Qingdao Overview

Basic Information

• Chinese Name: 青岛
• Location: Situated in the southeastern coast of Shandong Peninsula
• Area: 11,282 square kilometers
• Population: About 9,290,500
• Language: Mandarin, Qingdao dialect

Administrative Division

Until 2017, Qingdao administers 7 districts and 3 county-level cities.

• 7 districts: Shinan District (市南区), Shibei District (市北区), Xihai'an New Area (西海岸新区), Laoshan District (崂山区), Licang District (李沧区), Chengyang District (城阳区), Jimo District (即墨区)
• 3 county-level cities: Jiaozhou City (胶州市), Pingdu City (平度市), Laixi City (莱西市)

Geography

Qingdao, which is located on the south coast of the Shandong Peninsula, neighbors the Yellow Sea in the east and south, Yantai in the northeast, Weifang in the west, and Rizhao in the southwest. It has an area of 11,282 square kilometers, 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.

Qingdao is a coastal hilly city, with high land in the east, low land in the west, upheaval in the north and valley land in the middle. The city consists of 15.5% lowland, 37.7% plain, 21.7% low-lying land and 2.1% hilly areas. The highest elevation in the city is 1,133 meters above sea level. There are 3 mountain ranges in Qingdao, namely Daze Mountain in the north, Jiaonan Mountain Group in the south and mountains in the city area like Fushan Mountain, Taiping Mountain, etc. The city has a 730.64-kilometer coastline. Five significant rivers that flow for more than 50 kilometers can be found in the region.

Climate

Qingdao belongs to the north temperate monsoon zone, so it has a temperate, four-season, monsoon-influenced climate that lies in the transition between the humid subtropical and humid continental regimes, but favoring the former. Due to the direct regulation of the marine environment, the southeast monsoon and ocean currents from the ocean make the climate be with marked maritime climate characteristics. Climate here sees moist air, abundant rainfall, temperate temple and distinctive four seasons.

The Best Time to Go

Located near the sea, and with marked marine climate, as well as an average temperature of 12.3℃, on the whole, climate in Qingdao is fairly pleasant. But winter here keeps long, and temperature in this period is low. Also, winter hits heavy windy days sometimes. In spring, the rise of temperature is slow. Therefore, the best time to visit Qingdao is summer and autumn. In addition to fairly lovely climate in summer and autumn, you could also enjoy some local festivals or activities like Qingdao International Beer Festival as well in this period.

Things to Do

Not everyone in China visits Qingdao in person, but almost everybody knows Tsingtao Beer from TV or people around. And those who can drinks, none of them don’t know Tsingtao Beer. As the birthplace of the famous Tsingtao Beer, tourists are recommended to taste it when they visit here. And if visitors go there at right time, they could enjoy Qingdao International Beer Festival as well.

Then, visiting Taidong night market is next must. Night markets are excellent places in China where you could eat the most authentic and the most diverse food. Various products and unique culture in night markets are quite different and meaningful. Third, eating seafood here is enjoyable as well. Except these things, you could also pay a visit to wus Square and Olympic Sailing Center at night, see characteristic architectures in Badaguan, take a walk on trestle bridge, etc.

Transportation

As an important city in Shandong province which enjoys good location, Qingdao has achieved to build fairly complete transportation systems. Qingdao is an important economic center and port city of China's eastern coastal city. It is also a significant international trade port and maritime transport hub along the Yellow River basin and the west bank of the Pacific Ocean. Trading with more than 450 ports in over 130 countries and regions, Qingdao’s port handling capacity ranks within top ten in the world. Qingdao Port Passenger Station is one of the main water channels that tourists choose to visit Qingdao by waterway. The station has serviced three international sea lanes to Incheon and Gunsan city in South Korea and Shimonoseki in Japan.

History& Culture

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 (770 B.C.–256 B.C.), 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 Jiao'ao when it was administered by the Qing Dynasty on 14 June 1891.

After Emperor of Qin united China, he ever climbed Langyatai which lies in Jiaonan city of Qingdao today. At the same dynasty, Qin people, Xufu ever led fleets east to North Korea and Japan. Emperor Wu of Han ever held sacrificial rites in Buqi Mountain that is situated in Chengyang District nowadays.

At the end of the Qing Dynasty, Qingdao developed into a prosperous town, known as Jiao’ao. On June 14, 1891, the Qing government mobilized the state commander in chief Zhang Gaoyuan to station in Qingdao port, which marks the start of the organizational system of Qingdao. The fort barbette established by Qing army still leaves in Qingdaoshan Battery Heritage Site.

"May 4th" patriotic movement broke out here in 1919.

After long history of movement, Qindao witnessed diverse changes, at the same time, it made great progress as time went by, and today, it grows well and will be better and better.

Economy

As an important region in Eastern China, Shandong Province has seen substantial change in its economic landscape in recent years. And much of this development has been concentrated in Qingdao. In 2006, the city's GDP ranked first in Shandong. Also, it was in tenth place of China's top 20 cities. With progress, its 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.

Internationally, Qingdao is perhaps best known for its Tsingtao Brewery, founded by a German-British joint venture in 1903 that produces Tsingtao beer, the best-known Chinese export beer. It is also home to Haier, a large white goods manufacturer, and Hisense, a major electronics company. In 2002 guitar manufacturers Epiphone opened a factory in Qingdao.

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, together with favorable location, Qingdao flourishes with foreign investment and international trade, especially South Korea and Japan. Approximately 80,000 South Korean citizens live there.

Festival

Festivals are quite helpful for tourists to have fun as well as understand much more cultures of their tourist destinations. In addition to regular traditional festivals, there are lots of local Qingdao festivals and activities, such as Tianhou Temple Folk-custom Temple Fair, Qingdao Radish Activity, etc.

Tourism

Qingdao attracts numerous tourists each year owing to its seaside setting and temperate weather. Parks, beaches, seafood, cultures, splendid tourist sites sculptures and unique German and modern architecture line the shore, etc. Tourists would enjoy their visiting in Qingdao.

Dining

As the largest coastal city in Shandong province, seafood is one of the most popular and special food here. If there is no seafood in a feast, then the feast is no a successful and exquisite one. The best season to eat seafood in Qingdao is spring, summer and autumn for seafood in this three seasons is the most fresh, tender and delicious. Besides, Lu cuisine in a special local dish as well.