Tai'an

Tai'an (zh-cp|c=泰安|p=Tài'ān) is a prefecture-level city in western Shandong province, People's Republic of China. Centered around Mount Tai, the city borders the provincial capital of Jinan to the north, Laiwu to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Linyi to the southeast, Liaocheng to the extreme west and Jining to the south. To the west Tai'an is separated from the province of Henan by the Yellow River.

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Tai'an administers 12 county-level divisions, including 2 districts, 2 county-level cities and 2 counties.

*Taishan District (泰山区)
*Daiyue District (岱岳区)
*Xintai City (新泰市)
*Feicheng City (肥城市)
*Ningyang County (宁阳县)
*Dongping County (东平县)

History

In the neolithic, the area of present day Tai'an was home to the Dawenkou culture. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, the region belonged to the states of Qi and Lu. The site of major historical and cultural significance in the area is Mount Tai.

Geography and climate

Tai'an is centered around Mount Tai.

Tai'an lies in the northern temperate zone and has a continental, semi-humid monsoon climate. The average annual temperatures are -2.6°C (minimum, in January), 12.9°C (average), and 26.4°C (maximum, in July). The average annual precipitation is 697 millimeter.

Education

Shandong University of Science and Technology (http://www.sdkd.net.cn/english/eindex.htm)

Taishan Medical University (http://www.tsmc.edu.cn/)

Shandong Agricultural University (http://www.sdau.edu.cn/esdau/eindex.html)

Mount Tai College (http://www.tanc.edu.cn/)

Transportation

Tai'an (Taishan Station) is located on the Jing-Hu Railway Line, which connects Beijing to Shanghai, as well as on the Jing-Hu Expressway and on the Tai-Lai Expressway (west-east from Tai'an to Laiwu). The nearest major airport is Jinan Yaoqiang International Airport, about 120 kilometers to the north.

External links

*Visit Oriental Travel website [http://www.orientaltravel.com/province/city/area/Taishan.htm] for a flavor of the astonishingly gorgeous Mount Tai
* [http://www.taian.gov.cn Government website of Tai'an] (in Simplified Chinese)
* [http://www.asia-planet.net/china/taian.htm Profile of Tai'an from China Tourist Cities]
*For more photos of Mount Tai, visit Mount Tai Management Committee official website [http://www.mount-tai.com.cn] (in Simplified Chinese)