| Huludao 葫芦岛 |
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| — Prefecture-level city — | |
| 葫芦岛市 | |
| Location of Huludao in Liaoning | |
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Huludao
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| Coordinates (city(2737000)): | |
| Country | China |
| Province | Liaoning |
| Districts and Counties |
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| Government | |
| • CPC Party Secretary | Chen Xiaokun |
| • Mayor | Sun Zhaolin |
| Area[1] | |
| • Total | 10,415 km2 (4,021.3 sq mi) |
| Population (2007)[2] | |
| • Total | 2,787,032 |
| Time zone | China Standard (UTC+8) |
| Postcode | 11250nn |
| Area code(s) | 429 |
| Website | www.hld.gov.cn |
Huludao (simplified Chinese: 葫芦岛; traditional Chinese: 葫蘆島; pinyin: Húludǎo) is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Liaoning Province, China. It is one of the two principal cities (the other one is Jinzhou) in the Liaoxi Corridor (辽西走廊). Known as Jinxi until 1994, Huludao has a total area of 10,415 square kilometers and a population of 2.87 million, of which some 531,000 live in the city proper.[3] Its name literally means "Gourd Island".
Suizhong County, which lies within the prefecture, is the hometown of China's first astronaut Yang Liwei.
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The area now occupied by Huludao city has been settled by mankind since ancient times. Archeological evidence indicates that during the Shang and Zhou dynasties, the region enjoyed advanced Bronze Age technology, while urban civilization first developed during the Warring States era. The Ming dynasty saw the construction of the Liaoning section of the Great Wall through Huludao, and it was during this time that the town of Xingcheng was fortified with its defensive wall which still stands today.[4]
In 1906, the county of Jinxi was established and later became an important center for resistance during the Japanese occupation. During 1945-1948, it was a battleground between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist forces, and over one million Japanese prisoners of war were repatriated from its port.
Jinxi county was granted city status in 1982 under the jurisdiction of Jinzhou, before becoming a prefecture-level city in 1989.[5] The city was renamed Huludao, originally the name of the peninsula and port inside the city area, in 1994.
Huludao is a coastal city on the Bohai Sea at 120°38' east longitude and 40°56' north latitude. It lies in the southwest of Liaoning Province, at the border with Hebei, forming the Bohai Sea economic rim with such cities as Dalian, Yingkou, Qinhuangdao, and Qingdao. As the first city outside the Shanhai Pass, it serves as the gateway into the Northeast.
Huludao is situated in the north temperate zone with a continental monsoon climate that brings cold dry winters and hot humid summers. Annual precipitation averages between 550-650mm while the year round mean temperature is 8.5-9.5℃.[6]
Huludao has six immediate sub-municipal divisions:
| Map | ||||||
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| # | Name | Hanzi | Hanyu Pinyin | Population (2003 est.) | Area (km²) | Density (/km²) |
| 1 | Longgang District | 龙港区 | Lónggǎng Qū | 170,000 | 138 | 1,232 |
| 2 | Lianshan District | 连山区 | Liánshān Qū | 620,000 | 1,653 | 375 |
| 3 | Nanpiao District | 南票区 | Nánpiào Qū | 150,000 | 512 | 293 |
| 4 | Xingcheng City | 兴城市 | Xīngchéng Shì | 560,000 | 2,147 | 261 |
| 5 | Suizhong County | 绥中县 | Suízhōng Xiàn | 620,000 | 2,764 | 224 |
| 6 | Jianchang County | 建昌县 | Jiànchāng Xiàn | 610,000 | 3,161 | 193 |
More than forty different mineral resources have been discovered in the Huludao region, including gold, zinc, molybdenum, lime and manganese. Just west of the city center, the town of Yangjiazhangzi is an important global center for molybdenum mining.[7] Huludao boasts a long coastline of 237 kilometers, and the surrounding waters are rich in fish, shrimp and shellfish, with plentiful reserves of natural gas and oil. With a climate suitable for the cultivation of fruit trees, Suizhong county is home to the Qiansuo orchard, Asia's largest, which grows a wide variety of fruits including apples, pears, nectarines and jujubes.
Huludao's economy is dominated by some of China's most important industrial enterprises, providing employment for a large proportion of the population. These include Asia's biggest zinc manufacturing operation, the Huludao Zinc Smelter, the Jinxi oil refinery and Jinhua chemical engineering, as well as Huludao's massive shipyard, the building site of China's nuclear submarines. The oilfield off the coast of Suizhong county produces five million tons of crude oil annually. Electricity generation is set to increase annual capacity to 3.6 million kilowatts.[8]
Within the city itself are special development areas designed to attract foreign investment to the region, including the Huludao Economic Development Zone and the Huludao Hi-tech Development zone, which is the location for a Siemens turbomachinery plant.
Huludao is an important link in rail and road networks between Beijing and northern cities such as Shenyang and Harbin. The newly renovated North Station (葫芦岛北站) serves high speed passenger trains that cover the four hundred kilometer distance to Beijing in less than three hours. Shipping routes are well served by ports at both Huludao city and Suizhong; Xingcheng Airport is capable of serving large airliners, while Jinzhou airport is the major hub for domestic flights.
Public transportation within the city is provided by over 25 different bus services and innumerable taxis. Traditional cycle rickshaws and motor rickshaws were banned from the city itself in 2010, but can still be seen in smaller cities and towns in the region. Long distance buses and trains link the various centers within the greater Huludao region.
Huludao is endowed with a number of scenic areas and sites of historical interest, and attracts many domestic tourists in summer by virtue of its picturesque sandy beaches, including Longwan Beach near the city center and Xingcheng Beach, a traditional resort known as the 'second Beidaihe'.[9]
The old town in Xingcheng is a beautifully preserved Ming dynasty city, with its original walls still intact and an interior studded with temples and historical architecture. The presence of hot springs in the Xingcheng region along with its uncrowded beaches have contributed to its fame as a health destination for Party cadres across the country, while the stunning Juhua island is another significant tourist attraction.
The Great Wall passes through Huludao in spectacular fashion at Jiumenkou on the Hebei border, where the wall spans the Daqing river in the form of nine gates. It is the only section of the Great Wall to be built over water, and was listed as a world heritage site in 2002.[10]
Other attractions in the area include the remains of Jieshi palace, built by the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty over two thousand years ago.
Tertiary institutions of importance in Huludao include:
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