The northern part of Shaanxi is the Huangtu (Loess) Plateau, and the southern part is the Qin-Ba Hilly Area, while the middle part is the alluvial plain of Wei River. The two water systems of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River are divided from the Qinling Mountains, which also set a distinctive division of climates between the north and the south of the province along the mountains. The northern part has four distinctive seasons, with a cold winter and hot summer each year, while the southern part h1;ls a warm and humid weather, with plenty of rainfalls.

Shaanxi Province is one of the important industrial bases in China. The industry of the province is relatively more advanced than China's other western provinces and autonomous regions.

Industries with certain scales include machinery, electronics, textiles, coal, petrochemical and food with concentration in machinery and textiles. Major minerals include coal, iron, manganese, and phosphor and petroleum. Agriculture includes grain, animal husbandry, and sheep.

The Province used to be the most prosperous area within China, especially in the Han (206 BC-AD 220) and Tang (618-907) dynasties, creating advanced social productivity and prime civilization of feudal society prior to that of other countries in the world. It is one of cradles of ancient Chinese civilization and the centre of ancient China. Numerous relics have made Shaanxi a favourite place for tourists both from home and abroad. Emperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum and his terracotta army have astonished the country and the whole world and are acclaimed as the Eighth Wonder of the World. UNESCO inscribed it on the list of the World Heritage in 1987 .
Famen Temple

For religious believers, the Famen Temple, 110 kilometres west of Xi'an, is a sacred site. Built in the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220), the temple is famous for housing the Buddhist relics of Sakyamuni, founder of Buddhism. Xi'an witnessed its golden age in development in the Tang Dynasty, when it was the largest city in the Orient and the starting point of the Silk Road, connecting Asia with Europe.

In 1987, the temple was the focus of attention for archaeologists worldwide when the base of its brick tower, built in the Tang Dynasty, was cleared for rebuilding, revealing a Tang-dynasty script containing a treasure, which had been buried for more than 1,100 years. The treasure included four Buddhist relics, 121 gold and silver wares for worshiping Buddha at his shrine in the temple or for the use of the imperial c;urt, 400 pieces of pearls, gems and jade wares, and lots of valuable silk fabrics.

Sakyamuni's fingerbone enshrined in Famen Temple was shown in Taiwan for local followers to worship. The worship, which lasted from February 23rd to March 31st, 2002, was regarded as a grand event for Buddhists across the Straits. Saykamuni's finger relics in Famen Temple are the only piece of the Sakyamuni's finger in the world now, making them a national treasure. Sakyamuni's fingerbone had been enshrined in the imperial palace during the Tang Dynasty (618-907) till the year of 874, when they were sealed underground as part of the Famen Temple's pagoda. The relic was again unearthed after 1,113 years by archaeologists in April 1987 .

Mount Huashan

Mount Hua is located in the eastern part of Shaanxi Province belonging to the eastern section of Mount Qinling. Seen from a distance, it looks like a flower, hence the name Mount Hua. Its peak is Mount Taihua, known in the ancient times as the Western Mountain in Shaanxi Province at an elevation of 2,160 metres. In China there are Five Sacred Mountains (i. e. the Eastern Mountain * in Shandong Province, the Southern Mountain in Hunan, the Western Mountain in Shaanxi Province, the Northern Mountain in Shanxi Province, and the Central Mountain in Henan Province. Mount Hua is one of the key national scenic spots in China.

Flight of Fancy-A 3.I-hectare (7.75 acres) heliport has been built at the foot of Mount Huashan, a renowned tourist destination in Shaanxi Province. Mount Huashan is one of China's five most famous scenic mountains, known for its steep and dangerous peaks. The new helipad is a strategic move by the provincial government to accelerate the development of local tourism