Country Peoples Republic of China Province Shandong Population 2.721 million (2000) Area 11,067 km2 | Mayor Zhang Xinqi (???) | |
Points of interest Mount Lao, May Fourth Square, Qingdao International Sailing Centre, Qingdao International Beer Festival, St Michaels Cathedral - Qingdao Colleges and Universities Ocean University of China, Qingdao University, Qingdao Technological University, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Qingdao Agricultural University | ||
Qingdao ( former German: , former official romanization: Tsingtao) is a major city in eastern Shandong Province, Eastern China. Administered at the sub-provincial level, Qingdao has jurisdiction over seven districts and five county-level cities. According to the 2010 census, the built-up (or metro) area made up of 6 urban districts and Jimo City had 5,764,384 inhabitants, while the total population of the sub-provincial city is up to 8.71 million. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula and looking out to the Yellow Sea, it borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. Qing () in Chinese means "green" or "lush", while dao () means "island".
Contents
- Map of Qingdao
- Qingdao beach travel video guide
- History
- Geography and climate
- Economy
- Culture
- Tourism
- Cuisine
- Festivals
- Streetfood laoshan qingdao china
- Qingdao fu sheng restaurant tasty sea food
- References
Map of Qingdao
Qingdao is a major seaport, naval base, and industrial centre. The worlds longest sea bridge, the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, links the main urban area of Qingdao with Huangdao district, straddling the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas. It is also the site of the Tsingtao Brewery, the second largest brewery in China.
In 2007, Qingdao was named as among Chinas top ten cities by the Chinese Cities Brand Value Report, which was released at the 2007 Beijing Summit of China Cities Forum. In 2009, Qingdao was named Chinas most livable city by the Chinese Institute of City Competitiveness.
Qingdao beach travel video guide
History
Human settlement in the area dates back 6,000 years. The Dongyi nationality, one of the important origins of the Chinese nation, lived here and created the Dawenkou, Longshan and Dongyeshi cultures. In the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770BC~256BC), the town of Jimo was established, which was then the second largest one in the Shandong region. The area in which Qingdao is located today was named Jiaoao (??) when it was administered by the Qing Dynasty on 14 June 1891.
Geography and climate
Qingdao is located on the south facing coast of the Shandong Peninsula (German: ). It borders three prefecture-level cities, namely Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west, and Rizhao to the southwest. The citys total jurisdiction area occupies 10,654 square kilometres (4,114 sq mi), and stretches in latitude from 35° 35 to 37° 09 N and in longitude from 119° 30 to 121° 00 E. The populated sections of the city are relatively flat while mountains spur up within city limits and nearby. The highest elevation in the city is 1,133 metres (3,717 ft) above sea level. Of the total area of Qingdao, 15.5% is highland, while the foothill, plain and lowland areas constitute 25.1%, 37.8% and 21.7%. The city has a 730.64 kilometres (454.00 mi) coastline. Five significant rivers that flow for more than 50 kilometres (31 mi) can be found in the region.
Qingdao has a temperate, four-season, monsoon-influenced climate that lies in the transition between the humid subtropical (Koppen Cwa) and humid continental (Koppen Dwa) regimes, but favouring the former. Winter is cool to cold and windy, but generally dry, with a January average of ?0.5 °C (31.1 °F). Summer is generally hot and humid, but very hot days are rare, with an August average of 25.3 °C (77.5 °F). Due to its proximity to the coast and being on a peninsula, it experiences a one-month delayed spring compared to most inland areas of China, and the annual diurnal temperature variation is only 6.3 °C (11.3 °F). Conversely, autumn is milder than inland areas in Shandong. The water temperature peaks at about 25 °C (77 °F) in late August, with swimming possible two months on either side. The annual mean temperature is 12.6 °C (54.7 °F).
During the summer months, the beaches of Qingdao are afflicted by massive algal blooms. The decomposing algae release large amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas, which gives off the odour of rotten eggs. The blooms of sea lettuce, which are partially caused by seaweed farming in Jiangsu Province, led local officials to declare a "large-scale algae disaster" in 2013.
Economy
An important region in Eastern China, Shandong Province has seen substantial change in its economic landscape in recent years. Much of this development has been concentrated in Qingdao. Qingdao has seen rapid development. With an annual growth rate of 18.9 percent in 2006, the citys GDP reached 42.3 billion, ranking first in Shandong Province and tenth out of Chinas top 20 cities. GDP per capita comprised RMB¥52,895 (US$7,616) in 2008. The GDP has grown steadily at an average pace of 16% annually. In 2006, Qingdao was ranked one of six "golden cities" by the World Bank, out of 120 Chinese cities assessed on factors including investment climate and government effectiveness.
Culture
There is a large number of German-style buildings in Qingdao city centre, remarkable considering the German colonial period only lasted 16 years (1898–1914). The unique combination of German and Chinese architecture in the city centre, combined with German demographic roots and a large Korean expatriate population, gives Qingdao a distinct atmosphere. An old saying described Qingdao as a city of "red tiles green trees, blue sky and blue sea." This saying indeed gives a picture of birdview of Qingdao. A larger number of areas in former foreign styles are well preserved. Although the new city area is under large-scale reconstruction, the old city area (especially the western part of Shinan District) still retains many traditional buildings.
Tourism
Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and temperate weather. Parks, beaches, sculpture and unique German and modern architecture line the shore. The central tourist information is called Qingdao Information Centre for International Visitors and located on Mid-Hong Kong Road (???? pinyin: Xianggang Zhonglu).
Qingdaos major attractions include:
Cuisine
Seafood is a typical delicacy of the coastal city, divided into two categories: "Great Seafood" including sea cucumbers, abalones, sharks fin, prawns, crabs, conch, and some big fish, and "Little Seafood" comprising squid, shrimps, octopus, oysters, razor clams, clams, periwinkles, yellow croakers, etc. Generally, fresh seafood is served in every hotel.
The distinctive cuisine of the area is Lu Cai, the Shandong regional style.
Festivals
The Qingdao International Horticultural Exposition 2014 is the biggest international fair that has been held in the history of the city. Other important festivities include: