Haikou (; ),
also spelled as Hoikow is the
capital and most populous city of the Chinese province of
Hainan
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various islands in the South China Sea. , the largest and most populous island in China,The island of Taiwan, which is slight ...
. Haikou city is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the
Nandu River
The Nandu River () is the longest river in Hainan Province, China. Its tributary is the Xinwu River. The river discharges into the Nandu River estuary at Haikou city, and then into Qiongzhou Strait.
The river is 314 km long, with a dischar ...
. The northern part of the city is on the
Haidian Island, which is separated from the main part of Haikou by the
Haidian River, a branch of the Nandu. Administratively, Haikou is a
prefecture-level city
A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure.
During the Republican era, many of China' ...
, comprising four districts, and covering . There are 2,046,189 inhabitants in the built-up area, all living within the four urban districts of the city.
Haikou was originally a port city, serving as the port for
Qiongshan. During the
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was fought between the Kuomintang-led government of the Republic of China and forces of the Chinese Communist Party, continuing intermittently since 1 August 1927 until 7 December 1949 with a Communist victory on main ...
, Haikou was one of the last
Nationalist
Nationalism is an idea and movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the State (polity), state. As a movement, nationalism tends to promote the interests of a particular nation (as in a in-group and out-group, group of peo ...
strongholds to be taken by the
Communists
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a ...
— with the
Battle of Hainan Island in 1950. Currently, more than half of the island's total trade still goes through Haikou's ports. The
Temple of the Five Lords is located to the southeast of the city.
The city is home to
Hainan University, a comprehensive
research university
A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are the most important sites at which knowledge production occurs, along with "intergenerational kno ...
under the
Project 211 and the
Double First Class University Plan in certain disciplines,
which has its main campus on
Haidian Island.
History
The
hanzi
Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are known as ''kanji ...
characters comprising the city's name, , mean ''ocean''/''sea'' and ''mouth''/''port'', respectively. Thus, the name "Haikou" is also a word for "seaport" - similar to
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city status in the United Kingdom, city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is admi ...
in Britain. Haikou originally served as the port for
Qiongshan, the ancient administrative capital of Hainan island, located some inland to the south east. During its early history Haikou was a part of
Guangdong
Guangdong (, ), alternatively romanized as Canton or Kwangtung, is a coastal province in South China on the north shore of the South China Sea. The capital of the province is Guangzhou. With a population of 126.01 million (as of 2020 ...
province. In the 13th century it was fortified and became a military post under the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
(1368–1644). The port is located west of the mouth of the
Nandu River
The Nandu River () is the longest river in Hainan Province, China. Its tributary is the Xinwu River. The river discharges into the Nandu River estuary at Haikou city, and then into Qiongzhou Strait.
The river is 314 km long, with a dischar ...
, Hainan's principal river. When Qiongshan was opened to foreign trade under the
Treaty of Tianjin in 1858, Haikou started to rival the old administrative city. It was formerly known internationally as 'Hoihow', based on the Cantonese pronunciation by the
British Raj
The British Raj (; from Hindi language, Hindi ''rāj'': kingdom, realm, state, or empire) was the rule of the British The Crown, Crown on the Indian subcontinent;
*
* it is also called Crown rule in India,
*
*
*
*
or Direct rule in India,
* Q ...
officers. In 1926, Haikou overtook Qiongshan in population and it was declared a separate administrative city.
The city and island of Hainan stayed under the control of the Nationalists until April 1950, when it fell to the Communists during the
Landing Operation on Hainan Island.
Since 1949, Haikou has maintained its position as Hainan's main port, handling more than half of the island's total trade. It has replaced Qiongshan as the island's administrative capital. In 1988, Haikou was made a
prefecture-level city
A prefecture-level city () or prefectural city is an administrative division of the People's Republic of China (PRC), ranking below a province and above a county in China's administrative structure.
During the Republican era, many of China' ...
as well as the capital of the newly created Hainan Province.
Haikou old town contains a small portion of the oldest buildings in Haikou city that returnees from overseas built. The houses are a mixture of styles including
Portuguese,
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
, and Southeast Asian. The streets used to be divided into different areas selling Chinese and western medicine, for
silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...
and
bespoke clothes, one for fresh fish and meat, and others for the sale of incense, candles, paper, ink, and other goods.
Various projects are currently under discussion to decide the best way to restore and preserve these historical buildings.
Geography
Haikou is situated on the north coast of Hainan Island, by
Haikou Bay, facing the
Leizhou Peninsula
The Leizhou Peninsula, alternately romanized as the Luichow Peninsula, is a peninsula in the southernmost part of Guangdong province in South China.
History
Qing naval forces were stationed at the Leizhou Peninsula. During the 19th centur ...
across the
Qiongzhou Strait that stretches west from
Beibu Bay
The Gulf of Tonkin is a gulf at the northwestern portion of the South China Sea, located off the coasts of Tonkin (northern Vietnam) and South China. It has a total surface area of . It is defined in the west and northwest by the northern c ...
near
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...
to the
James Shoal bordering the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phil ...
to the west. Most of the city is almost completely flat and only a few metres above sea level. It has an area of . The
Meishe River
The Meishe River () is a river within Haikou City, Hainan, China. Its source is the spillway at the east end of the Shapo Reservoir located just south of the city. The Meishe flows eastward under Longkun Road south of the Haikou East Railway Sta ...
winds through the east side of the city flowing northward to the
Haidian River.
The northern part of Haikou City, the district of
Haidian Island, is separated from the main part of Haikou by the Haidian River, a tributary of the
Nandu River
The Nandu River () is the longest river in Hainan Province, China. Its tributary is the Xinwu River. The river discharges into the Nandu River estuary at Haikou city, and then into Qiongzhou Strait.
The river is 314 km long, with a dischar ...
. The district is accessed by one of four bridges, the largest being
Haikou Century Bridge, which connects the Guomao district with Haidian Island at the estuary of the Haidian River. From east to west the remaining three road connections are provided by the Renmin, Heping and Xinbu Bridges.
Directly to the northeast of Haikou and to the east of Haidian Island is
Xinbu Island.
Climate
Haikou is on the northern edge of the
torrid zone, and is part of the
Intertropical Convergence Zone. April to October is the active period for tropical storms and typhoons, most of which occur between August and September. May to October is the rainy season with the heaviest rainfall occurring in September. Despite its location south of the
Tropic of Cancer
The Tropic of Cancer, which is also referred to as the Northern Tropic, is the most northerly circle of latitude on Earth at which the Sun can be directly overhead. This occurs on the June solstice, when the Northern Hemisphere is tilted tow ...
, the city has a
tropical wet and dry climate (
Köppen ''Aw'') that closely borders a
humid subtropical climate (Köppen ''Cwa'').
Environment
, Haikou has the second best air quality among major cities nationally, preceded only by
Lhasa
Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Region in Southwest China. The inner urban area of Lhas ...
,
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
. However, since approximately 2009, due to an increase in the number of automobiles, there has been somewhat worsening air pollution.
According to the 2005 statistical book issued by the National Bureau of Statistics, Haikou scored the highest among China's main cities in
air quality
Air pollution is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere that are harmful to the health of humans and other living beings, or cause damage to the climate or to materials. There are many different types ...
, with 366 days (2004) of ambient air quality equal to or above grade II, with only 0.033 milligrams/m
2 of
particulate matter
Particulates – also known as atmospheric aerosol particles, atmospheric particulate matter, particulate matter (PM) or suspended particulate matter (SPM) – are microscopic particles of solid or liquid matter suspended in the air. The t ...
(the least of all main cities), 0.003 milligrams/m
2 of
sulphur dioxide (only
Lhasa
Lhasa (; Lhasa dialect: ; bo, text=ལྷ་ས, translation=Place of Gods) is the urban center of the prefecture-level Lhasa City and the administrative capital of Tibet Autonomous Region in Southwest China. The inner urban area of Lhas ...
had less), and 0.013 milligrams/m
2 of
nitrogen dioxide
Nitrogen dioxide is a chemical compound with the formula . It is one of several nitrogen oxides. is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year for use primarily in the productio ...
(the least of all main cities).
In 1995, the Haikou city government began an initiative to improve the quality of life for its residents. With the approval of the
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. The WHO Constitution states its main objective as "the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level o ...
, and
Ministry of Health Ministry of Health may refer to:
Note: Italics indicate now-defunct ministries.
* Ministry of Health (Argentina)
* Ministry of Health (Armenia)
* Australia:
** Ministry of Health (New South Wales)
* Ministry of Health (The Bahamas)
* Ministry of ...
, a ten-point plan was undertaken to address such issues as:
*Community
health care
Health care or healthcare is the improvement of health via the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, amelioration or cure of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in people. Health care is delivered by health ...
*
Vaccinations
Vaccination is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system develop immunity from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulati ...
for children
*
Waste recycling
Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects. The recovery of energy from waste materials is often included in this concept. The recyclability of a material depends on its ability to reacquire the ...
*
Green belts and urban trees
*
Environmentally friendly
Environment friendly processes, or environmental-friendly processes (also referred to as eco-friendly, nature-friendly, and green), are sustainability and marketing terms referring to goods and services, laws, guidelines and policies that cl ...
construction
*Public toilets (These are available throughout the city, are staffed, and well maintained.)
*
Sewage treatment
Sewage treatment (or domestic wastewater treatment, municipal wastewater treatment) is a type of wastewater treatment which aims to remove contaminants from sewage to produce an effluent that is suitable for discharge to the surrounding e ...
*
Communications
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inqui ...
*
Noise pollution
Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mai ...
The
groundwater
Groundwater is the water present beneath Earth's surface in rock and soil pore spaces and in the fractures of rock formations. About 30 percent of all readily available freshwater in the world is groundwater. A unit of rock or an unconsolidat ...
is of
international standard, and is classified as
mineral water.
By 2004, the city had established 43 new community health service centers reaching 85 percent of the population. The initiative has increased the size of Haikou's green spaces to 2,000
hectare
The hectare (; SI symbol: ha) is a non-SI metric unit of area equal to a square with 100- metre sides (1 hm2), or 10,000 m2, and is primarily used in the measurement of land. There are 100 hectares in one square kilometre. An acre is ...
s, with trees lining 40 percent of its roads.
Noise pollution
Noise pollution, also known as environmental noise or sound pollution, is the propagation of noise with ranging impacts on the activity of human or animal life, most of them are harmful to a degree. The source of outdoor noise worldwide is mai ...
has dropped from 61.1
db to 58.2db. 300 public toilets have been built. All industrial effluents,
industrial waste water and solid waste, and all live
sewage, is now processed through
centralized treatment centers, and is disposed of without
environmental impact. These improvements and others have increased
life expectancy
Life expectancy is a statistical measure of the average time an organism is expected to live, based on the year of its birth, current age, and other demographic factors like sex. The most commonly used measure is life expectancy at birth ...
in Haikou to 78.26 years.
Haikou city has also built 163 model
ecological villages. Now, over 200,000 villagers in 933 villages have tap water in their homes.
Comprehensive city-improvement campaign
During 2015 and 2016, large-scale city improvements have taken place as part of a province-wide initiative called "double create" (). It is described by government sources as a campaign to create a cleaner city and create a more civilized city. It is focused on traffic and commerce, but has also improved the overall appearance of the city, tackling air pollution from industry emissions, aiming to ensure the safety of drinking water sources, improving public security in such places as hospitals, schools, malls, and visitor attractions. Details of these improvements include:
*Traffic: Many new street crossings with traffic lights were installed around the city to improve two-wheel vehicles (consisting mainly of electric motorbikes) and pedestrian travel. Throughout the city, teams of police have been stationed at major intersections to ensure that two-wheel vehicles obey the law. Although there are many side lanes for these bikes, the actual pedestrian sidewalks serve as legal, one-way routes. Police at intersections stop vehicles either going the wrong way, or running red lights. Offenders may be forced to wear a red sash, stop other offenders, and lecture them.
*Commerce: Around August 2015, teams of officers physically removed nearly all illegal structures used for business in the city (a province-wide campaign). These structures were commonly made of corrugated metal or cinderblocks and were shop extensions or simply unused space that had been built upon. Street vendors were banned (most of whom sold vegetables or fruit), as was the night operation of roadside BBQ sites and the placement of tables onto the sidewalks by restaurants. These night time food operations were once common throughout the city.
*Roads and sidewalks: Many small roads have been repaved including narrow lanes in old neighbourhoods. Also, many sidewalks have been upgraded with new brick. Bricks are used as sidewalk material in Haikou because of the large amount of ficus trees, the roots of which deform the surrounding sidewalk.
*Demolition and reconstruction: A number of entire neighbourhoods within the city have been, and are being, entirely demolished with new buildings and roads being built.
*Starting around the beginning of 2018, the city government funded painting and
cladding of a number of buildings in the city centre.
Water and sewage treatment
The treatment of Haikou's wastewater, and the supply of tap water is operated by the French company
Veolia Water. The partial privatization agreement gives 49 percent ownership to Veolia Water in a 30-year joint venture with Haikou Water Group (2012 - 2042).
Demographics
According to the
2010 Census, the prefecture-level city of Haikou has a
registered population of 2,046,189 inhabitants, 537,848 more than the population declared on the past census in 2000.
[ The average annual population growth during the period 2000–2010 was of 3.1 percent.
Most of the population of Haikou are ]Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive v ...
(around 97.75 percent, according to the 2010 Census).
Subdivisions
Districts
Haikou is divided in four districts. The information presented here uses 2010 Census data.
Neighbourhoods
There are several distinct neighborhoods within the city, including:
Guomao
Guomao is a relatively affluent area located on the coast between Longquan Road to the east running west for more than one kilometre. The west part of this area has experienced substantial development since about 2007, and now contains dozens of newly built high-rise residential apartment buildings.
Bo'ai Road
This historical area is located on the south side of the Haidian River, at the northern part of mainland Haikou. Much of the area comprises arcade style, dilapidated buildings with European fusion-type architectural facades with Indian and Arabic influences. The buildings are almost all painted white, and are usually no more than a few storeys tall. The eastern part of the area is mainly residential. The western part contains hubs for such items as exotic foods, pets, and fabrics. The building facades and roads have been restored in most of the area, Zhongshan Road being the most notable.
Hainan University area
Located on Haidian Island, this area comprises the entire portion of the island west of its main north–south road, Renmin Dadao. It appears similar to a typical student ghetto, containing many small, inexpensive food stands and restaurants.
Haikou West Coast
A new neighbourhood is under development in Xiuying District around seven km west of downtown Haikou. Located within the neighbourhood are Hainan International Convention And Exhibition Center and Wuyuan River Stadium
Wuyuanhe Stadium () is a stadium in Haikou's west coast area, Hainan, China. It is Hainan's largest stadium.
History
Construction started March 7, 2017. It was scheduled for completion on April 28, 2018, and by June of that year, the stadium its ...
. Also, a number of government offices have moved there and numerous residential apartment complexes are being built.
Parks and recreational areas
* Evergreen Park is a 71.3 hectare park located on Binhai Road about 200 m west of the southern foot of Haikou Century Bridge. It is the largest park in Haikou, containing approximately ten thousand coconut trees and several hundred species of South Asian ornamental plants, however, most of the park consists of grassy fields.
*Baishamen Park
Baishamen Park () is a park located in the northern part of Haidian Island, Haikou City, Hainan Province, China.
Opened on January 24, 2009, the park and has a total area of 60 hectares. It contains a small amusement park, and artificial lake. Th ...
(White Sand Gate Park) was created in 2010 and is located on the north shore of Haidian Island. The park contains a small amusement park, and consists mostly of grass fields, with little tree cover.
* Changying Global 100 Fantasty Park is an under-construction amusement park around 12 km west of downtown Haikou.
* Golden Bull Mountain Ridge Park (Jinniuling Park) includes a small zoo, a lake, diverse flora, and a high percentage of forest areas, including a large bamboo forest. It is located on Haixiu Road, west of Longquan Road, the main north–south avenue in Haikou.
*Binhai Park
Binhai Park () is an urban park located on the north side of Binhai Road, Haikou City, Hainan Province, China. It was once called Hainan (Haikou) Youth Technology Park.
History
Around 2005 and earlier, the site was an increasingly dilapidated an ...
is located east of Evergreen Park. There is a bougainvillea hybrid exhibition held each year. This park has a small lake and building used for community purposes in the middle.
* Haikou People's Park is a recently refurbished park located in the downtown area on Haixiu Road next to East Lake. The park draws large numbers of people each morning who engage in exercises, predominantly tai chi, fitness dancing, and aerobics.
*Hainan International Friendship Park
The Hainan International Friendship Park () is an under-construction park located on the west bank of the Nandu River, by Sima Slope Island, in Haikou City, Hainan Province, China.
References
External links
Map
Parks in Haikou
Touris ...
is planned to occupy of land, with a length of over .
*Hongcheng Lake
Hongcheng Lake () is a lake in Haikou, Hainan, China. It was renovated around 2017 to 2018. It has three islands. Two small, and one, at the west side, is larger with short bridge access and an old, dilapidated building on it.
References
Extern ...
() is one of the largest water bodies in the city being around equal in size to the lake at Golden Bull Mountain Ridge Park. It has three islands, the largest of which contains a defunct hotel. The lake is a popular location for fishermen. At night, hawker stalls are set up along the roadsides for tourists and locals to drink and dine.
* Holiday Beach is a -long beach and visitor attraction adjacent to the west side of Haikou.
* Dongzhai Port Nature Reserve lies some south east of Haikou and was the first protected mangrove
A mangrove is a shrub or tree that grows in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves are taxonomically diverse, as a result of convergent evolution in several ...
forest zone in China.
* Meishe River National Wetland Park, an eco-park located on the Meishe River
The Meishe River () is a river within Haikou City, Hainan, China. Its source is the spillway at the east end of the Shapo Reservoir located just south of the city. The Meishe flows eastward under Longkun Road south of the Haikou East Railway Sta ...
Other notable locations
*Zhongjie Road
Zhongjie () or Middle Street is the traditional shopping street near the Mukden Palace in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China. It is 1,500 meters long. Part of the street is now a pedestrian zone.
History
The history of Zhongjie goes back to the ...
(), a shopping street with a long history
*Jiefang East Road, a busy shopping street located west of the Bo'ai Road area
*Guoxing Avenue
Guoxing Avenue () is a major street in Haikou, Hainan, China. It runs in an east-west direction in the heart of the city. Its west end terminates at Longkun Road and its east end terminates at the Qiongzhou Bridge which crosses the Nandu River.
Hi ...
, a main east–west street with many notable buildings
*The Haikou Tower
Haikou Tower (), or Haikou Tower 1, is an under-construction supertall skyscraper on Guoxing Avenue, Haikou, Hainan
Hainan (, ; ) is the smallest and southernmost province of the People's Republic of China (PRC), consisting of various isl ...
is an under-construction supertall skyscraper
A supertall building is an occupied "supertall" structure higher than and beneath . A form of skyscraper, it falls midway between a common minimum definition of "skyscraper" (a building taller ) and a " megatall" building (taller than ).
Diff ...
. Located on Guoxing Avenue at Haifu Road, it will be 94-storeys, and is scheduled for completion between 2020 and 2023.
Economy
The GDP per capita was 3,573 in 2008, ranked number 43 among 659 Chinese cities. In 2011, the city's GDP reached 71.3 billion yuan, amounting to about 30 percent of the province's total.
Haikou exports substantial quantities of agricultural produce and livestock. There is a small amount of industry, including canning
Canning is a method of food preservation in which food is processed and sealed in an airtight container ( jars like Mason jars, and steel and tin cans). Canning provides a shelf life that typically ranges from one to five years, althoug ...
, textiles
Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not th ...
, rice hulling, and light engineering.
The "International Tourism and Central Business District
Guoxing Avenue () is a major street in Haikou, Hainan, China. It runs in an east-west direction in the heart of the city. Its west end terminates at Longkun Road and its east end terminates at the Qiongzhou Bridge which crosses the Nandu River.
...
" is under construction on the west part of Guoxing Avenue. The road was once only home to government buildings. Starting around 2011, HNA and other groups began erecting office buildings. Also located at the western end of Guoxing is the HNA Building, the headquarters of Hainan Airlines.
Near the southern end of Haikou, automotive manufacturer Haima Automobile has its global headquarters.
The Haikou Free Trade Zone (Haikou FTZ) () is a state-level, 1.93 km2 area located between Nanhai Road and Yehai Road. It was approved on October 21, 1992, by the State Council.
Education
Several major educational institutions are located in Haikou:
* Hainan University has its main campus on Haikou's Haidian Island, with the South China Tropical Agricultural University, now part of the university, located in the southern part of the city.
* Hainan Normal University is the oldest institution for higher learning, with a new campus in Guilinyang. It has an enrolment of more than 20,000, including approximately 200 foreigner students.
*Hainan Medical College
Hainan Medical University (HMU) () is a public university in Haikou in the Chinese province of Hainan, that offers degrees in medicine. It was established in 1993 .
History
The current college was created in 1993 with the approval of the central ...
, founded in 1993, offers degrees in medicine. It is located in the southern part of the city.
*Qiongtai Normal University is located in Qiongshan District, with a new campus in Guilinyang.
*Haikou College of Economics
Haikou (; ), also spelled as Hoikow is the capital and most populous city of the Chinese province of Hainan. Haikou city is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River. The northern part of the city is on the H ...
, located by Guoxing Avenue, with a new campus in Guilinyang.
*Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences
The Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences (CATAS) () is an agricultural university located in Haikou City, Hainan Province, China.
The academy was founded in 1954 in Guangzhou. It later moved to Danzhou
Danzhou () is a prefec ...
is located across the road from Hainan Medical College.
*Hainan Middle School
Transportation
Urban
Haikou has an extensive urban bus service. Standard fare is 1 yuan, with no bus pass, ticket, or transfer system in place. Urban minibuses operated prior to 2009, but have since been phased-out. Taxi automobiles and electric motorbikes operate throughout the city. During 2009–2010, petrol-fueled motorbike taxis were banned and seized by police at numerous checkpoints within the city.
Haikou has experienced a substantial increase in cars since the early 2000s. Traffic on main streets, once light, is now similar to other major cities, with rush hour problems that have prompted the city to expand several main roads and build a new elevated road from the west end of Guoxing Avenue to new developments west of Holiday Beach.
Many main roads in the city have a side lane, separated by a median, for two-wheeled vehicles.
Physical barriers were installed on many of the main two-way streets throughout the city in order to separate opposing lanes. These were installed for safety reasons to prevent pedestrians from crossing the streets at locations other than intersections.
Roundabouts are not prevalent in Haikou, being used mainly on Hai Xiu road, and a few other locations.
Traffic cameras are used at many main intersections in the city, with tickets being issued by post for traffic light infractions.
There is one tunnel in the city, the Qiaozhong Road Tunnel
The Qiaozhong Road Tunnel () is a tunnel in Haikou, Hainan Province, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion ...
.
Shared bicycles
The Haikou Public Bicycle System has about 20,000 bicycles. A pre-paid swipe card system is used to gain access to them. Starting on January 24, 2017, privately run app
App, Apps or APP may refer to:
Computing
* Application software
* Mobile app, software designed to run on smartphones and other mobile devices
* Web application or web app, software designed to run inside a web browser
* Adjusted Peak Performan ...
-based "dockless" shared bikes came into service. By April, there were about 40,000 of these types of bikes available. Ofo
Ofo (), stylised as ofo, was a Beijing-based bicycle sharing company founded in 2014. It used a dockless system with a smartphone app to unlock and locate nearby bicycles, charging an hourly rate for use.
In 2017, it had deployed over 10 mil ...
, Mobike, and "Quick to" all cost 2 RMB per hour. Ofo and "Quick to" bikes have tires with tubes, meaning many are left around the city with flat tires. The Haikou Public Bicycle System has installed a number of new, more modern bikes with tires that cannot be punctured. Part of Mobike's fleet also uses these types of tires.
Air
Haikou is served by Haikou Meilan International Airport (IATA: HAK, ICAO: ZJHK , which is located from the city.
In January 2011, Haikou was selected to be the first test site for an experiment allowing private helicopter flight in China.
Rail
A railway links Haikou to the mainland. A ferry service transports the railway cars, along with other motor vehicles across the strait.
The Hainan East Ring Railway links Haikou and Sanya. There are 15 stations in between, either in operation or still under construction. Trains are designed to travel at . Travel time from Haikou to Sanya is approximately 1 hour and 22 minutes. The main station in Haikou is Haikou East railway station located near the southern end of Long Quan Road. In 2018, the Haikou South Station, the main bus station, relocated and is now directly to the south east of the Haikou East Railway Station.
In 2015, the Hainan western ring high-speed railway started operation. This second high-speed railway runs along the west coast of Hainan connecting with the Hainan Eastern Ring Railway.
Starting July 1, 2019, the Haikou Suburban Trains began operation. Up to 7 CRH6F-A (CRH6F with only 4 carriages) trains with specially-designed liveries will operate between Haikou station and Meilan station. The longest distance it will travel one-way is around 38 kilometers with 4 stations in between.
Road
Three main highways connect Haikou to other parts of Hainan, running east, west, and south through the middle of the province. The Haiwen expressway connects the city with Wenchang to the southeast. The main bus station is Haikou Transportation Center, located beside Haikou East railway station.
Seaports
Haikou has four seaports for passenger and cargo service. Haikou New Port, formerly known as the Inner Harbour, is located on the southern side of the mouth of the Haidian River. Approximately west of Haikou New Port is Haikou Xiuying Port. This port is considerably larger, and is the main distribution centre for cargo entering Hainan. It is also a major port for immigration onto Hainan Island. Around west of downtown Haikou are South Port
South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...
and Haikou Port New Seaport.
Arts and culture
Several large public buildings now occupy Guoxing Avenue, the new area for arts and culture. These include
the Hainan Provincial Museum
The Hainan Museum () is on Guoxing Avenue, Haikou, the capital city of Hainan Province, China. It was established in 1984, then moved to its permanent location in the Hainan Cultural Park at 68 Guoxing Avenue. There, it was officially reopened on N ...
, the Hainan Provincial Library
The Hainan Library () is located in the Hainan Cultural Park at 36 Guoxing Avenue, Haikou, Hainan, China. It was established on February 2, 2007.
The facility is one of three large, public works projects constructed around the same time on Guoxing ...
, and the Hainan Centre for the Performing Arts
The Hainan Centre for the Performing Arts () is located at 68 Guoxing Avenue in Haikou, Hainan, China. The entire facility is 25,000 m2, with an 8,253 m2 auxiliary space, and an actual theatre space of 2,657 m2. The venue can accommodate up to 1,23 ...
. These are all located near to one another on the south side of the road, west of Haikou College of Economics
Haikou (; ), also spelled as Hoikow is the capital and most populous city of the Chinese province of Hainan. Haikou city is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River. The northern part of the city is on the H ...
, Haikou campus.
At the west side of Evergreen Park is the Haikou Great Hall of the People
Haikou (; ), also spelled as Hoikow is the capital and most populous city of the Chinese province of Hainan. Haikou city is situated on the northern coast of Hainan, by the mouth of the Nandu River. The northern part of the city is on the Ha ...
, a concert hall, and Hainan Exhibition & Convention Center, a large centre for trade shows and other commercial events. Haikou City Stadium, is the main venue for sports events, and is located at the southeast corner of Evergreen Park.
The Wuyuan River Stadium
Wuyuanhe Stadium () is a stadium in Haikou's west coast area, Hainan, China. It is Hainan's largest stadium.
History
Construction started March 7, 2017. It was scheduled for completion on April 28, 2018, and by June of that year, the stadium its ...
opened in April 2018. It is located west of downtown Haikou, near the newly built Haikou West Coast. With a capacity of over 40,000, it is the largest stadium in the province.
Older cultural sites include the now-restored buildings of the Bo'ai Road area
The Bo'ai Road area () is a historical neighbourhood in Haikou City, Hainan, China. It is located on the south side of the Haidian River, at the northern part of mainland Haikou. The main hub of the neighbourhood is the north-south Bo'ai Road itse ...
, the tomb of Hai Rui, Xiuying Fort in the Guomao area, the Temple of the Five Lords, the cemetery for the martyrs of Hainan's Battle of the Liberation, and the former temple Haikou Yazhou Gu Cheng
Haikou Yazhou Gu Cheng () is an unused group of buildings located just north of Haixiu Road, Haikou, Hainan, China. It was once a temple dedicated to a famous general. In 1993 it was expanded. In 1997, due to its dilapidated condition, the tourist ...
.
Nightlife
Bars and KTV are patronized until after midnight. There are several popular bar streets within the city. Up until 2015, roadside BBQ sites were common throughout the city. A large-scale campaign to clean up the city has since prohibited them.
Tourism
Also known as the "Coconut city", Haikou is an important tourist destination for China. The city received 4.11 million tourists in 2002, up 7.99 percent from 2001. In 2019, the number of tourists in Haikou has exceeded 83.11 million. The city earned approximately three billion yuan (361 million US dollars) from the tourism industry during that period, up 11 percent from the previous year.
Haikou is also developing its Meetings, Incentives, Conferencing, Exhibitions industry. The local government set up the Haikou Convention and Exhibition Bureau in June 2012 and pledged RMB35 million (US$5.6 million) to support the development of the MICE industry. More international hotel chains are also arriving. By 2013, international brands included Shangri-La, Westin (opening September 2013), and Sheraton.
In 2016, the China Merchants holdings group unveiled its plans to develop Shenzhen
Shenzhen (; ; ; ), also historically known as Sham Chun, is a major Sub-provincial division, sub-provincial city and one of the Special economic zones of China, special economic zones of China. The city is located on the east bank of the Pea ...
, Haikou and Sanya as the three destination ports that its South China Sea passenger cruises would serve. Subsequently, a large passenger cruise terminal was inaugurated in Shenzhen in October 2016.
Sister cities
Haikou has international relationships with these places:
Gallery
Image:Haikou_skyline_6_-_2009_09_07.jpg, A view south from Binhai road
Image:Haikou_skyline_3_-_2009_09_07.jpg, Haikou Century Bridge
Image:Hainan Library 01.jpg, Hainan Provincial Library
The Hainan Library () is located in the Hainan Cultural Park at 36 Guoxing Avenue, Haikou, Hainan, China. It was established on February 2, 2007.
The facility is one of three large, public works projects constructed around the same time on Guoxing ...
Image:Hainan Museum 01.jpg, Hainan Museum
The Hainan Museum () is on Guoxing Avenue, Haikou, the capital city of Hainan Province, China. It was established in 1984, then moved to its permanent location in the Hainan Cultural Park at 68 Guoxing Avenue. There, it was officially reopened on N ...
Image:Haikou_skyline_7_-_2009_09_07.jpg, A view east from Evergreen Park area
Image:Haikou_customs_building.jpg, The customs building
See also
* List of twin towns and sister cities in China
References
External links
Haikou Government
Haikou Government
Haikou Free Trade Zone
Haikou Free Trade Zone map
Real-time air quality index
{{Authority control
Cities in Hainan
Provincial capitals in China
Prefecture-level divisions of Hainan
Gulf of Tonkin