Weinan

Etymology

The name "Weinan" (渭南) describes the location of the city as "the south bank of the Wei River", although despite the name, the majority of the city area lies north of the Wei River.

History

As a significant area between the ancient Chinese capital Xi'an and Luoyang, Weinan has a long history.

Ancient

The ancient Dali Man lived in the modern area of Weinan. The Xiagui county was settled in the year of 668 BC by the state of Qin. Weinan got its name in the year of 360 by the Former Qin regime. In the Tang Dynasty, 10 emperors were buried in Weinan after their death. On the morning of 23 January 1556, the deadliest earthquake on record with its epicenter in Huaxian killed approximately 830,000 people, destroying an 840 kilometre-wide (520 mi) area.

Modern

The Weinan prefecture-level city was established in 1995, in replacement of the Weinan prefecture. Due to the construction of the Sanmenxia Dam, the economy of the city was restricted to agricultural sections and therefore the development level of the city is much lower than other cities in the province. The city developed rapidly after economic reform in China. The east part of Guanzhong Plain now belongs to the city, making Weinan the second most populated city in the Shaanxi province, after the capital Xi'an.

Administration

The municipal executive, legislature and judiciary are in Linwei District, together with the CPC and Public Security bureaux.

Demographics

According to the sixth National Population Census of the People's Republic of China, there are 5,286,077 people resident in Weinan. Compared to the previous census data from 2000, the population has decreased by 108,729 persons. Among the residents, 50.75% are males and 49.25% are females. The number of male and female residents are separately 2,682,710 and 2,603,367. The sex ratio is 103.05.

Transportation

Due to its location on the plain, Weinan is well connected, especially to the provincial capital Xi'an.

Public Transportation

As of March 2015, there are 20 bus routes operated in the urban area of the city. Apart from line 1 and 2 with air-conditioning carrying a fare of 2 RMB, all other bus route fares are 1 RMB. There are also 1000 taxis in the urban city, The base fare is currently ¥5 which covers the first 2.5 km. Additional kilometers cost ¥1.4 or ¥1.5 each.

Roads

China National Highway 108 and China National Highway 310 pass through the city. Major expressways in the city are G5 Beijing–Kunming Expressway, G30 Lianyungang–Khorgas Expressway and G65E Yulin–Lantian Expressway. 5 bridges connect north and south part of the city on the Wei River, there are also 3 road bridges connecting the city to the neighboring Shanxi Province on the Yellow River.

Rail

The urban city of Weinan owns 4 railway stations. Weinan Railway Station was open in 1934. Located on the important Longhai Railway, almost all Chinese major cities can be reached through the train. Weinan North Railway Station is a station for high-speed rail, it is located on the Xuzhou–Lanzhou High-Speed Railway and Datong–Xi'an Passenger Railway. The station is part of the Weinan Weihe Grand Bridge, one of the longest bridges in the world. Weinan South Railway Station and Weinan West Railway Station are on the Nanjing–Xi'an Railway, they are both only served by the slowest trains. In the suburban area, there are also 2 stations for high-speed railway:Huashan North Railway Station and Dali Railway Station, there are as well also stations for conventional rail like the Huashan Railway Station and Hancheng Railway Station.

Air

There is no commercial passagenger airport in Weinan, the nearest airport is Xi'an Xianyang International Airport. A shuttle bus connects the Weinan Railway Station with the airport frequently throughout the day. There is also intention to build a small airport in Tongguan Country to serve the tourism of Hua Mountain.

Tourism

Schools

As of end in 2012, there are 2859 schools of all kinds; 75 high schools, 70 vocational schools, 310 junior high schools, 1266 primary schools, 1002 kindergartens and 7 special education schools.

Universities

Weinan has 3 higher educational institutions. The Weinan Normal University is a comprehensive multi-discipline research university. Weinan has 2 other tertiary institutions, they are Shaanxi Railway Institute and Weinan Vocational and Technical College.

Notable People

International relations

Weinan's twin towns and sister cities are: