Province Shaanxi
Area
- City 9,983 km2 (3,854.5 sq mi)
- Land 9,983 km2 (3,854.5 sq mi)
- Water 0.00 km2 (0 sq mi)
Elevation 405 m (1,329 ft)
Population (2001)
- City 3,225,812 (city proper)
- Density 1,962/km2 (5,081.6/sq mi)
- Metro 7.85 million
Xi´an (Chinese: 西安; Pinyin: Xīān; Wade-Giles: Hsi-An; Postal System Pinyin: Sian), is the capital of Shaanxi province in China and a sub-provincial city. As one of the most important cities in Chinese history, Xian is one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China for it has been the capital of 13 dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, and the Tang. Xian is also renowned for being the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and for the location of the Terracotta Army from Qin Dynasty. The city has more than 3,100 years of history. It was called Changan (Traditional Chinese: 長安; Simplified Chinese: 长安; Pinyin: Chángān; literally "Perpetual Peace") in ancient times.
Since 1990s, as part of the economic revival of interior China, especially the central and northwest regions, in addition to a history of manufacturing and solid industrial establishments, Xian has become an important cultural, industrial and educational center of the central-northwest region, with facilities for research and development, national security and Chinas space exploration program.
