Lying in the northern part of North China Plain，Beijing is surrounded by mountains on the west , the north and the northeast.The northeastern part of the city is high while the south western part is low topographically，with a southeastern plain tilted¹ gradually downward to the Bohai Sea.

北京雄踞华北大平原北端，西部、北部和东北部则是群山环绕。从地势看，整个城市的东北部高，西北部低，东南部还有一片缓缓向渤海倾斜的平原。

As the capital of China，Beijing is one of the world's truly imposing² cities,with a 3 000-year history and 15.3 million people (2005) . Covering 16 808 square kilometers in area, it is the political，cultural and economic center of the People's Republic.

中国首都北京是世界上最令人神往的城市之一。这是一座具有3 000多年历史，1 530万人口(2005年统一计数据)，占地面积16 808平方公里的城市，是中华人民共和国的政治、文化和经济中心。

Situated³ in northeast China，Beijing adjoins the inner Mongolian Highland⁴ to the northwest and the Great Northern Plain to the south. Five rivers run through the city，connecting it to the eastern Bohai Sea. Administratively，the Beijing municipality equals the status of a province，reporting directly to the central government.

北京位于华北平原北端，西接内蒙古高原，南接华北平原。有五条河流从城市穿过，流人东边的渤海。北京市是中央直辖市，其行政权限相当于一个省，接受中央政府直接领导。

Rich in history，Beijing has been China's primary capital for more than seven centuries. At Tiananmen Square，besides the old Forbidden City Palace of the emperors in the past，there stand the Great Hall of the People's Congress building and the Mausoleum of Chairman Mao Zedong.

北京历史悠久。7oo多年以来，北京一直是中国的主要都城。天安门广场上除了古老的紫禁城宫殿外，还耸立着人民大会堂和毛泽东主席纪念堂。

The old city walls have been replaced by ring roads，and many of the old residential⁵ districts of alleys⁶ and courtyard houses have been turned into high-rise hotels，office buildings，and department stores. Beijing，a dynamic city where the old and new intermingle，remains a magnet for visitors from inside and outside China.

古老的北京城墙已经被环城路所取代，许多旧住宅区的胡同和四合院已经变成了高层次宾馆、办公大楼和百货商店。北京是一座生气勃勃、充满活力、古老风貌和现代风格相融合的城市，她一直吸引着国内外千百万游客。

Major rivers flowing through Beijing include Yongcing River，Chaobai River，North Canal and Juma River that mostly originated in the northeastern mountainous areas of Beijing. These rivers flow through rugged⁷ mountains towards southeastern plain of Beijing and in the end join the Bohai Sea.

穿过城市的主要河流包括永定河，潮白河，北运河和拒马河。它们大多源于北京东北部的山脉地区。这些河流穿过起伏绵延的大山，流向北京东南部的平原，最终汇人渤海。

Beijing has a continental⁸ monsoon⁹ climate with four distinct seasons. Spring and autumn are short while winter and summer are long.

北京的气候为大陆性季风气候，四季分明，春季秋季短促，冬季夏季漫长

Beijing occupies a total area of 16 807. 8 square kilometers. Around 10 417.5 square kilometers ore mountainous areas，which constitute 62 percent of the total space of Beijing. The plain area of Beijing covers 6 390. 3 square kilometers，which accounts for 38 percent of the city's total area. Beijing municipality has 16 subordinate districts and 2 counties.By the end of 2004，Beijing has a total of 11 595 000 people who are registered permanent ones.Among them，5 853 824 men and 5 741 161 women. The population density¹⁰ of Beijing is about 850 people per square kilometer.

北京全市土地面积16 807. 8平方公里，其中山区面积10 417. 5平方公里，是城市总面积的62%。北京的平原面积6 390. 3平方公里，占全市总面积的38%。北京市辖16个区和2个县。截至到2004年底，全市共有户籍人口1 159. 5万人，其中男性5 853 824人，女性5 741 161人。城市的人口密度大约为每平方公里850人。

With the founding of People's Republic of China on October 1st, 1949，Beijing became the capital of the new republic and has since developed itself into a political and cultural center of China and international exchange hub.

自1949年10月1日中华人民共和国成立以来，北京即成为新中国的首都并从此发展成为中国的政治、文化中心和国际交流中心。