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Hainan

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Hainan is a large province in the south of China.

Hainan topographical map - cropped
Hainan topographical map - cropped

It is made of one big island and many smaller ones. These islands sit in the South China Sea. The name Hainan actually means "South of the Sea."

Hainan 1820-1875
Hainan 1820-1875

The main island is the 42nd largest in the world. It is slightly smaller than Taiwan Island. To the west, you will find the Gulf of Tonkin. Most of the province is the main island itself.

The land of Hainan has many interesting shapes. The northern part is covered by an old volcanic field. You can find volcanic rock hidden under the topsoil there. Wuzhi Mountain is the highest peak on the island. Many rivers start in the middle of the island. They flow outward in different directions toward the sea. The Nandu River is a long one in the north. During the dry season, the rivers flow much less. Since there are few natural lakes, people use large reservoirs for water.

Near Xinlong, Hainan - 02
Near Xinlong, Hainan - 02

History shows that Hainan has changed many times. Some scholars believe the island broke away from Vietnam long ago. This happened after a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. In 110 BC, Chinese officials arrived to set up a military camp. For many centuries, the Chinese government sent people to live there as punishment. One famous person sent there was a poet named Su Shi. He wrote about his life on the island in the 11th century.

Five officials haikou 2010 01
Five officials haikou 2010 01

Many different groups of people call Hainan home. About 82% of the people are Han Chinese. They speak many languages like Cantonese and Hakka. The Hlai people are also native to the island. They make up about 15% of the population. They often live in the mountainous parts of the south. There are ten major cities in the province. Haikou is the capital on the northern coast. Sanya is a very famous place for tourists on the south coast.

爱情海酒店 - panoramio
爱情海酒店 - panoramio

Today, Hainan is working on a very big plan. The government wants to turn the island into a Free Trade Port. The goal is to make it the largest in the world by 2035.

Haikou skyline 2 - 2009 09 07
Haikou skyline 2 - 2009 09 07

This plan will use lower taxes to bring in businesses. It will also make it easier for tourists to visit. By 2025, the island will start new ways of handling goods. This will help Hainan connect with the rest of the world.

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🖼️ Images & Media (34)
File:Hainan 1820-1875.jpg
Hainan 1820-1875.jpg
File:Five officials haikou 2010 01.jpg
Five officials haikou 2010 01.jpg
File:爱情海酒店 - panoramio.jpg
爱情海酒店 - panoramio.jpg
File:Hainan topographical map - cropped.jpg
Hainan topographical map - cropped.jpg
File:South China Sea claims map.svg
South China Sea claims map.svg
File:Black_star.svg
Black_star.svg
File:Pink_pog.svg
Pink_pog.svg
File:Purple_pog.svg
Purple_pog.svg
File:Orange_pog.svg
Orange_pog.svg
File:Yellow_pog.svg
Yellow_pog.svg
File:Brown_pog.svg
Brown_pog.svg
File:Near Xinlong, Hainan - 01.JPG
Near Xinlong, Hainan - 01.JPG

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