Jinan is the capital of Shandong Province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilization and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub. The city, which holds sub-provincial administrative status, is located in north-western Shandong about 400 kilometers (250 mi) south of the national capital of Beijing, it borders Liaocheng to the southwest, Dezhu to the northwest, Binzhou to the northeast, Zibo to the east, Laiwu to the southeast, and Tai'an to the south.