Huludao

Huludao
葫芦岛市
Prefecture-level city

The new district of Huludao

Location of Huludao City jurisdiction in Liaoning
Huludao

Location of the city centre in Liaoning

Coordinates: 40°43′N 120°50′E / 40.717°N 120.833°E
Country People's Republic of China
Province Liaoning
Districts and Counties
Government
 • CPC Party Secretary Chen Xiaokun
 • Mayor Liu Tengfei
Area[1]
 • Total 10,415 km2 (4,021 sq mi)
Population (2007)[2]
 • Total 2,787,032
Time zone China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code 125000
Area code(s) 429
Licence plates 辽P
Administrative division code 211400
ISO 3166-2 cn-21-14
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, People's Republic of China, bordering Hebei to the southwest. It is one of the two principal cities, along with Jinzhou, in the Liaoxi Corridor. Known as Jinxi (锦西) until 1994, Huludao has a total area of 10,415 km2 (4,021 sq mi) and a population of 2.87 million, of whom some 531,000 live in the city proper.[3] Its name literally means "Gourd Island".

History

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.

Geography

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, 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 to 650 millimetres (22 to 26 in) while the year round mean temperature is 8.5 to 9.5 °C (47.3 to 49.1 °F).[6]

Administrative divisions

Huludao has six immediate sub-municipal divisions:

Map
# 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

Economy

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.

Transport

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.

Huludao City Center Train Station

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.

Tourism

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.

Education

Tertiary institutions of importance in Huludao include:

Sister cities

References

  1. ↑ "Introduction to Huludao". Huludao Government. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  2. ↑ "Huludao Population". Huludao Government. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  3. ↑ "Huludao Population". Huludao Municipal Government. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  4. ↑ "History of Huludao". Huludao Government. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  5. ↑ "Introduction to Huludao". Huludao Government. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  6. ↑ "Huludao Climate". Huludao Government. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  7. ↑ . "Investment Guide of Huludao City". Liaoning Provincial Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  8. ↑ "Investment Guide of Huludao City". Liaoning Provincial Bureau of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  9. ↑ "Huludao - First City out of Shanhai Pass". Shenyang Guide. Retrieved 2009-12-30.
  10. ↑ "Huludao - Corridor of Western Liaoning". CRIENGLISH.com. Retrieved 2009-12-31.

External links