The Qiongzhou Strait, also called the is the Chinese
strait
A strait is an oceanic landform connecting two seas or two other large areas of water. The surface water generally flows at the same elevation on both sides and through the strait in either direction. Most commonly, it is a narrow ocean channe ...
that separates
Guangdong's
Leizhou Peninsula from the island province of
Hainan. It connects the
Gulf of Tonkin
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 ...
on its west to the
South China Sea on its east. The strait is on average wide
with a maximum water depth of approximately . The strait is susceptible to closure during strong typhoon activity.
Whales and
dugongs were once common in the strait.
History
The strait was crossed by the
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is the principal military force of the People's Republic of China and the armed wing of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The PLA consists of five service branches: the Ground Force, Navy, Air Force, ...
forces in the spring of 1950.
Transportation
The Guangdong–Hainan Ferry (part of the
Guangdong–Hainan railway) carries rail cars and automotive vehicles across the strait.
While a bridge was planned in the early 2000s, it never came to fruition. A bridge or tunnel has been discussed, as of 2018, as travel by air or ferry can leave residents and visitors isolated when bad weather sets in.
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See also
*
Haikou, formerly called ''Qiongzhou''
References
Further reading
* Shi et al.
The Role of Qiongzhou Strait in the Seasonal Variation of the South China Sea Circulation
External links
*
{{Guangdong-geo-stub
Straits of China
Straits of the South China Sea
Bodies of water of Guangdong
Bodies of water of Hainan
Gulf of Tonkin
South China