Asia · capital city
What Is the Capital of China?
Beijing
The capital of China is Beijing. About 21.8 million people live in the Beijing urban area — 1.5% of the country's population.
21.8 million
Urban area population
UTC+8
Time zone
39.92°N
Latitude · 116.38°E
No
Largest city: Shanghai
Beijing at a glance
Name origin
The name comes from the Chinese words bei (north) and jing (capital).
Time zone
UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). No daylight saving time.
Coordinates
39 55 N, 116 23 E · IANA time zone Asia/Shanghai
Location of China
Eastern Asia, bordering the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea, between North Korea and Vietnam
Largest cities in China
1
Shanghai
29.2 million2
Beijing Capital
21.8 million3
Chongqing
17.3 million4
Guangzhou
14.3 million5
Tianjin
14.2 million6
Shenzhen
13.1 millionUrban-area population · CIA World Factbook (public domain)
Capitals of neighbouring countries
Pyongyang, North Korea — 810 km
Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — 1,167 km
Hanoi, Vietnam — 2,326 km
Vientiane, Laos — 2,777 km
Thimphu, Bhutan — 2,820 km
Kathmandu, Nepal — 3,153 km
Rangoon, Myanmar — 3,227 km
Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan — 3,465 km
Astana, Kazakhstan — 3,652 km
New Delhi, India — 3,780 km
Islamabad, Pakistan — 3,881 km
Dushanbe, Tajikistan — 4,055 km
Kabul, Afghanistan — 4,174 km
Moscow, Russia — 5,793 km
Capitals closest to Beijing
- Pyongyang, North Korea — 810 km
Seoul, South Korea — 956 km- Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia — 1,167 km
Taipei, Taiwan — 1,723 km
Tokyo, Japan — 2,100 km- Hanoi, Vietnam — 2,326 km
- Vientiane, Laos — 2,777 km
- Thimphu, Bhutan — 2,820 km
Straight-line distance between capitals.
Frequently asked questions about Beijing
What is the capital of China?
The capital of China is Beijing. About 21.8 million people live in the Beijing urban area — 1.5% of the country's population.
Is Beijing the largest city in China?
No. The largest urban area is Shanghai (29.2 million), while Beijing has about 21.8 million.
What time zone is Beijing in?
Beijing is on UTC+8 — UTC+8 (13 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time). There is no daylight saving time.
Where does the name Beijing come from?
The name comes from the Chinese words bei (north) and jing (capital).
Which capital is closest to Beijing?
Among the capitals of neighbouring countries, Pyongyang (North Korea) is the closest, 810 km away in a straight line.
Data: CIA World Factbook (public domain); population: World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0).