The city is located 43 meters above sea level and 183 kilometres from the sea. Beijing is mostly surrounded by Hebei province to which it once belonged, although it also shares a small border with Tianjin in the southeast. Beijing is a remarkably flat city, but is surrounded by mountain ranges in the north and west.
In addition to being major tourist attractions, Tian'anmen Square and the Forbidden City form the heart of Beijing, with the city radiating out from these landmarks.
Beijing is divided into a number of districts, with Chaoyang District in the east being the most developed, and the home to most embassies and multinational companies. Most expatriates who choose city living will settle in this area, congregating in areas like Sanlitun, Chaoyang Park, Lido and the Central Business District.
Shunyi District, in the north-east, is another popular area amongst foreigners. Its appeal lies in the fact that it offers spacious villa-style living in gated communities close to many of Beijing's most popular international schools.
Haidian District in the west is where many of the universities are located and the area is thus popular amongst students. But it too is seeing an increase in the number of housing and shopping options, as it contains the hi-tech zone and houses numerous hi-tech companies, making it an increasingly popular place to live.
Beijing's four seasons are very distinct. For most of the year, the weather stays at high or low extremes with brief intervals of pleasant weather during spring and autumn. The hottest month is July, where the temperature averages a high of about 33°C (91.4°F), and the coldest month is January, where the averages high is 1°C (33.8°F). Having a continental monsoon climate, Beijing's summers tend to be hot and humid while winters are extremely dry. Spring tends to be windy with occasional dust storms, and autumn is crisp and cool and is one of the most pleasant times to be in the city.