Shijiazhuang is a prefecture-level city and the capital of Hebei province, China. It is a newly industrialized city. It is situated east of the Taihang Mountains, a mountain range extending over 400 kilometres from north to south with an average elevation of 1,500 to 2,000 metres (4,900 to 6,600 ft); making Shijiazhuang a place for hiking, outdoor trips and cycling.
Today it is the capital and main economic center of Hebei and a relatively important city in China. Shijiazhuang is the largest pharmarceutical base in China and is as well an important center in the textile, IT, manufacturing and chemical industries. In 2007, it was listed as one of the top 15 economic powers in China.
Shijiazhuang also has a number of PLA colleges and universities. It's a modern city that's in the process of building many new apartment buildings, shopping malls and is renewing its image.
