Benxi

For other uses, see Benxi Manchu Autonomous County.
Benxi
本溪市
Prefecture-level city

Location of Benxi City jurisdiction in Liaoning
Benxi

Location of the city centre in Liaoning

Coordinates: 41°18′N 123°46′E / 41.300°N 123.767°ECoordinates: 41°18′N 123°46′E / 41.300°N 123.767°E
Country People's Republic of China
Province Liaoning
Districts and Counties
Government
 • CPC Benxi Committee Secretary
 • Mayor Gang Rui
Area
 • Prefecture-level city 8,435 km2 (3,257 sq mi)
 • Urban 907 km2 (350 sq mi)
Elevation 131 m (430 ft)
Population (2010 census)[1]
 • Prefecture-level city 1,709,538
 • Urban 1,011,377
Time zone China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code 117000
Area code(s) 24
Licence plates 辽E
Administrative division code 210500
ISO 3166-2 cn-21-05
Website http://www.benxi.gov.cn/

Benxi (Chinese: 本溪; pinyin: Běnxī) is a prefecture-level city located in the east of Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, south-southeast of Shenyang. Its population was 1,709,538 at the 2010 census whom 1,011,377 lived in the built-up area made of 3 urban districts (Pinshan, Xihu and Mingshan). It was founded as a metallurgical center in 1915. Benxi Iron and Steel Company ("Bengang") is the largest employer in the city, and used to be the fourth-largest steel company in China. The second-largest industry in Benxi is coal mining. Benxi has pollution problems due to steel production and coal mining.

During the disaster of Air France flight AF447, Benxi Iron and Steel Company lost 5 employees, including the executive Chen Chiping who was the wife of Liaoning's provincial governor.[2]

History

As early as 400,000 years ago, there were people living in Benxi prefecture, which was indicated by Miaohou Mountain ruins with human fossils and stone tools explored in this region.

The worst coal mining disaster in the world took place on April 26, 1942 in Benxihu Colliery. A coal-dust explosion killed 1,549 miners working that day，making it the worst disaster in the history of coal mining and the second worst recorded industrial accident. The explosion sent flames bursting out of the mine shaft entrance. Miners' relatives rushed to the site but were denied entry by a cordon of Japanese guards who erected electric fences to keep them out.[3] In an attempt to curtail the fire underground, the Japanese shut off the ventilation and sealed the pit head. Witnesses say that the Japanese did not evacuate the pit fully before sealing it, trapping many Chinese workers underground to suffocate in the smoke.[4]

Administrative divisions

Benxi contains 4 districts and 2 autonomous counties for the Manchu nation:

Map
# Name Hanzi Hanyu Pinyin Population (2003 est.) Area (km²) Density (/km²)
1 Pingshan District 平山区 Píngshān Qū 350,000 177 1,977
2 Xihu District 溪湖区 Xīhú Qū 220,000 320 688
3 Mingshan District 明山区 Míngshān Qū 300,000 410 732
4 Nanfen District 南芬区 Nánfēn Qū 80,000 619 129
5 Benxi Manchu Autonomous County 本溪满族
自治县		 Běnxī Mǎnzú
Zìzhìxiàn		 300,000 3,362 89
6 Huanren Manchu Autonomous County 桓仁满族
自治县		 Huánrén Mǎnzú
Zìzhìxiàn		 300,000 3,547 85

Within these there are 25 counties, 40 villages and towns, 229 communities and 289 village committees.

Geography

Benxi is located within latitude 40° 49'−41° 35' N and longitude 123° 34'−125° 46' E, and has a total area of 8,411.31 square kilometres (3,247.62 sq mi). To the east is Jilin City (Jilin), to the south is Dandong, to the southwest is Anshan (though the two don't actually border each other), to the west is Liaoyang, to the northwest is Shenyang, and to the north is Fushun. The area has many mountains as well as great forest coverage (74%).

Climate

Benxi has a monsoon-influenced humid continental climate (Köppen Dwa), characterised by hot, humid summers, due to the East Asian monsoon, and long, cold and windy, but dry winters, due to the Siberian anticyclone. The four seasons here are distinctive. Nearly half of the annual rainfall occurs in July and August alone. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from −11.5 °C (11.3 °F) in January to 24.0 °C (75.2 °F) in July, and the annual mean is 7.83 °C (46.1 °F). With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 38% in July to 63% in February, the city receives 2,325 hours of bright sunshine annually.

Climate data for Benxi (1971−2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) −5
(23)		 −1.2
(29.8)		 6.3
(43.3)		 15.8
(60.4)		 22.2
(72)		 26.4
(79.5)		 28.6
(83.5)		 28.0
(82.4)		 23.0
(73.4)		 15.6
(60.1)		 5.7
(42.3)		 −2.1
(28.2)		 13.6
(56.5)
Average low °C (°F) −16.9
(1.6)		 −12.7
(9.1)		 −4.3
(24.3)		 4.0
(39.2)		 10.4
(50.7)		 16.0
(60.8)		 19.8
(67.6)		 18.6
(65.5)		 11.5
(52.7)		 3.7
(38.7)		 −4.8
(23.4)		 −12.8
(9)		 2.7
(36.9)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 7.9
(0.311)		 8.4
(0.331)		 17.5
(0.689)		 41.9
(1.65)		 67.3
(2.65)		 95.3
(3.752)		 207.9
(8.185)		 168.2
(6.622)		 75.2
(2.961)		 49.1
(1.933)		 26.0
(1.024)		 11.2
(0.441)		 775.9
(30.549)
Avg. precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) 5.0 5.0 6.2 8.2 9.6 12.3 14.3 12.2 8.3 7.6 6.8 4.8 100.3
Average relative humidity (%) 64 58 53 50 55 66 76 78 73 64 64 65 63.8
Mean monthly sunshine hours 164.4 186.5 220.5 230.2 240.8 213.0 173.5 183.0 203.7 200.8 161.1 147.5 2,325
Percent possible sunshine 56 63 60 58 54 48 38 43 55 59 55 52 52
Source: China Meteorological Administration

Economy

Benxi's economy grew 10% in 2012 to a regional GDP of 111.24 billion CNY.[5] Ranked eighth out of fourteen prefecture level cities in Liaoning, the city's GDP accounted for approximately 4% of provincial total.[6] Urban per-capita disposable income was 22,466 CNY, and consumption per capita 16,064 CNY.[7]

With 46 large and medium-sized enterprises in Benxi, main industrial products are raw iron (14 million tons), steel (13 million tons), finished steel (12 million tons), cement (3 million tons) and raw coal (1 million tons). In 2008, 92,615 people were employed in manufacturing, 20,368 in education, 19,228 in public administration and social organizations, 17,913 persons in the mining industry, and 12,997 in transportation and storage. According to the type of business ownership, 63,000 were employed in private companies.[8]

Uranium is mined in the region.

As of 2009, Asia's biggest iron ore mine, which is reported to possess more than 3 billion tons of proven reserves, has been found in this region.[9]

Tourist activities

Benxi is rich with tourist attractions. The eastern side of the prefecture is covered with mountains, caves and lakes with low population, making the various parks in that area popular.

The Benxi Water Cave National Park is a subterranean river, some 3,000 meters long, 2 meters deep and wide enough for 20-30 boats. It flowing through this cave situated 35 km (22 mi) east of Benxi city. The cave is filled with countless stalactites and stone flowers, pillars and curtains.

Wunü Mountain National Park is an area of natural beauty. The park also contains the remains of an ancient Goguryeo capital city. As such the site has been recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.[10]

Guanmenshan National Forest Park is an valley of outstanding natural beauty. Secluded trails run up and down the valley. The area is particularly popular in autumn when the leaves of the many maple trees that line the valley turn bright red.

Pictures

Sister cities

References

  1. ↑ bxgk
  2. ↑ "AF447 victim". www.terra.com.br. Retrieved 4 June 2009.
  3. ↑ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1503377/Honkeiko-colliery-mining-disaster
  4. ↑ "Chinazhaoge Blog" (in Chinese). sohu.com. Retrieved 7 August 2010.
  5. ↑ 2012年本溪市国民经济和社会发展统计公报
  6. ↑ Profiles of China Provinces, Cities and Industrial Parks
  7. ↑ 2012年本溪市国民经济和社会发展统计公报
  8. ↑ China Liaoning Business Guide
  9. ↑ "Asia’s biggest iron ore mine found in Benxi China". www.ibtimes.com. International Business Times. 23 June 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "China - UNESCO World Heritage Centre". whc.unesco.org. UNESCO. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  11. ↑ "Interactive City Directory". Sister Cities International. Retrieved 11 March 2014.

External links

Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Benxi.