County nails top spot for ... nails

Longyao county in Hebei province, which is known for its nails — producing about half a million metric tons annually — is the source of 80 percent of the nails consumed in China and more than 60 percent of the global total, according to the county's development and reform bureau.

Located about 300 kilometers southwest of Beijing, Longyao county of Xingtai is the country's largest nail production base.

Its nail-making industry began in the mid-1980s, when only family workshops existed. After nearly four decades of development, the county now boasts more than 60 nail-making companies and employs some 5,000 workers.

Popular in domestic markets, the nails produced in Longyao are also sold to more than 30 countries and regions around the world, including the United States and Russia, the bureau said.