Luoyang city is located in the western part of Henan Province,on both bides of the middle reaches of the Yellow River.It is a state-grade historic cultural city and a famous ancient capital.Luoyang is also a newly develop-ing industrial city with rich resources, splendid culture, convenient transport and a strong scientific and technological force. It has now 1 city, 8 counties and 6 districts under its jurisdiction, with a total area of 15, 208 square kilometers and a population of 6.287 million, of which 1.908 mi- llion live in the city proper.

According to textual research,since China's first dynasty-the Xia Dynasty set up its capital here,Luoyang was made the capital city at different times by 13 dynasties in China's history, including the Xia, Shang, Eastern Zhou, Eastern Han, Cao Wei, Western Jin, Northern Wei, Sui and Tang, over a period of 1,529 years. Of China's seven ancient capital cities, Kaifeng is the earliest city in China, with the longest history as a capital city, and the largest number of dynasties setting up their capital here. It is the east starting point of the world-renowned Silk Road. Since the period of the East Han Dynasty, it gradually became an international Metropolis. History has left behind rich historic heritage in Luoyang, including ruined sites of ancient capital cities, temples, grottoes, tombs and inscribed stone tablets. Of these historic relics, the state-grade protected key historic relics unit-the ruined sites of the 5 ancient capitals of the Xia, Shang, Zhou, Han-Wei and Sui-Tang Dynasties are invaluable rare treasures of the whole world. Longmen Grottoes is one of China's three stone carving art treasures and has been designated as part of world cultural heritage. The White Horse Temple is the first officially-run Buddhist temple set up after Buddhism was introduced into China, often called the "Source" or the" Ancestral Court" of China's Buddhism. At Mounshan Mountain there remains China's largest ancient tombs group, with the imperial mausoleums of the various dynasties since the East Zhou forming the main part. The first World Ancient Tombs Museum has been set up here. Luoyang peony is world renowned for its rare beauty, regarded as the "finest flower under heaven." It is not only the flower of Luoyang City, but also the national flower of China. The magnificent Peony Festival held in Luoyang every April attracts countless domestic and international visitors. It has become a stage of displaying Luoyang's(even Henan's) traditional culture and peony culture as well as a window to help promote economic development and opening up to the outside world.

Minerals of 4 categories, 76 varieties, have been proven in Luoyang. It has 1,067 mineral deposits. Molybdenum ranks first in China in terms of output. Luoyang's molybdenum mine is one of the world's three largest mines of the same kind. Besides, the reserves of alumina , tungsten, cement limestone, dinas rock, piezoelectric quartz, oil shale etc. rank first in the whole province; reserves of gold rank second in China. There are 190-plus species of rare animals and 1480 kinds of natural medicinal herbs in Luoyang.

Luoyang has numerous picturesque natural landscapes. In the north there are the Yellow River Xiaolangdi Water Conservancy Comprehensive Project and the Xiaolangdi Tourist Holiday Resort, which is under construction;in the south there are the Songshan Mountains, State Forest Park-White Cloud Mountain, Huaguo Mountain and the spectacular Karst caves, Fengxue Temple and Ling-shan Temple in the Jiguan Mountains.

Luoyang's water system is composed of five rivers-the Yellow River,the Luo he River, the Yihe River, the Chanhe River and the Jianhe River and two reservoirs-Luhui Reservoirs and Guxian Reservoirs. Besides, there are two state-grade protected natural zones-Laojunshan and Longchiman, with a total area of over 100,000 mu.

Luoyang's industry has a strong scientific and technological force. It is an industrial city with 6 pillar industries,namely,machinery and electro- nics, petrochemicals, metallurgy, building materials, light textile and foodstuff, 39 industrial categories and over 5000 independent accounting enterprises. There are quite a number of large-scale enterprises and enterprise groups with strong competitiveness at domestic and interna- tional markets, such as Luoyang General Petrochemical Plant, China No.1 Tractor Group Co.,Ltd., Luoyang Bearing (Group) Company, Zhongxin Heavy Machinery Company, Luoyang Copper Processing Plant, Luoyang Float-Glass Co., Ltd., Luoyang Northern Yichu Motorcycle Co., Ltd. etc. Luoyang has 14 research institutes at the ministerial level and 18 research bureaus at the provincial or municipality level. The density of scientific and technologi-cal personnel in Luoyang is higher than the national average. Luoyang New and High-tech Industrial Development Zones, since its setting up, has been developing vigorously and has become an industrial base for transforming traditional industries with new high technology and a window opening to the outside world.

Luoyang enjoys convenient transportation and occupies an advantageous geographical position. Lanzhou-Lianyungang Railway and Jiaozuo-Zhicheng Rail way meet in Luoyang. Luoyang North Station is a relatively large and modernized railway marshalling yard. Expressways run from Luoyang to Zheng-zhou, Kaifeng, Xinxiang, Anyang, Sanmenxia, Xian and other cities. No.310 and No.207 state highways and provincial highways have formed a highway network.Luoyang Airport is an all weather airport for large passenger planes to take off and land. Luoyang aviation port and second-class railway port have set up joint port inspection offices with complete inspection functions.

Since the reform and open policy started, Luoyang has at different times established friendly city relationship with a number of foreign cities such as Okayama, Japan; Tours Commune, France, Provdiv City, Bulgaria, LaCrosse, USA; Tolyatti City, Russia etc. Various forms of exchange and cooperation have been carried out. Now the city has a total number of 565 enterprises with foreign investment.

In 2001, Luoyang's GDP reached 45.67 billion yuan, increasing by 8.5% as compared with the previous year, of which that of the first industry by 1%; that of the second industry by 8.7%,and that of the third industry by 10.2%. Its local yearly revenue was 2,422 million yuan,increasing by 14.3%, as compared with the previous year. The total export and import value in 2001 was 2.28 million U.S.D., increasing by 11.1%. In 2001,Luoyang received 106,400 tourists/times from foreign countries and from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, increasing by 24.4% as compared with the previous year.

Attractions in Luoyang

Luoyang Package Tour

Neighboring Areas: Shandong, Anhui, Hubei, Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces

Climate the continental monsoon climate in the temperate zone

Average Temperature: 14.7C annually

Rainfall: mainly concentrated on June, July and August with annual average amount of 45.83 mm

Mountains: Mt. Song, Mt. Baiyunshan, and Mt. Huaguoshan

Rivers: Yellow River, Luohe River, Yihe River, Lihe River and Jianhe River