Zhejiang, one of the birth places  of ancient Chinese civilization, has a long history and splendid culture.

In the  palaeolithic era as early as 50000 years ago, Zhejiang had the activities of  original human “Jiande”; more than 100 the ruins of the Neolithic era has been  found there, including Hemudu Site culture 7000 years ago, Majiabang culture  6000 years ago and Liangzhu culture 5000 years ago. In spring and autumn period  Zhejiang was divided into Wu and Yue Kingdom. The Qin Dynasty set up Kuaiji  Countyin Zhejiang province. Sun Quan of Fuyang city built Wu at the time of the  Three Kingdoms. During Tang Dynasty,Zhejiang belonged to the east of Jiangnan  Area and Liangzhe Area successively, forming gradually the model of the  provincial system. In the period of Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, Qian Liu of  Ling’an County established Wu Yue Kingdom. During Yuan Dynasty Zhejiang belonged  to Zhejiang executive secretariat. At the beginning of Ming Dynasty it was  changed into Zhejiang Announcement Politics Commissioner having jurisdiction  over11 government offices, l province and 75 Counties, shaped basically  provincial boundary and regions. In the early years of Qing Emperor Kangxi  period, it was changed into Zhejiang Province, and determined the form of system  then.

Zhejiang province, which is located in the eastern coastal of  China and the transitional zone of Eurasia and northwest Pacific, belongs to the  typical subtropical monsoon climate zone. Zhejiang has a total area of 101800  square kilometers with undulating terrain, lots of mountains in the northwest  and southwest of Zhejiang, hills and basins dominating in central and  southeast region, low plain in the northeast area; in the province’s land  area, mountains and hills account for 70.4%, plains account for 23.2%, and the  rivers and lakes account for 6.4%.Zhejiang has 2253.7 km long coastline, which  includes 2161 islands and shallow continental shelf of 222700 square  kilometers. Affected by the East Asian monsoon Zhejiang prevailing wind  direction changes significantly in winter and summer and the  precipitation changes obviously in various seasons.

The general characteristics of  Zhejiang climate are: significant monsoon, distinct four seasons, moderate  annual temperatures, enough light, abundant rainfall, humid air, synchronous hot  rain season change, various kinds of climate resource preparations, and numbers  of meteorological disasters. Zhejiang's average annual temperature is 15 ~  18 ℃, the extreme highest temperature is 33 ～ 43  ℃,  and the extreme minimum temperature is -2.2 ~-17.4 ℃; the average  annual rainfall in the whole province is 980 ~ 2000 mm, and the average annual  sunshine is 1710 to 2100 hours.

Hangzhou was settled as  early as 4,700 years ago, by the aurora Liangzhu Civilization. One of the seven  ancient capitals and the scenic tourism and historical culture cities in China,  Hangzhou once was applauded as" the most splendid and luxurious city in the  world" by Marco Polo, the Italian traveler in the 13th century.   

Under the jurisdiction of Hangzhou  are 8 districts, 3 county-level cities and 2 counties, with a total area of  16,596 square kilometers and a total population of 6.4278 million. As a central  city on the Southern wing of Yangtze Delta, Hangzhou's city proper covers an  area of 3,068 square kilometers with a population of 3.932 million.  

Under the sound leadership of the  Central Government, CPC Zhejiang Provincial Party committee and Provincial  Government, Hangzhou has witnessed great development in economy and all social  causes with the hard work and devotion of its citizens since the drive of Reform  and Opening-up. The GDP of Hangzhou in 2003 was RMB 209.977 billion, an increase  of 15.2% over the previous year. It has maintained an annual growth rate of more  than 10% for successive 13 years. Its total economic strength ranked No. 8 among  all the big and medium-sized cities in China, No. 2 among all provincial  capitals and No. 3 among all sub-provincial cities. Its GDP per capita reached  RMB 32,700, or USD 3,950 as converted by the same year's foreign exchange rate.  Its total financial revenues reached RMB 32.871 billion, an increase of 28.2%  over the previous year. The fixed assets investments in all social sectors were  RMB 100.618 billion, an increase of 30.7% over the previous year. The  proportions among the three industries were 6.1 : 51.6 : 42.3. The non  state-owned economy accounted for 50.5% of the GDP. The total financial revenues  from the first 8 months this year have reached RMB 26.799 billion, an increase  of 19.6% over the same period last year.

With the agricultural structure  adjustment deepened and agricultural industrialization accelerated, the  efficiency agriculture of Hangzhou is witnessing rapid development. Hangzhou  attaches much importance to the construction of "Silicon Valley in Paradise"and  the development of high and new technology industries, among which the"the  Information Port and New Pharmacy Port", Hangzhou Economic and Technological  Development Zone, Hangzhou High-New Technological Industries Development Zone,  and High Education Park are the backbones. The four major pillar industries of  food processing, machinery, electronic communications, and textile with  considerable scale and advantages have formed. In 2003, above-scale industrial  enterprises in Hangzhou accomplished the total output value of RMB 319.851  billion and taxes RMB 34.776 billion. The export-oriented economy has been  developing quickly with more opened areas and increased opening extent. By the  end of 2003, Hangzhou had successively approved 6,120 foreign funded projects  from 60 industries throughout the world. The investors were from 76 countries  and regions all over the world. 42 out of the Top 500 world enterprises had  settled down in Hangzhou. In 2003, the total foreign trade export value reached  USD 10.95 billion (an increase of 29.2% over the previous year), USD 6.47  billion of which were from municipal-level foreign trade exports. Its products  were exported to 180 countries and regions all over the globe. The total import  value of Hangzhou was USD 7.28 billion, an increase of 57.5%. Hangzhou Xiaoshan  International Airport has been developing new international lines, accelerating  its contact with overseas airports, and promoting its reputation.  

Sciences and educations in Hangzhou  are advanced, and there are 35 colleges, numerous polytechnic schools, and more  than 80 natural science research institutes here. The total number of college  students is 269,800. In addition, Hangzhou also boasts its rapidly developing  culture and sanitation causes, increasingly improved housing situation and  community environment. It has altogether 12 national honors including National  Hygienic City and National Environment Protection Model City, etc. In October  2001, Hangzhou won UN Human Habitat Award in October 2002, and the honor of  International Garden City. Since 2000, Hangzhou has successfully held the annual  West Lake Expo four times, and made known its city brand name by launching four  gold name cards (traveling, living, learning, and careering in Hangzhou), a  channel for the world to know Hangzhou and for Hangzhou to head for the  world.

What is more, the city has  also done a lot to strengthen its  international ties with cities from all over the world. By far it has the  following friendship cities: Matsue.Shimane,  Japan; Gifu,  Japan; Boston,  USA; Baguio,  Philippine; Leeds,  England; Fukui,  Japan; Jeonnam,  Korean; Nice,  France; Paramaribo,  Suriname; Budapest,  Hungry; Shemesh,  Israel;Agadir,  Marocco; Canberra,  Australia; Capetown,  South Africa; Muko.Kyoto; Montego  Bay , Jamaica; Kazan,  Russia;Lalitpur,  Nepal.

As a key national tourist city,  historical and cultural city and sub-provincial level city as confirmed by the  State Council, Hangzhou, renowned as "Paradise on Earth", "Cultural State",  "Home to Silk", "Home of Tea" and "Land of Fish and Rice", is going to have a  more promising tomorrow.

     Hangzhou  City

    Hangzhou  Qiandao Lake

Hangzhou West Lake