countdown to Olympics 2008: Beijing, PRC

Fun FactsBeijing Country: China
Beijing By The Numbers:Population: 15 million
Elevation: 55 meters/ 180 feet
Annual Rainfall: 890 millimeters/ 34.7 inches
Average Winter Temperature: -3 degrees C/ 27 degrees F
Average Summer Temperature: 26 degrees C/ 79 degrees F
Number of cars: 3.3 million and growing 1,000 every day

Quick Facts:
Ethnic Mix: Han Chinese (92%), Other (8%).
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; two-pin plugs are standard
Time Zone: GMT+ 8 China Standard Time (CMJ)
Country Code: +86
Area Code: 010

Did You Know?

The guard towers along the outer walls of the Forbidden City are said to be modeled after cricket cages.

Mao's Mausoleum, which houses the preserved body of Chairman Mao a la Lenin style, also contains an exact replica of the Great Helmsman's corpse made entirely of wax. It is unknown whether the wax or real body is on display at any given time.

The last emperor of the Qing Puyi was allowed to continue living in the Forbidden City after abdicating in 1911 until the warlord Feng Yuxiang evicted him and his family in 1924.

The marble boat in the Summer Palace was built to Empress Dowager Cixi's specification with 30 million taels of silver designated for China's navy, desperately in need of improvement.

During the Cultural Revolution, Red Guard youths dismantled most of the old city walls to harvest the bricks. The pavement stones of the first courtyard inside Tiananmen Gate received similar treatment.

Orientation:Beijing is situated in the northeastern sector of China and comprises an area of over 50 miles/80 kilometers. At the center of the city is the Forbidden City, which is surrounded by a series of "ringed" districts. Currently there are 6 ring roads around Beijing.