Qingdao
German map of Qingdao, 1912
Qingdao is a port sub-provincial city in the Shandong province of China, located at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula, in Jiaozhou Bay, facing the Yellow Sea.
The name may appear as:
- Traditional Chinese: 青島
- Simplified Chinese: 青岛
- Pinyin: Qīngdǎo
- Wade-Giles: Ch'ing-tao
- Postal Pinyin: Tsingtao
- German: Tsingtau or Tsing-Tau
Qingdao has seven urban districts and five county level cities under its jurisdiction. The total population totals 7 million.
The GDP per capita comprised ÃÂ¥26961 (ca. US$3260) in 2003, giving it a ranking of 32nd among 659 Chinese cities.
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2 Tourism 3 Colleges and universities 4 External link |
History
Military
The city became a German concession in 1897 and a major German naval base in the Far East. Japan occupied it in 1914, after declaring war on Germany during World War I. The city reverted to Chinese KMT rule in 1922, but Japan re-occupied it in 1938. After World War II the KMT allowed Qingdao to serve as the headquarters of the Western Pacific Fleet of the US Navy. On June 2, 1949 the Chinese Liberation Army took Qingdao . Today it features a significant number of Chinese military facilities.
Industrial
Qingdao has achieved fame for the Tsingtao Brewery, which German settlers founded in 1903, and which produces Tsingtao beer, now the most famous beer in China.
Light industry plays a significant role in Qingdao's economy. A large Korean population, partly associated with industry, has settled in and around the city. In 1984 the Chinese government named Qingdao a Special Economic and Technology Development Zone (SETDZ).
Tourism
Qingdao attracts many tourists due to its seaside setting and excellent weather. Parks, beaches and sculpture -- as well as some unique architecture -- line the shore. Qingdao's other attractions include:
Colleges and universities
External link