Harbin — Capital of Heilongjiang, China
Harbin is the capital of Heilongjiang in northeast China, noted for its wintry climate, Russian-influenced architecture and major cultural events such as the Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival.
Overview
Harbin is the political and cultural center of Heilongjiang and a major city in northeast China. It lies along the Songhua River and is widely known for very cold winters and a strong seasonal tourism industry. The city functions as a regional hub for commerce, education and transportation.
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Characteristics and landmarks
Harbin combines East Asian and Russian urban features. Notable landmarks include the onion-domed St. Sophia Cathedral, the pedestrianized Zhongyang (Central) Street with its early 20th-century façades, and riverfront parks along the Songhua. Winter light displays and ice lanterns are a common sight during the cold months.
History and development
The modern city grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries around rail links and trade routes, accumulating foreign architectural and cultural influence, particularly from Russia. Over the 20th century Harbin expanded as an industrial and administrative center for the surrounding agricultural and resource-rich areas.
Festivals, tourism and culture
Harbin is best known internationally for the Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, which showcases large-scale illuminated ice sculptures and attracts winter visitors. Other recurring events include the Harbin Summer Music Festival and a major beer festival that celebrates local and international brewing traditions.
Economy, transport and institutions
The local economy mixes manufacturing, food processing, logistics and services. The city hosts universities, research institutes and cultural venues that serve northeastern China. Harbin is served by a major airport and rail connections that link it to national and transnational corridors.
Notable facts
- Harbin is sometimes described in travel writing for its striking seasonal contrasts: lively summer festivals and intensive winter attractions.
- Its built environment preserves examples of early 20th-century European-influenced architecture uncommon elsewhere in China.
- Events such as the ice festival have helped place Harbin on international tourism maps and support a year-round hospitality sector.
Administrative divisions and population
Administrative division of Harbin
At the county level, the sub-provincial city of Harbin is composed of nine urban districts, two independent cities and seven counties. These are:
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Population development of the agglomeration
According to the UN, just under 6 million inhabitants lived in the actual urban agglomeration of the city (as of 2017). The remaining population lives in the rural hinterland. Due to advancing urbanization, 7.9 million inhabitants are expected to live in the agglomeration by 2035.
| Year | Population |
| 1950 | 726.000 |
| 1960 | 1.423.000 |
| 1970 | 1.696.000 |
| 1980 | 1.992.000 |
| 1990 | 2.515.000 |
| 2000 | 4.100.000 |
| 2010 | 5.140.000 |
| 2017 | 5.984.000 |
Ethnic composition of the total population of Harbin (2000)
The 2000 Census counted a population of 9,413,359 for the entire Harbins administrative area.
| Name of the people | number of inhabitants | Share |
| 8.796.610 | 93,45 | |
| 00433.340 | 04,6 | |
| Korean | 00119.883 | 01,27 |
| 00039.995 | 00,43 | |
| 00013.163 | 00,14 | |
| Xibe | 00004.741 | 00,05 |
| Daur | 00000938 | 00,01 |
| Other | 00004.689 | 00,05 |
History
The city was founded by Russians in 1898 - after the occupation of northern Manchuria by Russia - as a railway station of the Trans-Manchurian Railway, which is why the cityscape of the older parts of the city is still characterized by Russian architecture today. Especially after the October Revolution many Russians fled to Harbin and contributed to the flourishing of the city. In 1932 the city was occupied by Japanese troops. After Japan's surrender in World War II, the Soviet Union took over the city. Although it handed the city over to the Republic of China as agreed, Red Army troops continued to be stationed there. With their tacit acquiescence, the Chinese Communist Party was able to conquer the city as early as 1946. The industrial facilities there served them as a base for victory in the civil war.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, heavy industry was expanded in Harbin. For this purpose, people from the south of China were resettled here and the Technical University was strengthened by teachers from the south. Many of these people returned to their old home after the relaxation of the housing regulations.
Since the economic reform, Harbin and Heilongjiang Province have been trying to distinguish themselves as a bridgehead in trade with Russia.
In November 2005, the Jilin chemical spill contaminated the waters of the Songhua Jiang with benzene, forcing the city's drinking water supply to be cut off for several days.
On October 20, 2013, a heavy smog spread over Harbin. The airport, schools and kindergartens were closed for three days. All highways were closed after series of accidents. With little wind and relatively warm weather, the coal-fired municipal heating system had been started. On October 25, cold air flowing in from Siberia caused the smog to lift and dissipate.
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AlegsaOnline.com Harbin — Capital of Heilongjiang, China Leandro Alegsa
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