海南省 Hainan Province

HAINAN PROVINCE  海南省

Hainan Province is located in the south of Leizhou Peninsula (雷州半岛) and the southern most part of China.  The island province has an area of 34,000 square km and with a population of 9 million (2010).  Hainan is the second biggest island after Taiwan.  Hainan was under the administration of the Province of Guangdong.  On 26 April 1988 the island was granted a provincial status and became the newest province in China (the 31st Province).  Although it is the smallest landed province in China, it is the biggest province with sea area comprising some two hundred islands scattered off the southern coast.  Wuzhi Shan (1,840 m) is the highest mountain on the island.  Nandu Jiang is the longest river (314 km). The distance from NE to SW is about 300 odd km and from NW to SE is about 180 km.

The provincial capital is Haikou 海口, which has a population of 2 million (2010). Sanya 三亚, located in the southern tip of Hainan island, is the second biggest city of Hainan.  

Special economic Zone

Hainan Special economic Zone (海南经济特区) was established in 1988. It is one of the six SEZ (the others are 深圳、厦门、珠海、汕头、喀什) and the second biggest in China and the only province with SEZ status.

Transportation

There are two airports in Hainan, one in Haikou and the other in Sanya. 

There is a passenger train service and an express motorway that connect Haikou and Sanya.  A bridge connecting the island and the mainland (LeiZhou Peninsula) is under construction and is expected to complete by 2020.  By then with the completion of the bridge connecting Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai, it is possible to drive from Hong Kong to Haikou within 6 hours.

There is a train service that connects Haikou and Guangzhou.  The train cabins are loaded on a specially constructed ship, which then sails across the channel.


Tourism

Hainan is resource-rich tropical island whilst Sanya is an international known tourist destination, having successfully held the Miss World Pageant on 4 occasions. The other major cities are Wenchang 文昌, Qionghai 琼海, Wanning 万宁 and Wuzhishan 五指山.
 

Space Centre

China has announced in October 2007 the setting up of its fourth space launch centre in Wenchang. It is scheduled to start operation between 2014 and 2015. The site will be mainly used for launching various types of satellites.  The site will have a space themed park.
 

Soong sisters 

The father of the Soong sisters, Soong Yao Ru 宋耀如,  hailed from Wenchang and was a close friend of Sun Yat Sen 孙中山.  His three daughters, all born in Shanghai, became some of the most prominent figures in the history of China: Soong Ai Ling 宋霭龄 (wife of H. H. Kung 孔祥熙); Soong Ching Ling 宋庆龄 (wife of Sun Yat Sen) and Soong Mei Ling 宋美龄  (wife of Chiang Kai Shek 将介石).