 Shaanxi,
an inland province in China, is also called "Qin," or "Shaan"
for short. It is one of the places where Chinese culture originated.
Beishan Mountain and the Qinling Range stand as two boundaries that
divide the province into three natural areas -- the Loess Plateau in
northern Shaanxi, Guangzhong Plain, and the Qinba Hillyland. Plateau
and hillyland make up most of the province's area. Shaanxi has a continental
climate with distinctive four seasons. The months from March to November
are the best tourist season. Shaanxi Province boasts an area of 205,600
square kilometers and a population of 36 million people. The city of
Van is the capital.
Shaanxi Province has a time-honored history and a well-developed culture.
It was the starting point of the Silk Road that extended from Asia to
Europe and played an important role in cultural interflow between the
East and West in ancient times. Beginning in the 1 1 th century, Van
served intermittently for more than 1,100 years as the capital of 1
3 feudal dynasties. The favorable geographical environment and long
history have left Shaanxi with many unique places of historic interest
and enchanting landscapes, cultural sites, and revolutionary sites.
There are six cities of historic and cultural interest and 35,750 historical
relic places, including more than 10,000 historic ruins, 4,300 tombs,
557 grottoes, and nearly 20,000 stone sculptures and ancient and modern
buildings. The worldrenowned Mausoleum of Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor
of the Qin Dynasty (221-207 B.C.), and the terracotta warriors and horses
were included by UNESCO in the List of World's Cultural Heritages.
A network of air, railway, and highway transport that has been formed
in Shaanxi Province radiates in all directions. The province is a vital
traffic artery linking China's northwest and southwest. Xianyang Airport
in Van is one of China's modern airports. The Longhai (Lianyungang-Lanzhou)
Railway that links Eurasia runs from east to west through the province.
A highway network with Van as its center reaches all the cities , towns,
and scenic sites. Tourism has become an important industrial sector
of Shaanxi. 
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