HarbinisthecapitalofHeilongjiangProvince,withapopulationof5.3millionandcoveringanareaof18,000squarekilometers.LocatedineasternSongnenplain,it\'sarollinglandwithlowhills,andshallowvalleysandcrossedbytheSonghuaRiver.Ithasasemi-humidtemperateclimatewithanannualaveragetemperatureof3.5degreeCelsius,rainfallof530millimetersandafrost-freeperiodof140days.Itsmineralresourcesarecoal,quartzite,marble,copper,leadandzincetc.HarbinisoneofChina\'skeyindustrialbases,withmachinebuildingindustryasitsmainstay.Foodstuff,petroleum,chemicalsandtextilesareitsimportantprop-ups.TheoutputvalueofitspharmaceuticalindustryranksfirstinChina.Themainagriculturalproductsarewheat,soybean,beet,flax,tobacco,poultry,etc.It\'samongChina\'smajorbeetgrowingareas.HarbinisthecommercialcenterofHeilongjiangProvinceaswellasthecommunicationhubinthenorthernpartofNorth-EastChina,withawell-developedrailwayandhighwaynetwork.Ithasregularairlinkswithover30citiesathomeandabroad.TheSonghuaRiverisanimportantwaterwayforshipping.