FACTBOX: Olympic torch relay route in China
(Reuters) - The Olympic flame started its journey through Hong Kong on Friday, the first leg of its China tour after a controversial 20-nation world tour.
Many expect the flame to now have a smooth run on Chinese soil with the possible exception of its Tibet leg in mid-June, leading up to the August 8 opening ceremony in Beijing.
Here is the schedule:
CHINA*
May 2 - Hong Kong
May 3 - Macau
May 4-6 - Hainan Province: Sanya, Wuzhishan, Wanning, Haikou
May 7-10 - Guangdong Province: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Huizhou, Shantou
May 11-13 - Fujian Province: Fuzhou, Quanzhou, Xiamen, Longyan
May 14-16 - Jiangxi Province: Ruijin, Jinggangshan, Nanchang
May 17-19 - Zhejiang Province: Wenzhou, Shaoxing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Jiaxing
May 20-21 - Shanghai
May 22-24 - Jiangsu Province: Suzhou, Nantong, Taizhou, Yangzhou, Nanjing
May 26-28 - Anhui Province: Hefei, Huainan, Wuhu, Jixi, Huangshan
May 29-31 - Hubei Province: Wuhan, Yichang, Jingzhou
Jun 1-3 - Hunan Province: Yueyang, Changsha, Shaoshan
Jun 4-6 - Guangxi Region: Guilin, Nanning, Baise
Jun 7-9 - Yunnan Province: Kunming, Lijiang, Xamgyi'nyilha (Shangri-la)
Jun 10-12 - Guizhou Province: Guiyang, Kaili, Zunyi
Jun 13-14 - Chongqing
Jun 15-18 - Sichuan Province: Guangan, Mianyang, Guanghan, Leshan, Zigong, Yibin, Chengdu
Jun 19-21 - Tibet Region: Shannan Diqu, Lhasa
Jun 22-24 - Qinghai Province: Golmud, Qinghai Hu, Xining
Jun 25-27 - Xinjiang Region: Urumqi, Kashi, Shihezi, Changji
Jun 28-30 - Gansu Province: Dunhuang, Jiayuguan, Jiuquan, Tianshu, Lanzhou
Jul 2-4 - Ningxia Region: Zhongwei, Wuzhong, Yinchuan
June 5-7 - Shaanxi Province: Yanan, Yangling, Xianyang, Xian
Jul 8-10 - Shanxi Province: Yuncheng, Pingyao, Taiyuan, Datong
Jul 11-13 - Inner Mongolia Region: Hohhot, Ordos, Baotou, Chifeng
Jul 14-16 - Heilongjiang Province: Qiqihar, Daqing, Harbin
Jul 17-19 - Jilin Province: Songyuan, Changchun, Jilin, Yanji
Jul 20-22 - Liaoning Province: Shenyang, Benxi, Liaoyang, Anshan, Dalian
Jul 23-26 - Shandong Province: Yantai, Weihai, Qingdao, Rizhao, Linyi, Qufu, Taian, Jinan
Jul 28-31 - Henan Province: Shangqiu, Kaifeng, Zhengzhou, Luoyang, Anyang
Aug 1-3 - Hebei Province: Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Tangshan
Aug 4-5 - Tianjin
Aug 6-8 - Beijing
Aug 8 - OPENING CEREMONY
* A separate torch is currently at the base of Mount Everest (Mount Qomolangma), and it will be taken to the summit when the weather permits.
(Compiled by Nick Mulvenney and Liu Zhen; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)
(Take a look at the Countdown to Beijing blog at blogs.reuters.com/china)
