North China
From ChinaTravelGuide
North China (华北) refers to a region consisting of Hebei (河北) province, Shanxi (山西) province, Beijing (北京), Tianjin (天津), and part of Inner Mongolia (内蒙古). It is covered with hills, plains, and mountain terrains. The region has a marked continental monsoon climate. It is about 1,255,000 sq km of size, and has a population of 148 million (as of 2000). The Han Chinese make up the bulk of the population, and other ethnic groups include Mongol (蒙古族), Hui (回族), and Manchu (满族) nationalities.
This area is rich in coal, iron, oil and natural gas, and is a well-developed industrial and agricultural base. This region is home to China's largest energy industry, and is an important steel and cotton base.
