Qingdao
Encyclopedia : Q : QI : QIN : Qingdao
| Abbreviation: 青 or 胶 (Pinyin: Jiāo) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Administration Type | Sub-provincial city | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| City Seat | (}; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Ch'ing-tao), well-known to the West by its Postal System Pinyin transliteration Tsingtao, is a sub-provincial city in eastern Shandong province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west and Rizhao to the southwest. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula while looking out to the Yellow Sea, Qingdao today is a major seaport, naval base, and industrial center. It is also the site of the Tsingtao Brewery which produces beer. The name "Qingdao" in Chinese means "The Green Island".
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Additional Names
AdministrationThe sub-provincial city of Qingdao administers 12 county-level divisions, including 7 districts and 5 county-level cities.
Geography and climateQingdao is located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula. It borders three prefecture-level cities, namely Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to the west, and Rizhao to the southwest. The city's total jurisdiction area occupies 10 654 km². The city is located in flatlands, with mountains spurring up nearby. The highest elevation in the area is 1133 m above sea level. The city has a 730.64-kilometer coastline. Five significant rivers that flow for more than 50 km can be found in the region. Qingdao enjoys mild summers and relatively warm winters, with the average July temperature at 23.8°C and the average January temperature at -0.7°C. The city gets most rain in June and July, at an average of 150 mm. History
The area of which Qingdao is located today was called Jiao'ao (胶澳) when it was administered by the Qing Dynasty. In 1891, the Qing Government decided to make the area a primary defence base against naval attacks, and planned the construction of a city. Little was, however done, and in 1897, the city became a German concession and became a major German naval base in the Far East for its Pacific Squadron. The German Imperial government began immediately to lay out and construct the foundations and first streets and institutions of the city we see today. This also created a great area of German influence within the whole of Shandong Province, including the founding of many breweries for beer including the Tsingtao Brewery. Soon after the outbreak of The Great War, the German Pacific Squadron, under Admiral von Graf Spee, left Tsingtao rather than waiting to be trapped in the harbour by Allied forces. After a subsequent minor British naval attack on the German colony in 1914,Japan occupied it during the Battle of Tsingtao after Japan had declared war on Germany. The failure of the Allied powers to restore Chinese rule to Shandong after the war triggered the May Fourth Movement. The city reverted to Chinese Kuomintang (the ROC) rule in 1922. Renamed Qingdao in 1930, the city became a special administrative zone of the ROC Government. Japan re-occupied Qingdao in 1938 with its plans of territorial expansion onto China's coast. After World War II the KMT allowed Qingdao to serve as the headquarters of the Western Pacific Fleet of the US Navy. On 2nd June, 1949, the CPC-led Red Army entered Qingdao. Since the 1984 inauguration of China's open-door policy to foreign trade and investment, Qingdao has developed quickly as a modern port city. It is now the headquarters of the Chinese navy's northern fleet. QingDao is now a manufacturing center, and home to Haier Corporation a major electronics firm. It has recently experienced a rapid growing period, with a new central business district created to the east of the older business district. This new district boasts one of the world's tallest buildings in the Bank of China Mansion. Outside of the center of the city there is a large industrial zone, which includes chemical processing, rubber and heavy manufacturing, in addition to a growing high tech area.
 DemographicsBy the end of 2002, Qingdao is estimated to be the home for more than 7 million inhabitants, of which around 2.6 million is residing in the Qingdao urban area. Another estimated 2.3 million reside in other cities under Qingdao's jurisdiction. The annual number of births is calculated around 82,000, with a birth rate of 11.26/1000 population, and a death rate of 6.93/1000 population, both calculated on an annual basis. This results to a 4.33/1000 population growth rate overall. Living standards are among the leading Chinese cities, with relatively high incomes for families.Qingdao is home to 38 ethnic minorities, albeit very insignificantly, with minority population only totalling around 10 thousand by 2000, 0.14% of the city's total population. Qingdao boasts a vibrant expatriate community. The largest group of foreign residents is Koreans, amounting to over 60,000 individuals in 2005. EconomyQingdao is perhaps most famously known for the Tsingtao Brewery, which German settlers founded in 1903, and which produces Tsingtao beer, now the most famous beer in China and known worldwide.In 1984 the Chinese government named a district of Qingdao a Special Economic and Technology Development Zone (SETDZ). Along with this district, the entire city had gone through amazing development of secondary and tertiary industries. As an important trading port in the province, Qingdao flourishes with foreign investment and international trade. South Korea and Japan in particular made extensive investment in the city. At least 30,000 South Korean nationals reside there. Construction proceeds at a relatively fast pace in Qingdao. Famous corporations include Haier. In terms of primary industry, Qingdao has an estimated 50,000 acres (200 km²) of arable land. Qingdao has a zig-zagging pattern coastline, and thus possesses an invaluable stock of fish, shrimp, and other sea resources. Qingdao is also home to a variety of mineral resources. Up to thirty different kinds have been mined. Qingdao's wind power electricity generation performs at among the best levels in the region. The GDP per capita comprised ¥29,596 (ca. US$3,659) in 2004. The GDP has grown steadily at an average pace of 14% annually. TransportationThe Orient Ferry connects Qingdao with Shimonoseki, Japan. There are numerous smaller ferries connecting Qingdao with South Korea as well.The Qingdao Liuting International Airport, 36 kilometres away from city centre, is served by 13 domestic and international airlines, operating 58 routes of which 10 are international and regional. It is estimated that in 2002 over 2.3 million people, including 450,000 international travelers, were transported through the airport. Qingdao is home to one of China's largest seaports. Cooperative relations have been established with 450 ports in 130 countries worldwide. The 1999 annual cargo handling capacity was 72 million tons. Exported commodities amounted to more than 35 million tons and 1.5 million TEUs. Qingdao's railway development was picked up during the late 90's. At the present, domestic rail lines connect Qingdao with Lanzhou, Chengdu, Xi'an, Zhengzhou, Jinan and Jining. There are a total of 1,145km of roads in the Qingdao area, with nearly 500km of expressways. Expressways connect Qingdao with Jinan. CultureThrough the unique architecture in some parts of Qingdao, one can draw the inference that the city is a cultural combination of east and west. Most people who reside in the Qingdao urban area speak Mandarin Chinese with a special local accent known as "Qingdao Hua" (Qingdao Dialect, not to be confused with "Shandong Hua" which is spoken more widely across the Shandong Province. Cuisine is predominantly Lu Cai (the Shandong regional dishes.) The area's most famous festival is the Qingdao International Beer Festival, held annually since 1991.TourismQingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and excellent weather. Parks, beaches, sculpture and some unique architecture line the shore. Qingdao's major attractions include:
 EducationPost-secondary educational institutions in Qingdao include:
SportsQingdao has long been a hub of professional sports in China. Clubs include:
Sister citiesQingdao is a sister city of the following cities around the world.
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