苏州位于长江三角洲中部、江苏省东南部，地处东经119°55′～121°20′，北纬30°47′～32°02′之间，东傍上海，南接浙江，西抱太湖，北依长江，总面积8657.32平方公里。全市地势低平，境内河流纵横，湖泊众多，太湖水面绝大部分在苏州境内，河流、湖泊、滩涂面积占全市土地面积的34.6%，是著名的江南水乡。
苏州属亚热带季风海洋性气候，2022年市区平均气温18.1℃，降水量1004.2毫米。四季分明，气候温和，雨量充沛，土地肥沃，物产丰富，自然条件优越。主要种植水稻、麦子、油菜、林果等。低洼塘田较多，出产莲藕、芡实、茭白等水生作物。特产有鸭血糯、白蒜、柑橘、枇杷、板栗、梅子、桂花、碧螺春茶等。长江刀鱼、阳澄湖大闸蟹和太湖白鱼、银鱼、白虾等为著名水产品。
苏州城始建于公元前514年，距今已2500多年历史，目前仍坐落在春秋时代的位置上，基本保持着“水陆并行、河街相邻”的双棋盘格局，以“小桥流水、粉墙黛瓦、史迹名园”为独特风貌,是全国首批24个历史文化名城之一。全市现有文物保护单位884处,其中国家级61处、省级128处。
苏州是全国重点旅游城市。平江、山塘历史街区分别被评为中国历史文化名街和中国最受欢迎的旅游历史文化名街。苏州大市范围内现有108座园林列入苏州园林名录。拙政园、留园、网师园、环秀山庄、沧浪亭、狮子林、艺圃、耦园、退思园等9个古典园林被联合国列入《世界文化遗产名录》。虎丘、盘门、灵岩山、天平山、虞山等都是著名的风景名胜。太湖绝大部分景点、景区分布在苏州境内。
Suzhou is located in the central part of the Yangtze River Delta and the southeast of Jiangsu Province and between 119°55′~121°20′east longitude and 30°47′~32°02′north latitude. With a total area of 8,657.32 km2, it is adjacent toShanghai in the east, Zhejiang in the south, Taihu Lake in the west and the Yangtze River in the north. The terrain of the city is low and flat. There are many rivers and lakes in the territory. Most of the water surface of Taihu Lake is in Suzhou. The area of rivers, lakes and tidal flats accounts for 34.6% of the city’s land area.Suzhou is known as thewatertown in the Southern Yangtze River.
Suzhou has a subtropical monsoon maritime climate, with an average temperature of 18.1℃ and precipitation of 1,004.2 mm in 2022. It enjoys four distinct seasons, mild climate, abundant rainfall, fertile land, richnatural resourcesand superior natural conditions. It is a region whererice, wheat, rapes, forest fruits, etc. are planted. As Suzhou has manylow-lying ponds and fields, it produces such aquatic crops as lotus roots, euryale ferox and zizania aquatica. It abounds in specialty products such asblack sticky rice, white garlic, citrus, loquat, chestnuts, plums, osmanthusandBiluochun teaas well as famous aquatic productsincluding Yangtze sauries, Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs, Taihu Lake whitefish, whitebaitsand white shrimps.
Suzhou City was initiallybuilt in 514 B.C.with a history of more than 2,500 years. Currently, it is still located in theoriginalpositionduringthe Spring and Autumn Period, and basically maintains a double-chessboard pattern of “coexistenceof land and water and adjacency of rivers and streets”. It is one of the first 24 famous historicaland cultural cities in China, boastinguniquestyle andfeature of “small bridges,flowing water, white walls,black tiles and famous historicalgardens”. It has 884 culturalrelic protection sitesincluding 61 national sitesand 128 provincialsites.
Suzhou is a national key tourist city. Pingjiang and Shantang HistoricalBlocks have beenappraised as a historical and cultural streetin China andthemost popular historicaland culturaltourist street,respectively. The city has108 gardens whichhave been includedin the Suzhou Garden List. Nine classical gardens(Humble Administrator’s Garden, Lingering Garden, Master-of-Nets Garden, Mountain Villa with Embracing Beauty, Pavilion of Surging Waves, Lion Grove Garden, Garden of Cultivation, Garden of Couple’s Retreatand Garden of Quiet Meditation)have been includedin the World Cultural Heritage List by the United Nations. Tiger Hill, Pan Gate, Divine Cliff Hill, Tianping Mountain and Yu Mountain are all famous tourist attractions. Most of the scenic spots and scenic areasin Taihu Lake are situatedin Suzhou.
