Liaoning Province (Liao for short) is located on the southern part of northeast China, covering an area of 150,000 square kilometers and with a population 29.58 million.
Liaoning's topography is characterized by the central plain sandwiched in between mountains and hills on the east and west sides, and the Liaodong peninsular on southern Liaoning thrusting between the Liaodong Gulf and the Yellow Sea. It has a serpentine coastline with numerous ports and gulfs. The Liao River is its largest river. It has a temperate to warm temperate, and humid to semi-humid climate. Liaoning abounds in mineral resources such as iron, magnesite, talcum, jade etc. which come out at top in China, while the deposits of coal, petroleum, oil-shale, manganese, copper, aluminium, zinc and refractory clay are substantial too.
As China's major base of heavy industry, Liaoning holds an important place in iron and steel, machinery, chemicals, electric power, oil extraction and processing and sea-salt production, along with coal, cotton textile, tussah silk satins, paper making etc. Among its main agricultural crops are sorghum, corn, soybean, cotton, tobacco, tussah silk, southern Liaoning apple and western Liaoning pear. With railway as main means of transport, Liaoning has most crowded railway network in China. It also has highways radiating in all directions and developed sea-shipping. Dalian, Yingkou and Dandong are its major ports. Shenyang is its air-transport center.
Shenyang, capital of Liaoning Province and based on heavy industry is the largest city in North-East China.
Liaoning's main historical sites and scenic spots include Shenyang Imperial Palace, Northern and Eastern Mausoleums, seaside of Lushun and Xingcheng, the Yalu River, Mount Qianshan, Phoenix Mountain and Water-cave of Benxi.
