Haikou

Haikou is the capital and most populous city of Hainan Province in China.

It is located on the northern coast of Hainan Island. The city sits near the mouth of the Nandu River, which is the island's principal river. Most of the city is almost completely flat. It sits only a few metres above sea level. Haikou is a prefecture-level city. It is divided into four distinct administrative districts: Longhua, Xiuying, Qiongshan, and Meilan. The built-up area contains 2,046,189 inhabitants according to the 2010 Census. Most of these residents are Han Chinese, making up about 97.75 percent of the population.

The geography of Haikou is defined by its water features. The northern part of the city occupies Haidian Island. This island is separated from the mainland by the Haidian River. The Haidian River is a tributary of the Nandu River.

To reach the island, people use one of four bridges. The largest connection is the Haikou Century Bridge. This bridge links the Guomao district to Haidian Island at the river estuary. The other three connections are the Renmin, Heping, and Xinbu Bridges. To the east of Haidian Island lies Xinbu Island. The city also sits near Haikou Bay. Across the Qiongzhou Strait, you can see the Leizhou Peninsula.

Haikou's climate is categorized as tropical wet and dry, known scientifically as Köppen Aw. The city sits within the northern tropical zone. It is also part of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. This location means the weather is generally warm. The rainy season lasts from May to October. The heaviest rainfall usually occurs during the month of September.

Tropical storms and typhoons are also common. The active period for these storms is April to October. Most of these weather events happen between August and September. Temperature extremes have been recorded since 1951, ranging from 12 degrees Celsius to 38 degrees Celsius.

The history of Haikou shows its evolution from a small port to a major capital. Originally, the city served as a port for Qiongshan. Qiongshan was the ancient administrative capital located inland to the southeast. In the 13th century, the Ming dynasty fortified the area as a military post.

Haikou was once part of Guangdong province. In 1858, the Treaty of Tianjin opened Qiongshan to foreign trade. This caused Haikou to become a rival to the old administrative city. British Raj officers used to call the city "Hoihow" based on Cantonese pronunciation. By 1926, Haikou had a larger population than Qiongshan. It then became a separate administrative city. During the Chinese Civil War, the Battle of Hainan Island took place in 1950. This was one of the last Nationalist strongholds to fall to the Communists.

Today, Haikou is a vital economic hub for the region. It serves as the main port for Hainan Island. More than half of the island's total trade goes through the ports in Haikou.

The city's name reflects this maritime importance. In Chinese, the characters for Haikou mean "ocean" and "mouth." This makes the name a synonym for "seaport." The city is also a center for higher education. Hainan University is located on Haidian Island. This is a comprehensive research university. It is part of the Project 211 and the Double First Class University Plan.

The architecture in the old town reveals a diverse cultural history. The Qilou Old Street features arcaded buildings. These structures blend Southern Chinese styles with colonial influences.

You can see architectural elements from Portugal, France, and Southeast Asia. These buildings were often constructed by returnees from overseas. In the past, the streets were organized by the goods sold there. Some areas specialized in silk and bespoke clothes. Others focused on fresh fish, meat, or incense. Today, the government is discussing ways to restore and preserve these historical sites.

Environmental management is a major focus for the city's administration. Haikou has historically had very high air quality. In 2005, it scored the highest among China's main cities for air quality. Since 2009, however, air pollution has increased due to more automobiles.

To improve life for residents, the city follows a ten-point plan. This plan includes community healthcare, vaccinations, and waste recycling. It also focuses on green belts and sewage treatment. The city's groundwater is classified as international standard mineral water. The wastewater and tap water are managed by the French company Veolia Water. This is a 30-year joint venture with the Haikou Water Group. These efforts have helped increase the local life expectancy to 78.26 years.