The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is located in northern China, bordering Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning to the east, Hebei, Shanxi and Shaanxi to the south, Ningxia and Gansu to the west, Mongolia and Russia to the north, and about 400 miles from Beijing. The provincial capital, 呼和浩特 , is the political, economic and cultural center of Inner Mongolia. Inner Mongolia has a long history and is an important birthplace of the Mongolian and many northern ethnic groups. It has a population of about 25 million and an annual GDP of about US$460 billion. The five major cities in the region include Hohhot呼和浩特, Baotou包头, Chifeng赤峰, Tongliao通辽 and Ordos鄂尔多斯. The main industries in Inner Mongolia include energy, metallurgy, chemicals, agriculture, animal husbandry, and tourism. Its vast grasslands and unique ethnic customs have attracted countless tourists. Top 10 tourist attractions in Inner Mongolia are: Dazhao Temple in Hohhot呼和浩特大召寺, Hulunbuir Grassland呼伦贝尔大草原, Ordos Grassland鄂尔多斯草原, Wudang Zhao五当召, Genghis Khan Mausoleum成吉思汗陵, Badain Jaran Desert in Alashan 阿拉善巴丹吉林沙漠, Karlaqin Banner in Chifeng赤峰喀喇沁旗, Xilin Gol Grassland锡林郭勒大草原, Ejina Horqin Poplar Forest额济纳胡杨林, and Hahas Lake哈素海.
