Zhejiang Province is situated along the coastal area of East China at the south of the Yangtze River Delta. Hemudu, Majiabang and Liangzhu cultures have laid a deep foundation for the province. It is reputed as “land of fish and rice, production base of silk and tea, and land famous for its culture as well as for tourism”.
The province covers a total land area of 101,800 square kilometers. The number of islands in Zhejiang amounts to 3,061 with a total area of 1,670 square kilometers. It is a province with the most islands in China, among which Zhoushan Archipelago is the largest. Zhejiang also boasts a coastline extending 6,486 kilometers and a total ocean area of 220,000 square kilometers. In addition, the province has a large number of bays with over 60 natural ports of different sizes. The permanent population of the province reached 48.98 million by the end of 2005, an increase of 1.97% over the previous year.
There are 11 cities under the direct jurisdiction of Zhejiang provincial government, including Hangzhou, Ningbo, Wenzhou, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Shaoxing, Jinhua, Quzhou, Zhoushan, Taizhou and Lishui, under which there are 36 counties, 22 town-level cities and 30 county-level districts. The provincial capital city is Hangzhou. Ningbo is a separate planning city.
There are 14 scenic areas at national level in Zhejiang Province, which ranks first in this regard. Mountain Putou is one of the four famous Buddhist Mountains in China. With Hangzhou City as its center, the province has four famous tour routes. For instance, visitor can enjoy beauty of watery region and famous Buddhist buildings in the east, strange mountains and beautiful waters in the south, famous mountains and waters in the west, and ancient towns producing silk in the north of the province. It is teeming with silk and green tea, and its Dragon Well Tea is famous all over the world. Zhejiang cuisine is also one of the eight famous cuisines in China.