Jiangsu Province is located in East China and occupies the southern part of the North China plains and the plains of the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River. In the eastern part of the province the coastline of the Yellow Sea extends as long as over 1,000 kilometers. Jiangsu Province is adjacent to Shanghai on the east, to Zhejiang Province on the north, to Anhui Province on the west and to Shandong Province on the north. It covers an area of more than 100,000 square kilometers, with a population of 65,350,000. The population density comes out first in China. Most people are of Han Nationality and some are of Hui Nationality and Man Nationality. The name "Jiangsu" comes from the combination of the first Chinese character of "Jiang Ning" and "Su Zhou" (two prefectures in the Qing Dynasty); its short form is "Su". The provincial capital is Nanjing.

Topography
The provincial topography is characteristic of plains, with the majority of places less than 50 meters above sea level. Hilly land occupies 5% of the provincial area. To the north of Nantong-Yangzhou Canal is the Huanghuai Plain of North Jiangsu, part of the North China Plains. Alluvial deposits are widely distributed in the areas formerly flooded by the Yellow River. Near the Yellow River there is saline-alkali soil. Lixiahe Area of North Jiangsu refers to the plain region between the Great Canal and Chuanchang River to the south of the North Jiangsu General Irrigation Canal. Its surrounding area is higher than the central part which is less than 2 meters above sea level, commonly known as "the pan bottom region". Near Xuzhou and Lianyungang to the north of the Huanghuai Plain there are remaining hills of Shandong Hills extending south. Among them hills in Xuzhou area are about loo meters above sea level, and hills in Lianyungang area about 200 meters above sea level. Yuntai Mountain, as high as 625 meters above sea level, is the highest mountain in Jiangsu Province. The Plains of the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River starts from Zhenjiang at the western end of the Yangtze River Delta, adjoins the Plain of North Jiangsu and reaches into the area of Hangzhou Bay, Zhejiang Province. Most parts of the Plain are normally 2 to 8 meters above sea level and formed by the alluvion of the Yangtze River. In the higher region of the west there are many hills, lakes, marshes, ditches and canals. To the south of Yangtze River is the Plain of South Jiangsu shaped like a plate, with Lake Tai as the center. The main mountain ranges of the Province are the Ning Zhen Mountain Range from Nanjing to Zhenjiang on the western side of the Yangtze River Delta, Maoshan Hills extending east at the border between Jiangsu Province and Anhui Province, and Yi Li Hilly Land, which is 300--500 meters above sea level, between Jiangsu Province and Zhejiang Province. Foothills and river valleys are plentiful and widespread. In the Ning Zhen Hilly area Mount Zhong (the Purple Mountain), Mount Tang, Mount Qixia, Mount Qinglong and Mount Mao are all famous mountains.

Climate
Jiangsu Province is situated in the temperate zone and subtropical zone, with a humid and semi-humid monsoon climate. China's dividing line between the temperate zone and the subtropical zone is the belt between the Huaihe River of Jiangsu Province and North Jiangsu General Irrigation Canal. The annual average temperature is 130C-160C, -20C-40C in January, and 260C-290C in July. The highest extreme temperature is 40.90C (in Zhenjiang on August 22, 1959). Nanjing area is one of the three well-known "furnaces" in the Yangtze River basin in the summer season of China. The lowest extreme temperature is -23.10C (at Qingyi Lake of Shuyang on February 5,1969). The frost-free period lasts about 200--240 days. There is heavy precipitation in the southeastern part and light precipitation in the northwestern part. The annual average precipitation is about 800-1200 millimeters. The recorded heaviest precipitation of a day is 314.3 millimeters (in Dongtai City on August 21,1965). There is more rain when plums are ripe at the time when spring is changing into summer. It rains for a short time, but frequently. It is a common phenomenon that it is raining while the sun is shining. Rains of this period are generally called "plum rains". But on the other hand, because of damp climate and appropriate temperature, mould grows quickly, so this period is also called "mould rains". Typhoons often hit this province at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn.

Rivers and Lakes
There are three large water systems: the Yangtze River, the Huaihe River and the Shuhe River, all flowing from west to east. The Great Canal links up south and north. This province has a crisscross network of rivers and many lakes. In the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River, the part of the River from Nanjing to Zhenjiang is about 1 or 2 kilometers wide. From Jiangyin downward the River becomes wider, and the widest part is between Nantong and the estuary, being as wide as more than 18 kilometers. As a result of the change of the course of the Yellow River, mud and sand deposit in the Huaihe River, and make the water form Hongze Lake when it flows into the area of Jiangsu Province. The water of Hongze Lake passes southward through Gaoyou Lake and by Jiangdu and enters the Yangtze River at Sanjiangying. Other major rivers in the North Jiangsu Plain are Shuhe River, Xinyi River, Xinzegang River, Doulonggang River, Dongtai River and the North Jiangsu General Irrigation Canal, all flowing into the Yellow Sea from west to east. Moreover, Tongyu Canal and Tongyang Canal link up ports, rivers, ditches and canals from east to west and from south and north in the Lixiahe area of North Jiangsu, thus forming a region with a complex network of rivers and lakes. Of all the lakes, Lake Tai to the south of the Yangtze River is the largest in area, occupying 2,425 square kilometers. Some people believe that Lake Tai was formed by the asteroids hitting the lake. The second largest is Hongze Lake, with an area of 1,960 square kilometers.