Ma'anshan

This article is about a city in mainland China. It is not to be confused with Ma On Shan, a place in Hong Kong with the same Chinese name.
Ma'anshan
马鞍山市
Prefecture-level city

Yushanhu and Nanhu lakes in the center of Ma'anshan

Location of Ma'anshan City jurisdiction in Anhui
Coordinates (Yushan District): 31°42′N 118°21′E / 31.700°N 118.350°E / 31.700; 118.350Coordinates: 31°42′N 118°21′E / 31.700°N 118.350°E / 31.700; 118.350
Country China
Province Anhui
County-level divisions 6
Township-level divisions 49
Municipal seat Yushan District
Government
  CPC Secretary Zheng Weiwen (郑为文)
  Mayor Zhang Xiaolin (张晓麟)
Area
  Prefecture-level city 4,042 km2 (1,561 sq mi)
  Urban 340 km2 (130 sq mi)
  Metro 1,686 km2 (651 sq mi)
Population (2010 census)
  Prefecture-level city 1,366,302
  Density 340/km2 (880/sq mi)
  Urban 741,531
  Urban density 2,200/km2 (5,600/sq mi)
  Metro 1,366,302
  Metro density 810/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone China Standard (UTC+8)
Area code(s) 555
GDP ¥63.6 billion (2008)
GDP per capita US$7,118 (2008)
License Plate Prefix 皖E

Ma'anshan (simplified Chinese: 马鞍山; traditional Chinese: 馬鞍山; pinyin: Mǎ'ānshān), also written as Maanshan, is a prefecture-level city in the eastern part of Anhui province in Eastern China. An industrial city stretching across the Yangtze River, Ma'anshan borders Hefei to the west, Wuhu to the southwest, and Nanjing to the east. It is a core city of the Nanjing Metropolitan Circle.

As of the 2010 census, Maanshan was home to 2,202,899 inhabitants whom 1,366,302 lived in the built-up area made of 3 urban districts and Dangtu County largely being urbanized.[1] After the August 2011 administrative re-regionalization of Anhui Province, its population rose to 2.20 million, as 2 additional counties were placed under its administration (He and Hanshan).

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Ma'anshan administers 6 county-level divisions, including 3 districts and 3 counties.

In September 2012, Jinjiazhuang District was dissolved and merged with Huashan District, while part of Dangtu County was split and established as Bowang District.

Map

Name

The name of the city means "Horse Saddle Mountain". According to legend, the name came to be when the Western Chu hegemon Xiang Yu was fleeing from the Battle of Gaixia. Rather than be captured, the defeated general killed himself at the area now known as Ma'anshan after ensuring that his beloved horse would be ferried across the river to safety. Upon seeing his master die, the grief-stricken horse leapt into the river and was drowned. As a tribute, the boatman buried the horse's saddle on a nearby hill, giving Ma'anshan its name.

History

The south bank of the Yangtze River from Ma'anshan upstream for 240 km (150 mi), has long been a mining area. The coming of a railroad and the opening of the Huai-nan coalfield in the 1930s made it possible for the Japanese to open an iron and steel works in 1938. Although destroyed at the end of the Second World War, the industries were restored to production in 1953, and Ma'anshan grew rapidly under the Communists' first and second Five-Year Plans. Ma'anshan also has sulfur and limestone mines, and chemical and cement factories. In 1954, Ma'anshan was elevated to town level and in Oct. 12, 1956, Ma'anshan City was declared to be founded.

Geography and climate

Surrounded by low hills (The name of the city means "horse saddle mountain"), it is not as polluted as other major Chinese steelmaking cities, thanks to the environmental policies taken by the local government that granted the city the recognition as one of the "Ten Green Cities of China".

Its climate is similar to other cities in the Yangtze River Delta, with lower humidity that makes its summers and winters less extreme. There are frequent showers during July and August.

Caishi Rock (采石磯), a famous ancient battlefield from the Jin–Song wars lying to the southwest of the city, is regarded as the best of three rocks that project over the Yangtze River. Taibai pavilion is one of four famous pavilions along the Yangtze river. Caishi scenic area is a national tourism spot, with a combination of natural and man-made scenery.

Climate data for Ma'anshan (1960−2003)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Daily mean °C (°F) 2.9
(37.2)
4.7
(40.5)
9.2
(48.6)
15.5
(59.9)
20.9
(69.6)
24.8
(76.6)
28.3
(82.9)
27.7
(81.9)
23.1
(73.6)
17.6
(63.7)
11.3
(52.3)
5.2
(41.4)
15.93
(60.68)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 37.6
(1.48)
50.4
(1.984)
86.8
(3.417)
93.1
(3.665)
106.8
(4.205)
167.0
(6.575)
182.5
(7.185)
123.2
(4.85)
67.0
(2.638)
61.0
(2.402)
53.8
(2.118)
29.2
(1.15)
1,058.4
(41.669)
Source: 马鞍山市气象局 马鞍山市气候变化分析

Economy

Ma'anshan railway station

The main industry is the steel industry (MaGang) which employs much of the workforce of Ma'anshan.

At present (2005) major expansions of the steel plant are underway to increase production drastically. With the advanced manufacturing infrastructure and fast transportation link, Ma'anshan has received much investment in many industries.

Ma'anshan city has an annual manufacture investment ranking No.1 in Anhui Province and her GDP ranks No.4 in Anhui Province after Hefei, Anqing and Wuhu. Ma'anshan's population ranks No.16 in the province and has a GDP per capita of US$7,118 which is No.1 in Anhui Province and near the average of Yangtze River Delta.

Maanshan has been identified by the Economist Intelligence Unit in the November 2010 Access China White Paper as a member of the CHAMPS (Chongqing, Hefei, Anshan, Ma'anshan, Pingdingshan and Shenyang), an economic profile of the top 20 emerging cities in China.[2]

Transportation

The deep water river port of Ma'anshan, with custom offices ensures fast and inexpensive transportation to other cities both in the East coast, and the inner cities along the Yangtze River. Nanjing Lukou International Airport is 40 km (25 mi) from Ma'anshan, with direct flights to every corner of China and also daily flights to Europe. By road, Ma'anshan is connected with highways to Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Hefei and Wuhu.

The city has one Yangtze River crossing—the Ma'anshan Yangtze River Bridge, opened in 2013, enables direct road access to cities in northern Anhui.

Culture

There is a memorial to the famous Chinese poet, Li Bai (a.k.a. Li Po c.700-762), just west of Ma'anshan. Li Bai is said to have drowned at Ma'anshan after attempting to embrace a reflection of the moon.

China's first poetry festival was held in Ma'anshan from October 25–30, 2005. The theme of the festival, sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, the Chinese Writers Association, and the Anhui provincial government, was "Poetic China, Harmonious China."

Education

See also

References

External links

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