beijing.

The [[Engineering:Cloisonné|cloisonné]] (or ''Jingtailan'', literally "Blue of Jingtai") metalworking technique and tradition is a Beijing art speciality, and is one of the most revered traditional crafts in China. Cloisonné making requires elaborate and complicated processes which include base-hammering, copper-strip inlay, soldering, enamel-filling, enamel-firing, surface polishing and gilding.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.khulsey.com/travel/china_beijing_crafts_cloisonne.html |title=Beijing – Chinese Cloisonné Enamelware |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080611133538/http://www.khulsey.com/travel/china_beijing_crafts_cloisonne.html |archive-date=11 June 2008}}</ref> Beijing's lacquerware is also well known for its sophisticated and intricate patterns and images carved into its surface, and the various decoration techniques of lacquer include "carved lacquer" and "engraved gold".

Younger residents of Beijing have become more attracted to the nightlife, which has flourished in recent decades, breaking prior cultural traditions that had practically restricted it to the upper class.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levin |first=Dan |title=Beijing Lights Up the Night |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/fashion/15beijing.html |work=The New York Times |date=15 June 2008 |access-date=15 June 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417050902/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/fashion/15beijing.html |archive-date=17 April 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> Today, Houhai, Sanlitun and Wudaokou are Beijing's nightlife hotspots.

In 2012 Beijing was named as City of Design and became part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://culture360.asef.org/news-events/beijing-jeonju-and-norwich-named-unesco-creative-cities|title=Beijing, Jeonju, and Norwich named UNESCO Creative Cities {{!}} ASEF culture360|website=culture360.asef.org|language=en|access-date=3 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181004021203/https://culture360.asef.org/news-events/beijing-jeonju-and-norwich-named-unesco-creative-cities|archive-date=4 October 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Places of interest ===

{{blockquote|...the city remains an epicenter of tradition with the treasures of nearly 2,000 years as the imperial capital still on view—in the famed Forbidden City and in the city's lush pavilions and gardens...|[[Organization:National Geographic Society|National Geographic]]<ref name="national">{{cite web |url=http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/places-of-a-lifetime/beijing.html |title=Beijing, Places of a Lifetime |publisher=[[Organization:National Geographic Society|National Geographic Society]]
|access-date=3 August 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080803044907/http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/places/places-of-a-lifetime/beijing.html|archive-date= 3 August 2008 <!--DASHBot-->|url-status=dead}}</ref>}}
[[File:20130830-BJ-Zhengyangmen(Qianmen) 正阳门箭楼 2.JPG|thumb|left|Qianmen Avenue, a traditional commercial street outside Qianmen Gate along the southern Central Axis]]At the historical heart of Beijing lies the Forbidden City, the enormous palace compound that was the home of the emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties;<ref>
{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/advisory_body_evaluation/439.pdf |title=The Imperial Palace of the Ming and Qing Dynasties |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Center |date=29 December 1986 |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326110017/https://whc.unesco.org/archive/advisory_body_evaluation/439.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2009 |url-status=live }}
</ref> the Forbidden City hosts the Palace Museum, which contains imperial collections of Chinese art. Surrounding the Forbidden City are several former imperial gardens, parks and scenic areas, notably Beihai, Shichahai, Zhongnanhai, Jingshan and Zhongshan. These places, particularly Beihai Park, are described as masterpieces of Chinese gardening art,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/124/ |title=Beihai Park Behind Behai park locates Hou Hai, which is one of the most popular visited tourist places. Hou hai is the largest of the three lakes, along with Qianhai (lit. the "Front Lake") and Xihai (lit. the "Western Lake"), that comprise Shichahai, the collective name for the three northernmost lakes in central Beijing. Since the early 2000s, the hutong neighborhood around Houhai has become known for its nightlife as many residences along the lake shore have been converted into restaurants, bars, and cafes.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702022430/https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/124/ |archive-date=2 July 2007 |publisher=UNECO World Heritage}}</ref> and are tourist destinations of historical importance;<ref>{{cite book|title=Gateways to Beijing: a travel guide to Beijing|author=Littlewood, Misty and Mark Littlewood|publisher=Armour Publishing Pte Ltd|year=2008|page=182|isbn=978-981-4222-12-9}}</ref> in the modern era, Zhongnanhai has also been the political heart of various Chinese governments and regimes and is now the headquarters of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council. From Tiananmen Square, right across from the Forbidden City, there are several notable sites, such as the Tiananmen, Qianmen, the Great Hall of the People, the National Museum of China, the Monument to the People's Heroes, and the Mausoleum of Mao Zedong. The Summer Palace and the Old Summer Palace both lie at the western part of the city; the former, a UNESCO World Heritage Site,<ref>
{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/880 |title=Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Center |access-date=4 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724054441/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/880/ |archive-date=24 July 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref> contains a comprehensive collection of imperial gardens and palaces that served as the summer retreats for the Qing imperial family.

Among the best known religious sites in the city is the Temple of Heaven (''Tiantan''), located in southeastern Beijing, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/881
|title=Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Center |access-date=4 August 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080801071531/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/881|archive-date= 1 August 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> where emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties made visits for annual ceremonies of prayers to Heaven for good harvest. In the north of the city is the Temple of Earth (''Ditan''), while the Temple of the Sun (''Ritan'') and the Temple of the Moon (''Yuetan'') lie in the eastern and western urban areas respectively. Other well-known temple sites include the Dongyue Temple, Tanzhe Temple, Miaoying Temple, White Cloud Temple, Yonghe Temple, Fayuan Temple, Wanshou Temple and Big Bell Temple. The city also has its own Confucius Temple, and a Guozijian or Imperial Academy. The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, built in 1605, is the oldest Catholic church in Beijing. The Niujie Mosque is the oldest mosque in Beijing, with a history stretching back over a thousand years.

[[File:Entrance of Universal Studios Beijing (20210907121707).jpg|thumb|Universal Studios Beijing]]
[[File:Happy Valley Beijing (5).jpg|thumb|Happy Valley Beijing]]
Beijing contains several well-preserved pagodas and stone pagodas, such as the towering Pagoda of Tianning Temple, which was built during the Liao dynasty from 1100 to 1120, and the Pagoda of Cishou Temple, which was built in 1576 during the Ming dynasty. Historically noteworthy stone bridges include the 12th-century Lugou Bridge, the 17th-century Baliqiao bridge, and the 18th-century Jade Belt Bridge. The Beijing Ancient Observatory displays pre-telescopic spheres dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Fragrant Hills (''Xiangshan'') is a public park that consists of natural landscaped areas as well as traditional and cultural relics. The Beijing Botanical Garden exhibits over 6,000 species of plants, including a variety of trees, bushes and flowers, and an extensive [[Biology:Peony|peony]] garden. The Taoranting, Longtan, Chaoyang, Haidian, Milu Yuan and Zizhu Yuan parks are some of the notable recreational parks in the city. The Beijing Zoo is a center of zoological research that also contains rare animals from various continents, including the Chinese [[Biology:Giant panda|giant panda]].

There are 144 museums and galleries ({{As of|2008|06|lc=y}}) in the city.<ref>(Chinese) [{{lang|zh-Hans|北京地区博物馆名录（截止2008年6月）}}] 6 January 2009{{full citation needed|date=May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://english.cri.cn/1702/2005-2-18/119@169894.htm|title= About Beijing
|url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080929065353/http://english.cri.cn/1702/2005-2-18/119@169894.htm |archive-date = 29 September 2008 |df= dmy-all}}</ref><ref name="museum">
{{cite web |url=http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/museums/116909.htm |title=Beijing's Museums & Galleries |access-date=19 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080813210854/http://www.china.org.cn/english/features/museums/116909.htm |archive-date=13 August 2008 |url-status=live }}
</ref> In addition to the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China, other major museums include the National Art Museum of China, the Capital Museum, the Beijing Art Museum, the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution, the Geological Museum of China, the Beijing Museum of Natural History and the Paleozoological Museum of China.<ref name="museum"/>

Located at the outskirts of urban Beijing, but within its municipality are the Thirteen Tombs of the Ming dynasty, the lavish and elaborate burial sites of thirteen Ming emperors, which have been designated as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/archive/decrec03.htm#dec8-c-39 |title=Imperial Tombs of the Ming and Qing Dynasties |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Center |date=10 December 2003 |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090802190831/https://whc.unesco.org/archive/decrec03.htm#dec8-c-39 |archive-date=2 August 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The archaeological [[Earth:Peking Man|Peking Man]] site at [[Earth:Zhoukoudian|Zhoukoudian]] is another World Heritage Site within the municipality,<ref>{{cite web
|url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/449 |title=Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Center |access-date=4 August 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080723152123/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/449|archive-date= 23 July 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> containing a wealth of discoveries, among them one of the first specimens of ''[[Biology:Homo erectus|Homo erectus]]'' and an assemblage of bones of the gigantic [[Biology:Hyena|hyena]] ''[[Biology:Pachycrocuta|Pachycrocuta]] brevirostris''. There are several sections of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Great Wall of China,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438
|title=The Great Wall |publisher=UNESCO World Heritage Center |access-date=4 August 2008|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080731174854/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/438|archive-date= 31 July 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> most notably Badaling, Jinshanling, Simatai and Mutianyu. According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Beijing is the second highest earning tourist city in the world after [[Place:Shanghai|Shanghai]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Töre|first=Özgür|title=WTTC reveals the world's best performing tourism cities|url=https://ftnnews.com/other-news/35281-wttc-reveals-the-world-s-best-performing-tourism-cities|access-date=7 August 2021|website=ftnnews.com|date=22 October 2018 |language=en-gb|archive-date=7 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807052628/https://ftnnews.com/other-news/35281-wttc-reveals-the-world-s-best-performing-tourism-cities|url-status=live}}</ref> Theme parks located within the city include Universal Studios Beijing and Happy Valley Beijing, both of which are among the most visited theme parks in Asia.<ref>{{cite web |title=APAC: amusement and theme park attendance by facility 2021 |url=https://www.statista.com/statistics/194300/attendance-at-theme-and-amusement-parks-in-the-asia-pacific-region-since-2010/ |website=Statista |access-date=11 August 2023 |language=en |date=2023-01-03}}</ref>

=== Intangible cultural heritage ===
[[File:Beijing-Opera2.jpg|thumb|upright|Peking opera]]
The cultural heritage of Beijing is rich and diverse. Starting 2006, the Beijing government started the process of selecting and preserving cultural heritages. Five cultural heritage lists have been published over the years. 288 distinct practices are categorized as cultural heritage. These 288 cultural heritages are further divided into ten categories, namely folk music, folk dance, traditional opera, melodious art, juggling and game, folk art, traditional handicraft, traditional medicine, folk literature and folklore.<ref>[http://whlyj.beijing.gov.cn/ggfw/wh/fyml/202010/P020201010563737848152.pdf 第二批市级非物质文化遗产名录] beijing.gov.cn</ref><ref>[http://whlyj.beijing.gov.cn/ggfw/wh/fyml/202010/P020201010563741385357.pdf 第四批市级非物质文化遗产名录] beijing.gov.cn</ref><ref>[http://whlyj.beijing.gov.cn/ggfw/wh/fyml/202110/P020211026621144096433.pdf 第五批市级非物质文化遗产名录] beijing.gov.cn{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220927100935/http://whlyj.beijing.gov.cn/ggfw/wh/fyml/202110/P020211026621144096433.pdf |date=27 September 2022 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://ich.unesco.org/en/lists?text=&country[]=00045&multinational=3&display1=inscriptionID#tabs |title=Browse the Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Register of good safeguarding practices |website=Intangible Cultural Heritage |publisher=[[Organization:UNESCO|UNESCO]]}}</ref>

{{Colbegin}}

* Folk music
** Zhihua Temple music
** Tongzhou shanty
* Folk dance
** Tongzhou Dragon dance
** Miliangtun Stilts
* Traditional opera
** Kunqu
** Peking opera
* Melodious art
** Xiangsheng
* Acrobatic Performance and game
** [[Software:Go (game)|Weiqi(Go)]]
** Xiangqi
* Folk art
** Ivory carving
* Traditional handicraft
** Peking duck manufacturing techniques
** [[Engineering:Cloisonné|Cloisonné]] manufacturing techniques
* Traditional medicine
** Tong Ren Tang culture
* Folk literature 
** [http://english.bjsjs.gov.cn/exploringshijingshan/historyculture/202012/t20201221_35552.html Yongding River legend]{{Dead link|date=April 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
* Folklore
** Miaohui
** Lantern Festival
{{Colend}}

=== Religion ===
The religious heritage of Beijing is rich and diverse as [[Religion:Chinese folk religion|Chinese folk religion]], [[Philosophy:Taoism|Taoism]], [[Religion:Buddhism|Buddhism]], [[Philosophy:Confucianism|Confucianism]], [[Religion:Islam|Islam]] and [[Religion:Christianity|Christianity]] all have significant historical presence in the city. As the national capital, the city also hosts the State Administration for Religious Affairs and various state-sponsored institutions of the leading religions.<ref name=religion1>{{cite news |url=http://www.china.com.cn/sports/zhuanti/2008ay/2008-07/11/content_15993221.htm |script-title=zh:北京的宗教文化 |script-work=zh:中国网 |date=11 July 2008 |language=zh-cn |access-date=14 August 2015 |archive-date=16 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416200611/http://www.china.com.cn/sports/zhuanti/2008ay/2008-07/11/content_15993221.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> In recent decades, foreign residents have brought other religions to the city.<ref name=religion1/> According to Wang Zhiyun of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in 2010 there were 2.2 million Buddhists in the city, equal to 11.2% of the total population.<ref>Lai, Hongyi. ''China's Governance Model: Flexibility and Durability of Pragmatic Authoritarianism''. Routledge, 2016. {{ISBN|1-317-85952-9}}. p. 167</ref> According to the Chinese General Social Survey of 2009, Christians constitute 0.78% of the city's population.<ref name="Wang2015">China General Social Survey (CGSS) 2009. Report by: [https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/bitstream/handle/2104/9326/WANG-THESIS-2015.pdf?sequence=1 Xiuhua Wang (2015, p. 15)] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150925123928/https://baylor-ir.tdl.org/baylor-ir/bitstream/handle/2104/9326/WANG-THESIS-2015.pdf?sequence=1 |date=25 September 2015 }}</ref> According to a 2010 survey, Muslims constitute 1.76% of the population of Beijing.<ref name="2010-Islam">Min Junqing. ''The Present Situation and Characteristics of Contemporary Islam in China''. JISMOR, 8. [https://doors.doshisha.ac.jp/duar/repository/ir/18185/r002000080004.pdf 2010 Islam by province, p. 29] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170427140204/https://doors.doshisha.ac.jp/duar/repository/ir/18185/r002000080004.pdf |date=27 April 2017 }}. Data from: Yang Zongde, ''Study on Current Muslim Population in China'', Jinan Muslim, 2, 2010.
china dictatorship</ref>

=== Chinese folk religion and Taoism ===
[[File:Di'anmen Fire God Temple, Beijing 5.jpg|thumb|Fire God Temple in Di'anmen]]
Beijing has many temples dedicated to [[Religion:Chinese gods and immortals|folk religious and communal deities]], many of which are being reconstructed or refurbished in the 2000s and 2010s. Yearly sacrifices to the [[Philosophy:Tian|God of Heaven]] ({{zh|labels=no|c={{linktext|祭天}} |p=jìtiān}}<!--the term ''Tian'' has an article, but the different term "sacrifice to ''Tian''" does not-->) at the Temple of Heaven have been resumed by [[Philosophy:Confucianism|Confucian]] groups in the 2010s.

There are temples dedicated to the worship of the Goddess ({{zh|labels=no|c={{linktext|娘娘}} |p=Niángniáng}}) in the city, one of them near the Olympic Village, and they revolve around a major cult center at [[Religion:Mount Miaofeng|Mount Miaofeng]]. There are also many temples consecrated to the [[Religion:Dragon King|Dragon God]], to the Medicine Master ({{zh|labels=no|s={{linktext|药|王}} |p=Yàowáng}}), to [[Religion:Guan Yu|Divus Guan (Guan Yu)]], to the Fire God ({{zh|labels=no|c={{linktext|火神}} |p=Huǒshén}}), to the [[Religion:Caishen|Wealth God]], temples of the City God, and at least one temple consecrated to the Yellow Deity of the [[Astronomy:Big Dipper|Chariot]] [[Philosophy:Axis mundi|Shaft]] ({{zh|labels=no|s={{linktext|轩辕|黄帝}} |p=Xuānyuán Huángdì}}) in Pinggu District. Many of these temples are governed by the Beijing Taoist Association, such as the Fire God Temple of the Shicha Lake, while many others are not and are governed by popular committees and locals. A great Temple of Xuanyuan Huangdi will be built in Pinggu (possibly as an expansion of the already existing shrine) within 2020, and the temple will feature a statue of the deity which will be amongst the tallest in the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zsfh.org/a/cases/yuanquguihua/lvyoujingqu/2014/1217/1689.html |script-title=zh:平谷轩辕山国际旅游区概念性规划 |website=zsfh.org |access-date=28 January 2017 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202063906/http://www.zsfh.org/a/cases/yuanquguihua/lvyoujingqu/2014/1217/1689.html |url-status=dead }}.</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fanhuazhida.com/cgal/lvyou-1240-1.html |script-title=zh:2020世界休闲大会战略规划 – 北京平谷旅游发展重大项目储备规划 |website=fanhuazhida.com |access-date=28 January 2017 |archive-date=21 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170121225057/http://fanhuazhida.com/cgal/lvyou-1240-1.html |url-status=dead }}.</ref>

The national Chinese Taoist Association and Chinese Taoist College have their headquarters at the White Cloud Temple of Quanzhen Taoism, which was founded in 741 and rebuilt numerous times. The Beijing Dongyue Temple outside Chaoyangmen is the largest temple of Zhengyi Taoism in the city. The local Beijing Taoist Association has its headquarters at the Lüzu Temple near Fuxingmen.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjtaoism.net/html/daoxie/node/2345922-1.htm |script-title=zh:北京市道教协会协会简介 |publisher=Beijing Taoist Association |access-date=14 August 2015 |archive-date=14 August 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814164944/http://www.bjtaoism.net/html/daoxie/node/2345922-1.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Buddhism ===
[[File:十方普同塔(僧人合葬塔) - Pagoda for Ordinary Monks - 2012.04 - panoramio.jpg|thumb|The tomb pagodas at Tanzhe Temple]]
[[File:Dongcheng, Beijing, China - panoramio (84).jpg|thumb|Yonghe Temple of Tibetan Buddhism]]
11% of the population of Beijing practices East Asian Buddhism{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}}. The Buddhist Association of China, the state's supervisory organ overseeing all Buddhist institutions in mainland China, is headquartered in the Guangji Temple, a temple founded over 800 years ago during the Jin dynasty (1115–1234) in what is now Fuchengmennei ({{lang|zh-hans|阜成门内}}). The Beijing Buddhist Association along with the Buddhist Choir and Orchestra are based in the Guanghua Temple, which dates to the Yuan dynasty over 700 years ago. The Buddhist Academy of China and its library are housed in the Fayuan Temple near Caishikou. The Fayuan Temple, which dates to the Tang dynasty 1300 years ago, is the oldest temple in urban Beijing. The Tongjiao Temple inside Dongzhimen is the city's only Buddhist nunnery.

The Xihuang Temple originally dates to the Liao dynasty. In 1651, the temple was commissioned by the Qing Emperor Shunzhi to host the visit of the Fifth Dalai Lama to Beijing. Since then, this temple has hosted the 13th Dalai Lama as well as the Sixth, Ninth and Tenth Panchen Lamas.

The largest Tibetan Buddhist Temple in Beijing is the Yonghe Temple, which was decreed by the Qing Emperor Qianlong in 1744 to serve as the residence and research facility for his Buddhist preceptor of Rölpé Dorjé the third Changkya (or living Buddha of [[Place:Inner Mongolia|Inner Mongolia]]). The Yonghe Temple is so-named because it was the childhood residence of the Yongzheng Emperor, and retains the glazed tiles reserved for imperial palaces. While the "High-level Tibetan Buddhism College of China", China's highest institution college of Tibetan Buddhism, situated near the Yonghe Temple. The Lingguang Temple of Badachu in the Western Hills also dates to the Tang dynasty. The temple's Zhaoxian Pagoda ({{lang|zh-hans|招仙塔}}) was first built in 1071 during the Liao dynasty to hold a tooth relic of the [[Biography:Gautama Buddha|Buddha]]. The pagoda was destroyed during the [[Religion:Boxer Rebellion|Boxer Rebellion]] and the tooth was discovered from its foundation. A new pagoda was built in 1964. The six aforementioned temples: Guangji, Guanghua, Tongjiao, Xihuang, Yonghe and Lingguang have been designated National Key Buddhist Temples in Han Chinese Area.

In addition, other notable temples in Beijing include the Tanzhe Temple (founded in the Jin dynasty (266–420) is the oldest in the municipality), the Tianning Temple (oldest pagoda in the city), the Miaoying Temple (famed for Yuan-era white pagoda), the Wanshou Temple (home to the Beijing Art Museum) and the Big Bell Temple (Dazhong Temple).

=== Islam ===
[[File:Niujie Mosques02.jpg|thumb|Niujie Mosque]]
Beijing has about 70 mosques recognized by the Islamic Association of China, whose headquarters are located next to the Niujie Mosque, the oldest mosque in the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjethnic.gov.cn/zongjiao/zjzhjs/yslj/index.shtml |script-title=zh:伊斯兰教简介 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Ethnic Affairs |language=zh-cn |access-date=3 April 2016 |archive-date=30 January 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170130005328/http://www.bjethnic.gov.cn/zongjiao/zjzhjs/yslj/index.shtml |url-status=dead }} Accessed 4 April 2016</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjethnic.gov.cn/zongjiao/zjzhjs/yslj/wwls4/20140911/849.shtml |script-title=zh:北京市清真寺文物等级 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Ethnic Affairs |language=zh-cn |access-date=3 April 2016 |archive-date=16 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416100639/http://www.bjethnic.gov.cn/zongjiao/zjzhjs/yslj/wwls4/20140911/849.shtml |url-status=dead }} Accessed 4 April 2016</ref> The Niujie Mosque was founded in 996 during the Liao dynasty and is frequently visited by Muslim dignitaries. The Chinese Muslim community reportedly celebrated [[Religion:Ramadan|Ramadan]] and made [[Religion:Eid prayers|Eid prayers]] at the mosque on 2021.<ref>{{Citation|title=Beijing's Muslim community celebrates holy month of Ramadan|date=14 April 2021|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loywhvJ4TVY| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211027/loywhvJ4TVY| archive-date=27 October 2021|work=South China Morning Post|language=en|access-date=22 May 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Citation|title=China: Beijing's Muslim community gathers for Eid prayers at mosque|date=13 May 2021|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nobUrHDtZPM| archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211027/nobUrHDtZPM| archive-date=27 October 2021|work=Agence France-Presse|language=en|access-date=22 May 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

The largest mosque<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.risingsun.org.cn/culherit/culold/1970.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924091316/http://www.risingsun.org.cn/culherit/culold/1970.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=24 September 2015|script-title=zh:朝阳文化--文化遗产|date=24 September 2015|access-date=21 February 2019}}</ref> in Beijing is ChangYing mosque, located in ChaoYang district, with an area of 8,400 square meters.

Other notable mosques in the old city include the Dongsi Mosque, founded in 1346; the Huashi Mosque, founded in 1415; Nan Douya Mosque, near Chaoyangmen; Jinshifang Street Mosque, in Xicheng District; and the Dongzhimen Mosque.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjethnic.gov.cn/zongjiao/zjzhjs/yslj/wwls4/20150407/1992.shtml |script-title=zh:北京市部分清真寺介绍 |publisher=Beijing Bureau of Ethnic Affairs |language=zh-cn |access-date=3 April 2016 |archive-date=16 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160416074958/http://www.bjethnic.gov.cn/zongjiao/zjzhjs/yslj/wwls4/20150407/1992.shtml |url-status=dead }} Accessed 4 April 2016</ref> There are large mosques in outlying Muslim communities in Haidian, Madian, Tongzhou, Changping, Changying, Shijingshan and Miyun. The China Islamic Institute is located in the Niujie neighborhood in Xicheng District.

=== Christianity ===
[[File:Xishikupic1.jpg|thumb|upright|Church of the Saviour, also known as the Xishiku Church, built in 1703]]

====Catholicism====
In 1289, John of Montecorvino came to Beijing as a Franciscan missionary with the order from the Pope. After meeting and receiving the support of Kublai Khan in 1293, he built the first Catholic church in Beijing in 1305. The Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), based in Houhai is the government oversight body for Catholics in mainland China. Notable Catholic churches in Beijing include:
* the Nantang or Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception also known as the Xuanwumen Church, which was founded in 1605 and whose current archbishop, Joseph Li Shan, is one of the few bishops in China to have the support of both the Vatican and the CPCA.
* the Dongtang or St. Joseph's Church, better known as the Wangfujing Church, founded in 1653.
* the Beitang or Church of the Saviour, also known as the Xishiku Church, founded in 1703.
* the Xitang or Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel also known as the Xizhimen Church, founded in 1723.
The National Seminary of Catholic Church in China is located in Daxing District.

====Protestantism====
The earliest Protestant churches in Beijing were founded by British and American missionaries in the second half of the 19th century. Protestant missionaries also opened schools, universities and hospitals which have become important civic institutions. Most of Beijing's Protestant churches were destroyed during the [[Religion:Boxer Rebellion|Boxer Rebellion]] and afterwards rebuilt. In 1958, the 64 Protestant churches in the city are reorganized into four and overseen by the state through the Three-Self Patriotic Movement.

====Eastern Orthodox====
There was a significant amount of Orthodox Christians in Beijing. Orthodoxy came to Beijing with Russian prisoners from the [[History:Sino-Russian border conflicts|Sino-Russian border conflicts]] of the 17th century.<ref>Eric Widmer, ''The Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Peking During the Eighteenth Century'', p. 23, 1976, {{ISBN|0-674-78129-5}} [https://books.google.com/books?id=3ZjnRS1g6zkC&q=church&pg=PA20 Google Books] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906083811/https://books.google.com/books?id=3ZjnRS1g6zkC&pg=PA20#v=onepage&q=church |date=6 September 2015 }}</ref> In 1956, Viktor, the bishop of Beijing returned to the [[Place:Soviet Union|Soviet Union]], and the Soviet embassy took over the old cathedral and demolished it. In 2007, the Russian embassy built a new church in its garden to serve the Russian Orthodox Christians in Beijing.

=== Media ===

==== Television and radio ====
[[File:CCTV Headquarters 5.jpg|right|thumb|The China Central Television Headquarters building in CBD]]
Beijing Television broadcasts on channels 1 through 10, and China Central Television, China's largest television network, maintains its headquarters in Beijing. Three radio stations feature programmes in English: ''Hit FM'' on FM 88.7, ''Easy FM'' by China Radio International on FM 91.5, and the newly launched ''Radio 774'' on AM 774. Beijing Radio Stations is the family of radio stations serving the city.

==== Press ====
The well-known ''Beijing Evening News'', covering news about Beijing in Chinese, is distributed every afternoon. Other newspapers include ''Beijing Daily'', ''The Beijing News'', the ''Beijing Star Daily'', the ''Beijing Morning News'', and the ''Beijing Youth Daily'', as well as English-language weeklies ''Beijing Weekend'' and ''Beijing Today''. The ''People's Daily'', ''Global Times'' and the ''China Daily'' (English) are published in Beijing as well.

Publications primarily aimed at international visitors and the expatriate community include the English-language periodicals ''Time Out Beijing'', ''City Weekend'', ''Beijing This Month'', ''Beijing Talk'', ''That's Beijing'', and ''The Beijinger''.

==== Beijing rock ====
Beijing rock (Chinese: 北京摇滚) is a wide variety of rock and roll music made by rock bands and solo artists from Beijing. The first rock band in Beijing is Peking All-Stars, which was formed in 1979 by foreigners.

Famous rock bands and solo artists from Beijing include Cui Jian, Dou Wei, He Yong, Pu Shu, Tang Dynasty, Black Panther, The Flowers, 43 Baojia Street, etc.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Brace |first=Tim |date=1991 |title=Popular Music in Contemporary Beijing: Modernism and Cultural Identity |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/834306 |journal=Asian Music |volume=22 |issue=2 |pages=43–66 |doi=10.2307/834306 |jstor=834306 |issn=0044-9202}}</ref>

== Sports ==
=== Events ===
[[File:Beijing Olympics 2008.jpg|thumb|right|A scene from the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games]]
[[File:Beijing Workers' Stadium.jpg|right|thumb|Beijing Workers' Stadium at night as viewed from Sanlitun]]

Beijing has hosted numerous international and national sporting events, the most notables was the 2008 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games and the 2022 Winter Olympics and the Paralympics. Other multi-sport international events held in Beijing include the 2001 Summer Universiade and the 1990 Asian Games. Single-sport international competitions include the Beijing Marathon (annually since 1981), China Open of Tennis (1993–97, annually since 2004), ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of China (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009 and 2010), World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association China Open for Snooker (annually since 2005), {{Lang|fr|Union Cycliste Internationale|italic=no}} Tour of Beijing (since 2011), 1961 World Table Tennis Championships, 1987 IBF Badminton World Championships, the 2004 AFC Asian Cup (football), and 2009 Barclays Asia Trophy (football). Beijing hosted the 2015 IAAF World Championships in Athletics.

Beijing's LeSports Center is one of the main venues for the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.<ref>[https://www.fiba.basketball/basketballworldcup/2019 The Official website of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170527030949/http://www.fiba.com/basketballworldcup/2019 |date=27 May 2017 }}, FIBA.com, Retrieved 9 March 2016.</ref>

The city hosted the second Chinese National Games in 1914 and the first four National Games of China in 1959, 1965, 1975, 1979, respectively, and co-hosted the 1993 National Games with Sichuan and Qingdao. Beijing also hosted the inaugural National Peasants' Games in 1988 and the sixth National Minority Games in 1999.

In November 2013, Beijing made a bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/winter-olympics/2022/1016809-beijing-and-zhangjiakou-launch-a-joint-bid-to-host-the-2022-winter-olympic-games|title=Beijing and Zhangjiakou launch joint bid to host 2022 Winter Olympic Games |website=insidethegames.biz|date=5 November 2013 |access-date=5 November 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105154638/http://www.insidethegames.biz/olympics/winter-olympics/2022/1016809-beijing-and-zhangjiakou-launch-a-joint-bid-to-host-the-2022-winter-olympic-games|archive-date=5 November 2013|url-status=live}}</ref> On 31 July 2015, the International Olympic Committee awarded the 2022 Winter Olympics to the city becoming the first ever to host both Summer and Winter Olympics also for the 2022 Winter Paralympics becoming the first ever to host both Summer and Winter Paralympics.<ref name=":3">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/07/31/ioc-awards-2022-winter-olympics-to-beijing/|title=IOC awards 2022 Winter Olympics to Beijing|newspaper={{wipe|The Washington Post}}|access-date=24 August 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170715143645/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sports/wp/2015/07/31/ioc-awards-2022-winter-olympics-to-beijing/|archive-date=15 July 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Venues ===
Major sporting venues in the city include the MasterCard Center at Wukesong west of downtown; the Workers' Stadium and Workers' Arena in Sanlitun just east of downtown and the Capital Arena in Baishiqiao, northeast of downtown. In addition, many universities in the city have their own sport facilities.{{citation needed|date=May 2023}} The Olympic Green is a stadium cluster centered on the National Stadium. It was originally developed for the 2008 Summer Olympics<ref>{{cite web |title=Beijing builds on stadium success by adding to 2008's architectural legacy |url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/beijing-builds-on-stadium-success-by-adding-to-2008-s-architectural-legacy |website=International Olympic Committee |date=2018-08-15 |access-date=2023-05-01}}</ref> and modified for the 2022 Winter Olympics. The Big Air Shougang ski jump is in the western suburbs and was built for the 2022 Winter Olympics.<ref>{{Cite news |title=图解北京冬奥场馆：从"雪如意"、"冰丝带"到炼钢厂旧址上的大跳台 |language=zh-hans |work=BBC News 中文 |url=https://www.bbc.com/zhongwen/simp/chinese-news-60150001 |access-date=2023-03-27}}</ref>

=== Clubs ===
Professional sports teams based in Beijing include:
{{Colbegin}}
* China Baseball League
** Beijing Tigers
* Chinese Basketball Association
** Beijing Ducks
** Beijing Royal Fighters
* Women's Chinese Basketball Association
** Beijing Shougang
* Kontinental Hockey League
** HC Kunlun Red Star
* Chinese Super League
** Beijing Guoan
* China League Two
** Beijing BIT
* Chinese Women's National League
** Beijing BG Phoenix

{{Colend}}
The Beijing Olympians of the American Basketball Association, formerly a Chinese Basketball Association team, kept their name and maintained a roster of primarily Chinese players after moving to Maywood, California in 2005.

China Bandy Federation is based in Beijing, one of several cities in which the potential for bandy development is explored.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.chinabandy.org/|title=Welcome|work=chinabandy.org|access-date=10 November 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304225611/http://www.chinabandy.org/|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Transportation ==
[[File:Beijing South Railway Station 2094.jpg|thumb|right|Beijing South railway station, one of several rail stations in the city]]
Beijing is an important transport hub in North China with six ring roads, 1167&nbsp;km (725 miles) of expressways,<ref name=19nj>{{cite web|author1=Beijing Municipal Bureau of Statistics|title=Statistical Communiqué on the National Economy and Social Development of Beijing in 2019|url=http://tjj.beijing.gov.cn/EnglishSite/SC/202003/P020200331388719611556.doc|website=Beijing Stat Bureau|access-date=31 May 2020|archive-date=21 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721162055/http://tjj.beijing.gov.cn/EnglishSite/SC/202003/P020200331388719611556.doc|url-status=live}}</ref> 15 National Highways, nine conventional railways, and six high-speed railways converging on the city.

=== Rail and high-speed rail ===
Beijing serves as a large rail hub in China's railway network. Ten conventional rail lines radiate from the city to: Shanghai (Jinghu Line), Guangzhou (Jingguang Line), Kowloon (Jingjiu Line), Harbin (Jingha Line) (including Qinhuangdao (Jingqin Line)), Baotou (Jingbao Line), Chengde (Jingcheng Line), Tongliao, Inner Mongolia (Jingtong Line), Yuanping, Shanxi (Jingyuan Line) and Shacheng, Hebei (Fengsha Line). In addition, the Datong–Qinhuangdao railway passes through the municipality to the north of the city.

Beijing also has six high-speed rail lines: the Beijing–Tianjin intercity railway, which opened in 2008; the Beijing–Shanghai high-speed railway, which opened in 2011; the Beijing–Guangzhou high-speed railway, which opened in 2012; and the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway and the Beijing–Zhangjiakou intercity railway, both of which opened in 2019. The Beijing–Shenyang high-speed railway was completed in 2021.

The city's main railway stations are the Beijing railway station, which opened in 1959; the Beijing West railway station, which opened in 1996; and the Beijing South railway station, which was rebuilt into the city's high-speed railway station in 2008; The Beijing North railway station, was first built in 1905 and expanded in 2009; The Qinghe railway station, was first built in 1905 and expanded in 2019; The Beijing Chaoyang railway station opened in 2021; The Beijing Fengtai railway station opened in 2022; and the Beijing Sub-Center railway station is under construction.

Smaller stations in the city including Beijing East railway station and Daxing Airport station handle mainly commuter passenger traffic. In outlying suburbs and counties of Beijing, there are over 40 railway stations.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.oklx.com/cn/train/province/1753ac4e025e.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060330191134/http://www.oklx.com/cn/train/province/1753ac4e025e.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 March 2006 |script-title=zh:北京市火车站大全 |website=oklx.com |access-date=8 August 2011 }}</ref>

From Beijing, direct passenger train service is available to most large cities in China. International train service is available to Mongolia, Russia, Vietnam and North Korea. Passenger trains in China are numbered according to their direction in relation to Beijing.

=== Roads and expressways ===
[[File:Dongfeng North Bridge (20210502140735).jpg|thumb|View of 4th Ring Road in Chaoyang District]]Beijing is connected by road links to all parts of China as part of the National Trunk Road Network. Many expressways of China serve Beijing, as do 15 China National Highways. Beijing's urban transport is dependent upon the ring roads that concentrically surround the city, with the Forbidden City area marked as the geographical center for the ring roads. The ring roads appear more rectangular than ring-shaped. There is no official "1st Ring Road". The 2nd Ring Road is located in the inner city. Ring roads tend to resemble expressways progressively as they extend outwards, with the 5th and 6th Ring Roads being full-standard national expressways, linked to other roads only by interchanges. Expressways to other regions of China are generally accessible from the 3rd Ring Road outward. A final outer orbital, the Capital Area Loop Expressway (G95), was fully opened in 2018 and will extend into neighboring [[Place:Tianjin|Tianjin]] and Hebei.

[[File:Jingtong Expwy east of Sihui (20230828160357).jpg|thumb|left|Traffic jam on the Beijing–Tongzhou Expressway]]
Within the urban core, city streets generally follow the checkerboard pattern of the ancient capital. Many of Beijing's boulevards and streets with "inner" and "outer" are still named in relation to gates in the city wall, though most gates no longer stand. Traffic jams are a major concern. Even outside of rush hour, several roads still remain clogged with traffic.

Beijing's urban design layout further exacerbates transportation problems.<ref>
{{cite news |title=Beijingers spend lives on road as traffic congestion worsens |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/06/content_269518.htm |work=China Daily |publisher=Xinhua News Agency |date=6 October 2003 |access-date=22 July 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724004854/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/en/doc/2003-10/06/content_269518.htm |archive-date=24 July 2009 |url-status=live }}
</ref> The authorities have introduced several bus lanes, which only public buses can use during rush hour. In the beginning of 2010, Beijing had 4 million registered automobiles.<ref>{{cite web |title=Automobile numbers could be capped |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/metro/2009-10/19/content_8809166.htm |work=China Daily |access-date=13 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101109184601/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/metro/2009-10/19/content_8809166.htm |archive-date=9 November 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> By the end of 2010, the government forecast 5 million. In 2010, new car registrations in Beijing averaged 15,500 per week.<ref>{{cite news |title=Beijing city to have five mln cars on roads by year end |url=http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1015147/Beijing-city-to-have-five-mln-cars-on-roads-by-year-end.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102164859/http://autonews.gasgoo.com/auto-news/1015147/Beijing-city-to-have-five-mln-cars-on-roads-by-year-end.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2 January 2013 |publisher=Gasgoo |date=12 May 2010 |access-date=13 May 2010}}</ref>

Towards the end of 2010, the city government announced a series of drastic measures to tackle traffic jams, including limiting the number of new license plates issued to passenger cars to 20,000 a month and barring cars with non-Beijing plates from entering areas within the Fifth Ring Road during rush hour.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://chinaautoweb.com/2010/12/to-tackle-traffic-jam-beijing-sets-new-car-plate-quota-limits-out-of-towners/ |title=To Tackle Traffic Jam, Beijing Sets New Car Plate Quota, Limits Out-of-Towners |publisher=ChinaAutoWeb.com |access-date=13 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101228031411/http://chinaautoweb.com/2010/12/to-tackle-traffic-jam-beijing-sets-new-car-plate-quota-limits-out-of-towners/ |archive-date=28 December 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> More restrictive measures are also reserved during major events or heavily polluted weather.

To obtain a valid license plate, Beijing drivers must be selected in a lottery.<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |last=Li |first=David Daokui |title=China's World View: Demystifying China to Prevent Global Conflict |date=2024 |publisher=W. W. Norton & Company |isbn=978-0393292398 |location=New York, NY |author-link=David Daokui Li}}</ref>{{Rp|page=168}} As part of government policy support for the use of electric vehicles, Beijing drivers with fully electric cars have a much greater chance of being selected for a license plate.<ref name=":03" />{{Rp|page=168}} Additionally, fully electric vehicles are exempt from restrictions on which day of the week a driver may drive their vehicle.<ref name=":03" />{{Rp|page=168}}

Road signs began to be standardized with both Chinese and English names displayed, with location names using pinyin, in 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://china.org.cn/government/local_governments/2006-03/24/content_1163308.htm|title=Beijing Standardizes Translations of Road Signs|publisher=Shanghai Daily at china.org.cn|date=24 March 2006|access-date=28 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110208155329/http://china.org.cn/government/local_governments/2006-03/24/content_1163308.htm|archive-date=8 February 2011|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Air ===

====Beijing Capital International Airport====
[[File:Air China first and business lounge at ZBAA T3C (20170309125425).jpg|thumb|right|Terminal 3 of the Beijing Capital International Airport]]
Beijing has two of the world's largest airports. The Beijing Capital International Airport (IATA: PEK) located {{convert|32|km}} northeast of the city center in Chaoyang District bordering Shunyi District, is the second busiest airport in the world after Atlanta's Hartsfield–Jackson International Airport.<ref name="ACI aero"/> Capital Airport's Terminal 3, built during the expansion for the 2008 Olympics, is one of the largest in the world. Capital Airport is the main hub for Air China and Hainan Airlines. The Airport Expressway and Second Airport Expressway, connect to Capital Airport from the northeast and east of the city center, respectively. Driving time from city center is about 40 minutes under normal traffic conditions. The Capital Airport Express line of Beijing Subway and the Capital Airport Bus serves the Capital Airport.

====Beijing Daxing International Airport====
[[File:Beijing Daxing International Airport 13.jpg|thumb|left|Beijing Daxing International Airport]]
The Beijing Daxing International Airport (IATA: PKX) located {{convert|46|km}} south of the city in Daxing District bordering the city of Langfang, Hebei Province, opened on 25 September 2019.<ref>{{Cite news|script-title=zh:北京大兴国际机场正式投运|url=https://finance.sina.com.cn/chanjing/gsnews/2019-09-25/doc-iicezueu8248191.shtml|work=Xinhua|via=Sina Finance|access-date=28 October 2019|date=25 September 2019|archive-date=25 September 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190925040210/https://finance.sina.com.cn/chanjing/gsnews/2019-09-25/doc-iicezueu8248191.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="carnoc20160112">{{cite web |url=http://news.carnoc.com/list/302/302606.html |script-title=zh:首都新机场跑道呈三纵一横分布 规划7条跑道 |publisher=news.carnoc.com |access-date=12 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305002747/http://news.carnoc.com/list/302/302606.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://in.news.yahoo.com/china-plans-build-worlds-biggest-airport-near-beijing-104338446.html |title=China plans to build world's biggest airport near Beijing |publisher=In.news.yahoo.com |date=10 September 2011 |access-date=31 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519122752/http://in.news.yahoo.com/china-plans-build-worlds-biggest-airport-near-beijing-104338446.html |archive-date=19 May 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The Daxing Airport has one of the world's largest terminal buildings and is expected to be a major airport serving Beijing, Tianjin and northern Hebei Province. Daxing Airport is connected to the city via the Beijing–Xiong'an intercity railway, the Daxing Airport Express line of the Beijing Subway and two expressways.

====Other airports====
With the opening of the Daxing Airport in September 2019, the Beijing Nanyuan Airport (IATA: NAY), located {{convert|13|km}} south of center in Fengtai District, has been closed to civilian airline service. Other airports in the city at Liangxiang, Xijiao, Shahe and Badaling are primarily for military use.

====Visa requirements for air passengers====
{{As of|2013|01|01|alt=As of 1 January 2013}}, tourists from 45 countries are permitted a 72-hour visa-free stay in Beijing. The 45 countries include Singapore, Japan, the United States, Canada, all EU and EEA countries (except Norway and Liechtenstein), Switzerland, Brazil, Argentina and Australia. The programme benefits transit and business travellers<ref>{{cite news|title=Beijing grants three-day visa-free access|url=http://www.ttgmice.com/article/beijing-grants-three-day-visa-free-access/|access-date=7 December 2012|newspaper=TTGmice|date=6 December 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605142840/http://www.ttgmice.com/article/beijing-grants-three-day-visa-free-access/|archive-date=5 June 2013}}</ref> with the 72 hours calculated starting from the moment visitors receive their transit stay permits rather than the time of their plane's arrival. Foreign visitors are not permitted to leave Beijing for other Chinese cities during the 72 hours.<ref name=Beijing>[http://chinatour.net/news/visa-free-beijing/ "Beijing 72-hour Visa-free" ChinaTour.Net] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150318071555/http://chinatour.net/news/visa-free-beijing/ |date=18 March 2015 }} Accessed 6 June 2014</ref>

=== Public transit ===
[[File:Train leaving Xihongmen Station.JPG|thumb|A Daxing line train on the Beijing Subway, which is among the longest and busiest rapid transit systems in the world]]
[[File:4838397 at Tian'anmen (20200825105132).jpg|thumb|left|An articulated Beijing bus]]
The Beijing Subway, which began operating in 1969, now has 25 lines, 459 stations, and {{convert|783|km|abbr=on}} of lines. It is the longest subway system in the world and first in annual ridership with 3.66 billion rides delivered in 2016. In 2013, with a flat fare of [[Finance:Renminbi|¥]]2.00 (US$0.31) per ride with unlimited transfers on all lines except the Airport Express, the subway was also the most affordable rapid transit system in China. The subway is undergoing rapid expansion and is expected to reach 30 lines, 450 stations, {{convert|1050|km}} in length by 2022. When fully implemented, 95% of residents inside the Fourth Ring Road will be able to walk to a station in 15 minutes.<ref>{{cite news|title=30 subway lines to cover Beijing by 2020|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-05/28/content_9905209.htm|newspaper=China Daily|date=28 May 2010|access-date=30 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823064150/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-05/28/content_9905209.htm|archive-date=23 August 2010|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=October 2021}} The Beijing Suburban Railway provides commuter rail service to outlying suburbs of the municipality.

As part of the urban re-development for the 2008 Olympics, Beijing's subway system was significantly expanded.<ref name=":02" />{{Rp|page=137}} On 28 December 2014, it switched to a distance-based fare system from a fixed fare for all lines except the Airport Express.<ref name="english.cri.cn">{{cite web|title = Beijing to Increase Public Transportation Fare Prices Next Month|url = http://english.cri.cn/12394/2014/11/27/3781s854098.htm|website = english.cri.cn|access-date = 24 December 2015|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151222163718/http://english.cri.cn/12394/2014/11/27/3781s854098.htm|archive-date = 22 December 2015|url-status=dead|df = dmy-all}}</ref> Under the new system a trip under {{convert|6|km|mi|frac=2|abbr=on}} will cost [[Finance:Renminbi|¥]]3.00(US$0.49), an additional [[Finance:Renminbi|¥]]1.00 will be added for the next {{convert|6|km|mi|frac=2|abbr=on}} and the next {{convert|10|km|mi|0|abbr=on}} until the distance for the trip reaches {{convert|32|km|mi|abbr=on}}.<ref name="english.cri.cn"/> For every {{convert|20|km|mi|abbr=off}} after the original {{convert|32|km|mi|abbr=off}} an additional [[Finance:Renminbi|¥]]1.00 is added.<ref name="english.cri.cn"/> For example, a {{convert|50|km|mi|abbr=off|adj=on}} trip would cost [[Finance:Renminbi|¥]] 8.00.

There are nearly 1,000 public bus and [[Engineering:Trolleybus|trolleybus]] lines in the city, including four [[Engineering:Bus rapid transit|bus rapid transit]] lines. Standard bus fares are as low as ¥1.00 when purchased with the ''Yikatong'' metrocard.

=== Taxi ===
Metered taxi in Beijing start at ¥13 for the first {{convert|3|km}}, ¥2.3 [[Finance:Renminbi|Renminbi]] per additional {{convert|1|km}} and ¥1 per ride fuel surcharge, not counting idling fees which are ¥2.3 (¥4.6 during rush hours of 7–9 am and 5–7 pm) per 5 minutes of standing or running at speeds lower than {{convert|12|kph}}. Most taxis are [[Engineering:Hyundai Elantra|Hyundai Elantra]]s, [[Engineering:Hyundai Sonata|Hyundai Sonata]]s, [[Company:Peugeot|Peugeot]]s, [[Company:Citroën|Citroën]]s and [[Engineering:Volkswagen Jetta|Volkswagen Jetta]]s. After {{convert|15|km}}, the base fare increases by 50% (but is only applied to the portion ''over'' that distance). Different companies have special colours combinations painted on their vehicles. Usually registered taxis have yellowish brown as basic hue, with another color of Prussian blue, hunter green, white, umber, tyrian purple, rufous, or sea green. Between 11&nbsp;pm and 5&nbsp;am, there is also a 20% fee increase. Rides over {{convert|15|km|0|abbr=on}} and between 23:00 and 06:00 incur both charges, for a total increase of 80%. Tolls during trip should be covered by customers and the costs of trips beyond Beijing city limits should be negotiated with the driver. The cost of unregistered taxis is also subject to negotiation with the driver.

=== Bicycles ===
[[File:East start of Huilongguan-Shangdi Bicycle Lane (20190607134646).jpg|thumb|Huilongguan-Shangdi Bicycle Lane]]
Beijing has long been well known for the number of bicycles on its streets. Although the rise of motor traffic has created a great deal of congestion and bicycle use has declined, bicycles are still an important form of local transportation. Many cyclists can be seen on most roads in the city, and most of the main roads have dedicated bicycle lanes. Beijing is relatively flat, which makes cycling convenient. The rise of electric bicycles and electric scooters, which have similar speeds and use the same cycle lanes, may have brought about a revival in bicycle-speed two-wheeled transport. It is possible to cycle to most parts of the city. Because of the growing traffic congestion, the authorities have indicated more than once that they wish to encourage cycling, but it is not clear whether there is sufficient will to translate that into action on a significant scale.<ref>{{cite news |title=Campaign to boost cycling in Beijing |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/24/beijing-cycling-capital-plans/ |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=24 January 2010 |access-date=10 March 2011 |first=Jonathan |last=Watts |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130909090335/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jan/24/beijing-cycling-capital-plans |archive-date=9 September 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> On 30 March 2019, a 6.5&nbsp;km (4 mile) bicycle-dedicated lane was opened, easing the traffic congestion between Huilongguan and [[Philosophy:Shangdi|Shangdi]] where there are many high-tech companies.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Xin |first1=Wen |title=Beijing's first dedicated bike lane eases traffic congestion |url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/14/WS5d53d1d0a310cf3e35565c29.html |access-date=31 May 2020 |publisher=China Daily |date=14 August 2019 |archive-date=23 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723164929/http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/a/201908/14/WS5d53d1d0a310cf3e35565c29.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Cycling has seen a resurgence in popularity spurred by the emergence of a large number of dockless app based bikeshares such as Mobike, Bluegogo and Ofo since 2016.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.whatsonweibo.com/ofo-mobike-bluegogo-chinas-messy-bikeshare-market/|title=Ofo, Mobike, BlueGogo: China's Messy Bikeshare Market|work=What's on Weibo|access-date=13 August 2017|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806025220/http://www.whatsonweibo.com/ofo-mobike-bluegogo-chinas-messy-bikeshare-market/|archive-date=6 August 2017|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Defence and aerospace ==
[[File:Starting aerial formation of PRC70 Parade (20191001112401).jpg|thumb|left|[[Engineering:KJ-2000|KJ-2000]] and J-10s started the flypast formation on the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China.]]

The command headquarters of China's military forces are based in Beijing. The Central Military Commission, the political organ in charge of the military, is housed inside the Ministry of National Defense, located next to the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution in western Beijing. The Rocket Force, which controls the country's [[Engineering:Intercontinental ballistic missile|strategic missile]] and nuclear weapons, has its command in Qinghe, Haidian District. The headquarters of the Central Theater Command, one of five nationally, is based further west in Gaojing. The CTR oversees the Beijing Capital Garrison as well as the 81st, 82nd and 83rd Armies, which are based in Hebei.

Military institutions in Beijing also include academies and thinktanks such as the PLA National Defence University and Academy of Military Science, military hospitals such as the 301, 307 and the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, and army-affiliated cultural entities such as 1 August Film Studios and the PLA Song and Dance Troupe.

The [[Organization:China National Space Administration|China National Space Administration]], which oversees country's space program, and several space-related state owned companies such as [[Company:China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation|CASTC]] and [[Company:China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation|CASIC]] are all based in Beijing. The Beijing Aerospace Command and Control Center, in Haidian District tracks the country's [[Astronomy:Shenzhou program|crewed]] and uncrewed flight and other space exploration initiatives.

== Nature and wildlife ==
Beijing Municipality has 20 nature reserves that have a total area of {{convert|1,339.7|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sts.mep.gov.cn/zrbhq/zrbhq/201208/t20120824_235198.htm |script-title=zh:北京市自然保护区名录（截至2011年底） |publisher=Ministry of Environmental Protection of the People's Republic of China |date=24 August 2012 |access-date=6 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121023132747/http://sts.mep.gov.cn/zrbhq/zrbhq/201208/t20120824_235198.htm |archive-date=23 October 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> The mountains to the west and north of the city are home to a number of protected wildlife species including [[Biology:Leopard|leopard]], [[Biology:Leopard cat|leopard cat]], [[Biology:Wolf|wolf]], [[Biology:Red fox|red fox]], wild boar, masked palm civet, [[Biology:Raccoon dog|raccoon dog]], [[Biology:Hog badger|hog badger]], Siberian weasel, [[Biology:Amur hedgehog|Amur hedgehog]], [[Biology:Roe deer|roe deer]], and [[Biology:Mandarin rat snake|mandarin rat snake]].<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://www.bwca.com.cn/Class.asp?ClassID=32 |script-title=zh:北京一级保护野生动物 |publisher=Beijing Wildlife Conservation Association |access-date=4 April 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416173150/http://www.bwca.com.cn/Class.asp?ClassID=32 |archive-date=16 April 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://www.bwca.com.cn/Class.asp?ClassID=33|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226203732/http://www.bwca.com.cn/Class.asp?ClassID=33|url-status=dead|archive-date=26 December 2007|script-title=zh:北京二级保护野生动物 |publisher=Beijing Wildlife Conservation Association |access-date=4 April 2013}}</ref><ref>[http://www.danwei.org/wildlife/wild_leopards_of_beijing_by_mi.php Michael Rank, Wild leopards of Beijing, Danwei.org] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130502013301/http://www.danwei.org/wildlife/wild_leopards_of_beijing_by_mi.php |date=2 May 2013 }} 31 July 2007</ref> The Beijing Aquatic Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center protects the [[Biology:Chinese giant salamander|Chinese giant salamander]], [[Biology:Amur stickleback|Amur stickleback]] and mandarin duck on the Huaijiu and Huaisha Rivers in Huairou District.<ref>(Chinese) [http://www.bjshuiye.cn/html/200805/26/20080526135128.html Beijing Aquatic Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center] Accessed 5 April 2013 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110823230432/http://www.bjshuiye.cn/html/200805/26/20080526135128.html |date=23 August 2011 }}</ref> The Beijing Milu Park south of the city is home to one of the largest herds of [[Biology:Père David's deer|Père David's deer]], now extinct in the wild. The [[Biology:Beijing barbastelle|Beijing barbastelle]], a species of vesper bat discovered in caves of Fangshan District in 2001 and identified as a distinct species in 2007, is endemic to Beijing. The mountains of Fangshan are also habitat for the more common Beijing mouse-eared bat, large myotis, [[Biology:Greater horseshoe bat|greater horseshoe bat]] and Rickett's big-footed bat.<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://www.sxrb.com/culture/shgc/164836.html |script-title=zh:70年解密大足鼠耳蝠吃鱼 |website=sxrb.com |date=14 April 2007 |access-date=19 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140319014300/http://www.sxrb.com/culture/shgc/164836.html |archive-date=19 March 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Each year, Beijing hosts 200–300 species of [[Biology:Bird migration|migratory birds]] including the common crane, [[Biology:Black-headed gull|black-headed gull]], [[Biology:Swan|swan]], [[Biology:Mallard|mallard]], [[Biology:Common cuckoo|common cuckoo]] and the endangered [[Biology:Yellow-breasted bunting|yellow-breasted bunting]].<ref>{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://env.people.com.cn/n1/2016/1116/c1010-28871815.html |script-title=zh:北京：候鸟翱翔野鸭湖 Xinhua |date=16 November 2016 |access-date=27 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128141650/http://env.people.com.cn/n1/2016/1116/c1010-28871815.html |archive-date=28 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="BJ Evening News 2016-10-30">{{cite web |language=zh-hans |url=http://beijing.qianlong.com/2016/1030/1058707.shtml |script-title=zh:北京开始"清网行动"保护候鸟 森林公安公布举报电话, 北京晚报 |website=qianlong.com |date=30 October 2016 |access-date=27 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128052526/http://beijing.qianlong.com/2016/1030/1058707.shtml |archive-date=28 November 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2016, Common cuckoos nesting in the wetlands of Cuihu (Haidian), Hanshiqiao (Shunyi), Yeyahu (Yanqing) were tagged and have been traced to far as India, Kenya and Mozambique.<ref>[https://birdingbeijing.com/beijing-cuckoo-project/ Beijing Cuckoo Project] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128133330/https://birdingbeijing.com/beijing-cuckoo-project/ |date=28 November 2016 }} Accessed 28 November 2016</ref><ref>[http://cn.nytstyle.com/science/20161116/beijing-cuckoos-migration/dual/ "With a Cuckoo's Journey from China, a Mystery is Solved, and Cheers Go Up" ''N.Y. Times''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161128050230/http://cn.nytstyle.com/science/20161116/beijing-cuckoos-migration/dual/ |date=28 November 2016 }} 11 November 2016</ref> In the fall of 2016, the Beijing Forest Police undertook a month-long campaign to crack down on illegal hunting and trapping of migratory birds for sale in local bird markets.<ref name="BJ Evening News 2016-10-30"/> Over 1,000 rescued birds of protected species including [[Biology:Streptopelia|streptopelia]], Eurasian siskin, [[Biology:Crested myna|crested myna]], [[Biology:Coal tit|coal tit]] and [[Biology:Great tit|great tit]] were handed to the Beijing Wildlife Protection and Rescue Center for repatriation to the wild.<ref name="BJ Evening News 2016-10-30"/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-10/31/c_1119815548.htm |script-title=zh:"北京集中一个月打击非法捕售鸟 抓获36名违法者" 新京报 |work=The Beijing News |publisher=Xinhua News |date=31 October 2016 |access-date=27 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161109022115/http://news.xinhuanet.com/legal/2016-10/31/c_1119815548.htm |archive-date=9 November 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The city flowers are the [[Biology:Rosa chinensis|Chinese rose]] and [[Biology:Chrysanthemum|chrysanthemum]].<ref name=cityflowertree>{{cite web|url=http://www.beijing.gov.cn/rwbj/bjgm/shss/t661782.htm|script-title=zh:首都之窗-北京市政务门户网站-市花市树|publisher=eBeijing.gov.cn|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130413101041/http://www.beijing.gov.cn/rwbj/bjgm/shss/t661782.htm|archive-date=13 April 2013}}</ref> The city trees are the Chinese arborvitae, an evergreen in the cypress [[Biology:Cupressaceae|family]] and the pagoda tree, also called the Chinese scholar tree, a [[Biology:Deciduous|deciduous]] tree of the family [[Biology:Fabaceae|Fabaceae]].<ref name=cityflowertree/> The oldest scholar tree in the city was planted in what is now Beihai Park during the Tang dynasty.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bjkp.gov.cn/bjkpzc/tszr/zwdg/zwygs/gsygh/15487.shtml |script-title=zh:北京市市树 – 国槐 |website=bjkp.gov.cn |date=18 February 2004 |access-date=19 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080413033911/http://www.bjkp.gov.cn/bjkpzc/tszr/zwdg/zwygs/gsygh/15487.shtml |archive-date=13 April 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

== International relations ==
The capital is the home of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a multilateral development bank that aims to improve economic and social outcomes in Asia<ref>{{cite web|title=AIIB: Who We Are|url=https://www.aiib.org/en/about-aiib/index.html|access-date=21 August 2020|archive-date=30 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170930084526/https://www.aiib.org/en/about-aiib/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and the Silk Road Fund, an investment fund of the Chinese government to foster increased investment and provide financial supports in countries along the One Belt, One Road.<ref>{{cite web |title=Silk Road Fund_Overview |url=http://www.silkroadfund.com.cn/enweb/23775/23767/index.html |website=Silk Road Fund |access-date=15 October 2020 |archive-date=30 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201030152213/http://www.silkroadfund.com.cn/enweb/23775/23767/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Beijing is also home to the headquarters of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO),<ref>{{cite web |title = Shanghai Cooperation Organisation {{!}} SCO |url = http://eng.sectsco.org/docs/about/contacts.html |access-date = 30 October 2020 |website = eng.sectsco.org |archive-date = 7 March 2022 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220307165619/http://eng.sectsco.org/docs/about/contacts.html |url-status = live }}</ref> making it an important city for international diplomacy.

=== Twin towns and sister cities ===

Beijing is twinned with the following regions, cities, and counties:<ref>{{cite web |title=Sister cities of Beijing |url=http://english.beijing.gov.cn/beijinginfo/sistercities/index.html |access-date=13 October 2020 |website=english.beijing.gov.cn |archive-date=1 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701015335/http://english.beijing.gov.cn/beijinginfo/sistercities/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*{{flagdeco|ETH}} [[Place:Addis Ababa|Addis Ababa]], Ethiopia
*{{flagdeco|TUR}} [[Place:Ankara|Ankara]], Turkey
*{{flagdeco|KAZ}} [[Place:Astana|Astana]], Kazakhstan
*{{flagdeco|GRC}} [[Place:Athens|Athens]], Greece
*{{flagdeco|THA}} [[Place:Bangkok|Bangkok]], Thailand
*{{flagdeco|GER}} [[Place:Berlin|Berlin]], Germany
*{{flagdeco|BEL}} Brussels, Belgium
*{{flagdeco|ROU}} [[Place:Bucharest|Bucharest]], Romania
*{{flagdeco|HUN}} [[Place:Budapest|Budapest]], Hungary
*{{flagdeco|ARG}} [[Place:Buenos Aires|Buenos Aires]], Argentina
*{{flagdeco|EGY}} [[Place:Cairo|Cairo]], Egypt
*{{flagdeco|AUS}} [[Place:Canberra|Canberra]], Australia
*{{flagdeco|GER}} Cologne, Germany
*{{flagdeco|DEN}} [[Place:Copenhagen|Copenhagen]], Denmark
*{{flagdeco|IND}} [[Place:Delhi|Delhi]], India
*{{flagdeco|QAT}} [[Place:Doha|Doha]], Qatar
*{{flagdeco|IRL}} [[Place:Dublin|Dublin]], Ireland
*{{flagdeco|VIE}} [[Place:Hanoi|Hanoi]], Vietnam
*{{flagdeco|CUB}} [[Place:Havana|Havana]], Cuba
*{{flagdeco|FRA}} Île-de-France, France
*{{flagdeco|PAK}} [[Place:Islamabad|Islamabad]], Pakistan
*{{flagdeco|IDN}} [[Place:Jakarta|Jakarta]], Indonesia
*{{flagdeco|RSA}} [[Place:Johannesburg|Johannesburg]], South Africa 
*{{flagdeco|UKR}} [[Place:Kyiv|Kyiv]], Ukraine
*{{flagdeco|PER}} [[Place:Lima|Lima]], Peru
*{{flagdeco|ENG}} [[Place:London|London]], England, United Kingdom
*{{flagdeco|PHL}} [[Place:Manila|Manila]], Philippines
*{{flagdeco|BLR}} [[Place:Minsk|Minsk]], Belarus
*{{flagdeco|MEX}} [[Place:Mexico City|Mexico City]], Mexico
*{{flagdeco|RUS}} [[Place:Moscow|Moscow]], Russia
*{{flagdeco|USA}} {{wipe|New York City}}, United States
*{{flagdeco|CAN}} [[Place:Ottawa|Ottawa]], Canada
*{{flagdeco|KHM}} [[Place:Phnom Penh|Phnom Penh]], Cambodia
*{{flagdeco|LVA}} [[Place:Riga|Riga]], Latvia
*{{flagdeco|BRA}} Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
*{{flagdeco|CRI}} [[Place:San José, Costa Rica|San José]], Costa Rica
*{{flagdeco|CHL}} [[Place:Santiago|Santiago]], Chile
*{{flagdeco|KOR}} [[Place:Seoul|Seoul]], South Korea
*{{flagicon|EST}} [[Place:Tallinn|Tallinn]], Estonia
*{{flagdeco|IRN}} [[Place:Tehran|Tehran]], Iran
*{{flagdeco|ISR}} [[Place:Tel Aviv|Tel Aviv]], Israel
*{{flagdeco|ALB}} [[Place:Tirana|Tirana]], Albania
*{{flagdeco|JPN}} [[Place:Tokyo|Tokyo]], Japan
*{{flagdeco|MNG}} [[Place:Ulaanbaatar|Ulaanbaatar]], Mongolia
*{{flagdeco|LAO}} [[Place:Vientiane|Vientiane]], Laos
*{{flagdeco|USA}} Washington D.C., United States
*{{flagdeco|NZL}} [[Place:Wellington|Wellington]], New Zealand
<!--rest - not twinning-->
{{div col end}}

=== Foreign embassies and consulates ===
{{See also|list of diplomatic missions in China|}}In 2019, China had the largest diplomatic network in the world.<ref>{{Cite news|date=27 November 2019|title=China now has more diplomatic posts than any other country|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50569237|access-date=15 October 2020|archive-date=6 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200906012525/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-china-50569237|url-status=live}}</ref> China hosts a large diplomatic community in its capital city of Beijing. At present, the capital of Beijing hosts 173 embassies, 1 consulate and 3 representatives, excluding [[Place:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] and [[Place:Macau|Macau]] trade office.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Foreign Embassies in Beijing|url=http://english.beijing.gov.cn/beijinginfo/facts/embassies/|access-date=13 October 2020|website=english.beijing.gov.cn|archive-date=18 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201018080800/http://english.beijing.gov.cn/beijinginfo/facts/embassies/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=EMBASSIES & CONSULATES IN BEIJING|url=https://www.embassypages.com/city/beijing|access-date=13 October 2020|website=www.embassypages.com|language=en|archive-date=6 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201106101717/https://www.embassypages.com/city/beijing|url-status=live}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* {{AFG}}
* {{ALB}}
* {{ALG}}
* {{ANG}}
* {{ATG}}
* {{ARG}}
* {{ARM}}
* {{AUS}}
* {{AUT}}
* {{AZE}}
* {{BAH}}
* {{BHR}}
* {{BAN}}
* {{BRB}}
* {{BLR}}
* {{BEL}}
* {{BEN}}
* {{BOL}}
* {{BIH}}
* {{BOT}}
* {{BRA}}
* {{BRU}}
* {{BUL}}
* {{Flag|Burkina Faso}}
* {{BDI}}
* {{CAM}}
* {{CMR}}
* {{CAN}}
* {{CPV}}
* {{CAF}}
* {{CHA}}
* {{CHI}}
* {{COL}}
* {{COM}}
* {{COD}}
* {{CRC}}
* {{CRO}}
* {{CUB}}
* {{CYP}}
* {{CZE}}
* {{DEN}}
* {{DJI}}
* {{DMA}}
* {{DOM}}
* {{Flag|East Timor}}
* {{ECU}}
* {{EGY}}
* {{SLV}}
* {{ERI}}
* {{EST}}
* {{ETH}}
* {{FIJ}}
* {{FIN}}
* {{FRA}}
* {{GAB}}
* {{Flag|Gambia}}
* {{GEO}}
* {{GER}}
* {{GHA}}
* {{GRE}}
* {{GUI}}
* {{GBS}}
* {{GUY}}
* {{HON}}
* {{HUN}}
* {{ISL}}
* {{IND}}
* {{INA}}
* {{IRI}}
* {{IRQ}}
* {{IRL}}
* {{ISR}}
* {{ITA}}
* {{Flag|Ivory Coast}}
* {{JAM}}
* {{JPN}}
* {{JOR}}
* {{KAZ}}
* {{KEN}}
* {{KUW}}
* {{KGZ}}
* {{LAO}}
* {{LAT}}
* {{LIB}}
* {{LES}}
* {{LBR}}
* {{LBA}}
* {{LTU}}
* {{LUX}}
* {{MAD}}
* {{MAS}}
* {{MDV}}
* {{MLI}}
* {{MLT}}
* {{MRI}}
* {{MEX}}
* {{Flag|Micronesia}}
* {{MDA}}
* {{MGL}}
* {{MCO}} (consulate)
* {{MNE}}
* {{MAR}}
* {{MOZ}}
* {{MMR}}
* {{NAM}}
* {{NEP}}
* {{NED}}
* {{NZL}}
* {{NIC}}
* {{NIG}}
* {{NGR}}
* {{PRK}}
* {{Flag|North Macedonia}}
* {{NOR}}
* {{OMA}}
* {{PAK}}
* {{PSE}}
* {{PAN}}
* {{PNG}}
* {{PER}}
* {{PHI}}
* {{POL}}
* {{POR}}
* {{QAT}}
* {{ROU}}
* {{RUS}}
* {{RWA}}
* {{WSM}}
* {{Flag|São Tomé and Príncipe}}
* {{KSA}}
* {{SEN}}
* {{SRB}}
* {{SEY}}
* {{SLE}}
* {{SGP}}
* {{SVK}}
* {{SLO}}
* {{SOL}}
* {{SOM}}
* {{RSA}}
* {{KOR}}
* {{SSD}}
* {{ESP}}
* {{SRI}}
* {{SUD}}
* {{SUR}}
* {{SWE}}
* {{SUI}}
* {{SYR}}
* {{TJK}}
* {{TAN}}
* {{THA}}
* {{TOG}}
* {{TTO}}
* {{TUN}}
* {{TUR}}
* {{TKM}}
* {{UGA}}
* {{UKR}}
* {{UAE}}
* {{GBR}}
* {{USA}}
* {{URU}}
* {{UZB}}
* {{VAN}}
* {{VEN}}
* {{VNM}}
* {{YEM}}
* {{ZAM}}
* {{ZIM}}
{{div col end}}

=== Representative offices and delegations ===
* {{HTI}} (Representative Office)
* {{FRO}} (Representative Office)
* {{flag|European Union}} (Delegation of the European Union to China)

== See also ==
* Beijing cuisine
* Beijing city fortifications
* Historical capitals of China
* Large Cities Climate Leadership Group
* List of hospitals in Beijing
* List of mayors of Beijing
* List of twin towns and sister cities in China
* List of diplomatic missions in China

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
=== Citations ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Sources ===
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last = Elliott |first = Mark C. |title = The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=_qtgoTIAiKUC |location = Palo Alto, CA |publisher = Stanford University Press |year = 2001 |isbn = 978-0-8047-4684-7 |access-date = 22 July 2009 |archive-date = 1 August 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200801082809/https://books.google.com/books?id=_qtgoTIAiKUC |url-status = live }}
* {{cite book |last1=Li |first1=Lillian |last2=Dray-Novey |first2=Alison |last3=Kong |first3=Haili |year=2007 |title=Beijing: From Imperial Capital to Olympic City |location=New York, NY |publisher=[[Company:Palgrave Macmillan|Palgrave Macmillan]] |isbn=978-1-4039-6473-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/beijingfromimper00lili }}
* {{cite book |last1=MacKerras |first1=Colin |last2=Yorke |first2=Amanda |year=1991 |title=The Cambridge Handbook of Contemporary China |url=https://archive.org/details/cambridgehandboo0000mack |url-access=registration |quote=beiping beijing. |location=Cambridge, England |publisher={{wipe|Cambridge University Press}} |isbn=978-0-521-38755-2 |access-date=22 July 2009 }}
{{refend}}

== Further reading ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last = Cotterell |first = Arthur. |title = The Imperial Capitals of China: An Inside View of the Celestial Empire |location=London |publisher=Pimlico |year=2007 |isbn=978-1-84595-009-5}}
* {{cite book |last1=Bonino |first1=Michele |last2=De Pieri |first2=Filippo |title=Beijing Danwei: Industrial Heritage in the Contemporary City |year=2015 |publisher=Jovis |location=Berlin |isbn=978-3-86859-382-2 |url=https://www.jovis.de/en/books/beijing-danwei.html |access-date=10 October 2015 |archive-date=22 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210222224938/https://www.jovis.de/en/books/beijing-danwei.html |url-status=live }}
* {{cite book |last=Cammelli |first=Stefano |title = Storia di Pechino e di come divenne capitale della Cina |location=Bologna |publisher=Il Mulino |year=2004 |isbn=978-88-15-09910-5 }}
* {{cite book |last=Chen |first=Gaohua |title=The Capital of the Yuan Dynasty |location=[Dadu or Khanbaliq] |publisher=Silkroad Press|year=2015}} {{ISBN|978-981-4332-44-6|978-981-4339-55-1}} (Print & eBook).
* {{cite book |last=Harper|first=Damian|title=Beijing: City Guide|edition=7th|location=Oakland, California|publisher=Lonely Planet Publications|year=2007|isbn=978-17-40-59842-2}}
{{refend}}

== External links ==
* [http://info.hktdc.com/mktprof/china/mpbei.htm Economic profile for Beijing] at HKTDC
* [http://English.visitbeijing.com.cn/ Visit Beijing Official Website]
* [http://cudl.lib.cam.ac.uk/view/PH-Y-00302-E/4 Photograph of ''The approach to Peking – outside the walls''] taken in 1890 by Sir Henry Norman

{{S-start}}
{{S-bef|before=Lin'an (Song dynasty)|row=1}}
{{s-ttl|title=Capital of China (as Dadu of Yuan)
|years=1264–1368|row=1}}
{{S-aft|after=Nanjing (Ming dynasty)|row=1}}
{{S-bef|before=Nanjing (Ming dynasty)|row=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=Capital of China
|years=1420–1928|row=2}}
{{S-aft|after=Nanjing (ROC)|row=2}}
{{S-bef|before=Nanjing (ROC) |row=3}}
{{s-ttl|title=Capital of the People's Republic of China
|years=1949–present|row=3}}
{{S-aft|after=present capital|row=3}}
{{S-end}}
{{Geographic location
|Centre = Beijing
|North =
|Northeast = Chengde, Hebei
|East = Langfang, Hebei
|Southeast = [[Place:Tianjin|Tianjin]]
|South = Langfang, Hebei
|Southwest = Baoding, Hebei
|West =
|Northwest = Zhangjiakou, Hebei
}}
{{Navboxes
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|list =
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[[Category:Capitals in Asia]]

{{Sourceattribution|Beijing}}