Harbin, capital of Heilongjiang province. This province constitutes the northern part of Manchuria and is separated from Russia by the Amur River. Harbin lies on the Songhua River and is the major trade and communications center of central Manchuria. Harbin was unimportant until Russia was granted a concession (1896) and built a modern section alongside the old Chinese town. Russia surrendered its concession in 1924. Flooded by White Russian refugees after 1917, Harbin had one of the largest Russian populations in East Asia. Most of the Russians left the city following the rise to power of the Chinese Communists. The date used in Harbin was given in "Kan-De" The first year Kan-De equals 1933.

1919

c.1926

1927-29

1932-33

1935

1936

1937

1998

2001-02