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Wuhan is the provincial capital of Hubei Province and the fifth largest city of China. Wuhan is in central China, is a major industrial complex and inland port at the confluence of the Han and Yangtze rivers. The Yangtze River and Hanshui River divide Wuhan into three parts: Hankou, Hanyang and Wuchang, which were generally known as Wuhan's Three Towns. Wuhan occupies a land of 8467.11 sq km and with a population of 7,565,000.
The area was first settled more than 3,000 years ago in the Han Dynasty, when Hanyang became a busy port. In the first and third centuries A.D., walls were built to protect Hanyang and Wuchang. About 300 years ago, Hankou became one of the country's top four trading towns.
In the early 20th century, Wuhan became a hot spot of revolutionary activities. In 1911, Dr. Sun Yat-Sen led a revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. There are many memorial structures devoted to the revolutionaries, such as the Red Building, which housed the National Revolutionary Army Government in the 1911 Movement, the Monument to the Martyrs of the February 7 Strike and the Central Peasant Movement Institute.
Wuhan's climate belongs to subtropical zone monsoon climate with abundant rainfall and clear four seasons. Wuhan is naturally very charming. There are more than 100 lakes and mountain ranges. Because of its hot summer weather, Wuhan is known as one of the 'Three Furnaces' of China, along with Nanjing and Chongqing. Wuhan is by far the hottest of the Three Furnaces; the average temperature in July is 37.2℃, and the maximum often exceeds 40 ℃ The coldest months are January and February with temperature as low as 5 ℃, while the hottest months are July and August with temperature as high as 42 ℃, and the annual precipitation - 1,200 millimeters (mainly from February to May). The four seasons in Wuhan are clearly marked with extreme temperatures dominating both summer and winter here. The summer here is almost unbearable. The heat also fells like it will last for eternity, with spells lasting for weeks on end and little difference in temperature between day and night. Although rainfall is fairly high at this time, it provides little respite from the city heat. The best time to visit this 'furnace' is autumn, when temperatures are much more manageable and there is less rainfall than at other times of the year.
Tourists to Wuhan can pay a visit to the East Lake, Guiyuan Temple, Ancient Lute Pavilion, Tortoise Hill and Yellow Crane Tower, or enjoy the scenery along the Three Gorges by pleasure ship.
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