Beijing, also known as Peking, is a metropolis in Northern China, and the capital of the People's Republic of China. The city is governed as a municipality under direct administration of the central government and is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China. As of February 2010, the combined population of permanent and non-permanent residents exceeded 22 million.

Beijing is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and motorways passing through the city. It is also the destination of many international flights arriving in China. Beijing is recognised as the political, educational, and cultural centre of the People's Republic of China, while Hong Kong and Shanghai predominate in economic fields. The city hosted the 2008 Olympic Games.

Few cities in the world besides Beijing have served as the political and cultural centre of an area as immense as China for so long. Beijing is renowned for its opulent palaces, temples, and huge stone walls and gates including the Summer Palace (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), the Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen, Qianmen, the Great Hall of the People, National Museum of China, and Mausoleum of Mao Zedong to name but a few.