Discovering Liaoning, Northeast China’s southernmost province

Liaoning province, called "Liao" for short, is the southernmost of the three provinces in Northeast China.

It is contiguous with Jilin province in the northeast, neighbors the Inner Mongolia autonomous region in the northwest, borders Hebei province in the southwest, faces the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) across the Yalu River and is in close proximity to the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea to the south.

Liaoning covers a land area of 145,900 square kilometers, 1.5 percent of the total land area of China. The province has a peninsula extending into the Bohai Sea giving it an extensive coastline of 2,178 km (12 percent of China's total).

The province is deeply influenced by the temperate continental monsoon climate with long cold periods, strong winds on the plains, concentrated rainfall and sufficient sunshine. Annual average temperatures range from -11 C to 7 C, with the highest reaching 30 C and the lowest -30 C. As the province with the most rainfall in the northeast region, Liaoning reports year-round precipitation of 600 to 1,000 mm.

It has jurisdiction over 14 prefecture-level cities, with Shenyang as its capital. Known as "the birthplace of one dynasty and two emperors", Shenyang boasts a proud history. It has three UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Sites as well as more than 1,500 historic and cultural relics. Shenyang is also an important industrial center in China and the core city of Shenyang Economic Zone. Landmarks in Shenyang include Shenyang Palace Museum, Shenyang Qipan Mountain, the 9.18 Historical Museum, Marshal Zhang's Mansion, and Beiling Park.

The other prestigious city in Liaoning is Dalian, which has enjoyed a good reputation for a long time. Located in the southern part of the Liaodong Peninsula and southeast of Liaoning province, and being one of the first 14 coastal cities to open up to the outside world, Dalian serves as an important port in the province of Liaoning. As an international center for airlines, logistics and regional finance in Northeast Asia, it is also Northeast China's largest port.

Among the landmarks of Dalian there are Dalian Natural History Museum, Russian Style Street, Xinhai Park, Lushun Museum, Dalian Shell Museum, Xinhai Square, Golden Pebble Beach and so on.

Liaoning also has other attracting cities such as Dandong, the central region of Northeast Asia. The province is definitely a place with vast territory and abundant resources that deserves a more detailed exploration.