Besides Beijing, several other Chinese cities co-hosting* the 2008 Olympics include Hong Kong, Qingdao, Tianjin, Shenyang, Shanghai and Qinhuangdao. Overview of China’s major cities:

*BEIJING: China’s political and cultural capital and the site of most events for the Games. Everything but equestrian competitions, sailing, and some soccer matches will take place in the city or its immediate vicinity. Events will be scattered among 31 venues, 12 of which were constructed for the Games. The most memorable and eye-catching new structures are the innovative 91,000-capacity Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed the “Bird’s Nest” because of its skeletal, woven design, and the 17,000-capacity Beijing National Aquatics Center, known as the “Water Cube.” Together, the two venues have become icons of the Beijing Games. China’s second-largest city, with a population of 13.8 million people, Beijing also houses the world’s largest palace, the Forbidden City. The Great Wall is 47 miles northwest of the city center.

*SHANGHAI: The largest city (6340 sq km) in China, population of 13.68 million and center of science, technology and commerce. Shanghai Stadium, also known as “80,000 people’s stadium” because of its huge capacity, will be home to soccer matches for the Games. The stadium, built in 1997 for China’s eighth quadrennial National Games, serves as concert venue when it’s not hosting sporting events. All together, there will be 12 matches in the city.

*HONG KONG will continue its tradition as the capital of Chinese horse-racing by hosting the equestrian events. The first Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, Hong Kong was a British colony until 1997. The Chinese government decided equestrian events couldn’t be held on the mainland because of the risk of disease for the horses. Hong Kong, one of the world’s financial capitals, with skyscrapers and a glamorous reputation to match, is located on the southeastern tip of the Chinese mainland. It has a population of 6.92 million and covers 1,104 sq km.

*QINGDAO is home to one of China’s most well-known international brands – top home appliance maker Qingdao Haier. Olympians will compete for sailing gold in Qingdao’s new $479 million marina. The city (alternate spelling is Tsingtao; 10,654 sq km) was a German colony until 1914 and the locals have since carried on brewing Qingdao’s most famous product, its namesake beer. The fast-growing city of 7.3 million population is a city of picturesque red-tiled roofs nestled between green hills and blue sea, lying on the south coast of China’s Shandong Penisula, and also an industrial city and a major foreign trade port.

*TIANJIN will host a dozen Olympic soccer matches in its $218 million, 55,000-capacity Tianjin Olympic Center Stadium, which was completed last August. The city of 10 million, whose name means “where the emperor crossed the river,” is located on the Bohai Gulf just 100 miles or so from Beijing, and serves as the port for the capital. The municipality is a major commercial and industrial center as well as the biggest port in north China.

*QINGHUANGDAO‘s newly constructed 30,000-seat Olympic Center Stadium will play host to the Games’ soccer matches. Located in China’s northern Hebei province about 190 miles east of Beijing, the industrial city’s relatively small size–2.7 million people–makes it the least populous Olympic venue. Wedged between the mountains and the sea, Qinhuangdao is named after China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang, who is said to have looked for immortals on an island there (with no luck). Qinhuangdao is also known for its ice-free port and the summer resort of Beidaihe. Travelers come to Qinhuangdao mainly to check out China’s most famous landmark, the Great Wall, which runs through the center.

*SHENYANG will also see soccer action in its Shenyang Olympic Sports Center Stadium, which was built for the Games and seats 60,000 people. In another era, Shenyang might even have been the host city for the entire Olympics: It was China’s capital until the end of the Ming dynasty in 1644, when the seat of government moved to Beijing. To the north of Beijing, Shenyang covers an area of 13,000 sq km and is the capital of Liaoning Province. It’s northeastern China’s biggest city and its economic hub, with a population of 6.9 million.

MACAU: The city became China’s second SAR on Dec. 20, 1999. Macao is known for its gaming and racing industries. It has a population of 436,800 and covers 25.8 sq km.

SHENZHEN: A coastal city neighboring Hong Kong, it emerged as a major metropolis after the introduction of the reform and opening-up policy. it has a population of 10 million and covers 1,952.84 sq km.

CHANGCHUN: Located northeast of Beijing, it is the capital of Jilin Province and a center for vehicle production and film work. It has a population of 3.15 million and an area of 20,604 sq km.

LHASA: Known as the city of the sun, it’s on a plateau more than 3,658 meters above sea level surrounded by towering mountains. It has a population of 622,316 and an area of 29,518 sq km.

KUNMING: Known as the “City of Eternal Spring,” it lies at the heart of the southwest Yunnan Plateau, 1,895 meters above sea level. Its population totals 4.5 million and it covers 15,561 sq km.

SANYA: At the southern tip of Hainan Island in southern China, it hosted the 57th Miss World Pageant last year. It has a population of 536,000 and an area of 5,000 sq km.

HARBIN: Capital of northeast Heilongjiang Province, it is a transport hub, with 9.7 million people and an area of 53,068 sq km.

URUMQI: Urumqi, meaning “fine pasture,” is situated in the northern foothills of the snow-capped Tianshan Mountains. It is the capital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a population of 2.08 million and an area of 12,000 sq km.

CHENGDU: Capital of southwest Sichuan Province, the city has been an economic and cultural center since 400 BC. It covers 12,400 sq km and has 10.24 million people.

CHONGQING: In 1997, the city become China’s fourth municipality, independent from Sichuan Province and under the direct control of the central government. It can be best described as southwest China’s commercial center. It covers 82,400 sq km and has 31.07 million people.

GUANGZHOU: Once known as Canton, the metropolis has a population of 7.5 million and covers an area of 7,434 sq km. It has long been a major port and commercial gateway to southern China. Its nickname is the “City of Five Rams,” which denotes never-ending prosperity.

NANJING: The capital of east Jiangsu Province, the city is rich in history and culture, having been the capital during six dynasties. Its population is 5.95 million and its area is 6,597 sq km.

HANGZHOU: As the capital of the eastern Zhejiang Province, the city was described by Marco Polo as “without doubt the finest and most splendid city in the world.” It has a population of 6.12 million and covers 16,596 sq km. The famous West Lake lies at the heart of the city.

XI’AN: The capital of west Shaanxi Province, the city boasts a history of 3,100 years and was the capital of 13 ancient dynasties. It has a population of 6.68 million and covers 9,983 sq km.

Source: BusinessWeek and Xinhuanet