Liaoning

Information and Tourism

Liaoning is perhaps better known to most people as being part of Manchuria, the name once given to this region of north-east China. Thanks to the popular book-turned-film 'The Manchurian Candidate', it is easy to conjure up past images of this strategically placed region as a conspiratorial battlefield between Soviet and Chinese communist forces.

Liaoning was one of the first provinces in China to industrialise in a big way. It is still a place of heavy industry today. In fact, it is one of the biggest economic players in China. Everything from iron and steel, to machinery and petroleum issues forth from this mighty industrial metropolis.

With all this urban development, Liaoning might not appear to be one of the most obvious places for tourism to flourish. It hasn't helped that, over the years, the province's pollution record hasn't been particularly brilliant.

Recently, though, provincial cities such as Dalian have succeeded in holding back the tide of poor air quality. Its many beaches and mild climate draw in the crowds, offering a welcome retreat for visitors and locals alike. Shopping is also a major activity in places like Dalian, where there is certainly no shortage of modern shopping centres.

At first glance, Liaoning may appear to be the poorer relative to Beijing when it comes to historical monuments. That is not strictly true. Shenyang's Mukden Palace is certainly smaller in size than Beijing's Forbidden City, but it is no less significant. Other attractions in the province include underground rivers, caves, various imperial tomb sites from the Qing Dynasty, and architectural vestiges of the Japanese occupation in the 1930s.

Liaoning Information and Fast Facts

• Country: People's Republic of China
• Main administrative town or city: Shenyang
• Biggest city: Shenyang
• Population: approximately 44 million
• Language: Chinese
• Area: 56,300 square miles / 145,815 square kilometres

	WORLD GUIDES TO LIAONING
	World Guide to Dalian, China Dalian is a particularly important and prosperous Chinese city, and lies next to the Yellow Sea. With sandy beaches, towering skyscrapers and a definite holiday atmosphere, Dalian's city centre is based around its spacious Zhongshan Square.
	World Guide to Shenyang, China When you first arrive in Shenyang, try to look past the hustle and bustle of this sprawling city. Shenyang has much to offer its visitors, ranging from magnificent palaces and temples, to botanic gardens and modern shopping centres.

Map of Liaoning