Haikou (海口)

1. Introduction

Haikou City, historically known as "Baishajin" and "Haikoupu", and also nicknamed "Coconut City", derives its name "Haikou" from its location at the mouth of the Nandu River. It is a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Hainan Province, People's Republic of China, and also the provincial capital of Hainan. As a crucial node city on the "21st Century Maritime Silk Road", a coastal tourist city in China, and a sports tourism destination, it serves as the political, economic, technological, and cultural center of Hainan Province. It is also the external transportation hub of Hainan Island, with Haikou Port being the largest port in Hainan Province. Haikou City is located in the northeastern part of Hainan Province. It borders Chengmai County to the west, Ding'an County to the south, Wenchang City to the east, and faces the Leizhou Peninsula of Guangdong Province across the Qiongzhou Strait to the north. Situated in the coastal plain area at the mouth of the Nandu River, the terrain is gentle. The Nandu River enters from the southwest, turns northward and flows through the city, with the main urban area located on the west bank of the river mouth. Haikou consists of the main part on Hainan Island, and the outlying islands of Haidian Island and Xinbu Island. The total area of the city is 2,304.84 square kilometers, with a population of 2.8733 million. The Municipal People's Government is located in Xiuying District. Haikou is the political, economic, and cultural center of Hainan Province and is also a National Historical and Cultural City. The first China International Consumer Products Expo was held at the Hainan International Convention and Exhibition Center in Haikou in 2021. In 2023, Haikou's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) reached 235.844 billion yuan.

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2. History

During the Han Dynasty, Haikou was part of Daimao County under Zhuya Commandery.

In the Tang Dynasty, Baisha Landing was established as the outer beach of Qiongzhou City, featuring an ancient ferry post and serving as a port for sea crossings and trade between Qiongzhou and Leizhou.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, Haikou Pu emerged, covering areas that include today's Haidian Subdistrict and the old urban district of Haikou. Subsequently, "Haikou Pu" gradually replaced "Baisha Landing" and became one of the main ports in Hainan for sea crossings and the import and export of goods.

In 1271, the Yuan Dynasty established a foreign camp. In 1368, the Ming Dynasty set up a defensive thousand-household garrison. In the 27th year of the Hongwu era (1395), city construction began, and "Haikou Pu" was restructured into a garrison (referred to as "Haikou Garrison" or "Haikou District") according to military regulations. It is said that the area around today's Deshengsha Road in Haikou was historically known as "Waisha." In the 29th year of the Daoguang era (1849), foreign invaders attacked, and after fierce battles, they were ultimately defeated at Waisha, leading to the name "Deshengsha" (Victory Sand). During the Xianfeng era of the Qing Dynasty, Haikou became a treaty port as stipulated by the Treaty of Tianjin. Japan established a consulate in Qiongzhou in 1873. In the first year of the Guangxu era (1875), Haikou Customs was established, marking the beginning and development of foreign trade.

In 1926, the Fifth Meeting of the Guangdong Provincial Government Committee approved the separation of Haikou from Qiongshan County and its establishment as a municipal office, initially named Haikou City, which governed three police districts.

In 1928, the Nationalist Government promulgated the "Special City Organization Law" and the "Ordinary City Organization Law." Ordinary cities were required to have a population of at least 20,000, but Haikou did not meet this standard. The Guangdong Provincial Government Committee discussed the administrative classification of Haikou City.

In 1929, the meeting approved the change of the Haikou Municipal Office to the Haikou Municipal Bureau.

In 1930, the Nationalist Government promulgated the "City Organization Law," abolishing the "Special City Organization Law" and the "Ordinary City Organization Law," and raising the standards for city establishment. The Haikou Municipal Bureau did not meet the requirements of this law.

In 1931, the 144th Meeting of the Fifth Committee of the Guangdong Provincial Government approved the abolition of Haikou City, returning it to the jurisdiction of Qiongshan County.

In 1949, the Chinese Kuomintang established the Hainan Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Office in Haikou and set up the Haikou City Municipal Preparatory Office.

From 1949 to 1954, Haikou City served as the capital of the Hainan Special Administrative Region.

In 1950, during the Hainan Island Campaign, the Chinese People's Liberation Army captured the administrative offices of the Republic of China government in Hainan (the Hainan Special Administrative Region Chief Executive Office and the Haikou Garrison Command). On April 23, 1950, the Chinese People's Liberation Army occupied Haikou, and the Haikou City Municipal Preparatory Office was abolished. On May 1 of the same year, following orders from the Central-South Military Region, the PLA forces established the Haikou City Military Control Committee, and Haikou City was restored as an administrative entity.

In 1956, the State Council of the People's Republic of China designated Haikou City as a prefecture-level city under the jurisdiction of Guangdong Province.

On April 13, 1988, the Seventh National People's Congress passed a resolution to establish Hainan Province and the Hainan Special Economic Zone. Hainan became a province, and Haikou City became the capital of Hainan Province.

On October 16, 2002, the State Council approved the merger of the old Haikou City and the county-level Qiongshan City to form the new Haikou City.

3. Geography

Haikou is located in the northern part of Hainan Island, bordering the Qiongzhou Strait to the north, facing Hai'an Subdistrict of Guangdong Province across a distance of 18 nautical miles; adjacent to Wenchang City to the east; bordering Wenchang City and Ding'an County to the south; and neighboring Chengmai County to the west. Haikou City stretches approximately 60.6 kilometers from Laocun Village in Dazhipo Town in the east to Bonan Village in Xixiu Town in the west. It spans about 62.5 kilometers from Wusheshang Village in Dapo Town in the south to the sea in the north. The total land area of the city is 2,304.84 square kilometers. The terrain of Haikou City is roughly elongated heart-shaped and gentle. The Nandu River, the longest river on Hainan Island, flows through its central part. The northwestern and southeastern areas are relatively higher, while the area along the Nandu River in the center is low and flat, and the northern part mostly consists of small coastal plains. Apart from 38 hills that are relatively high, such as Ma'an Ridge (222.2 meters above sea level) in Shishan Town, Jiuzhou Ridge (199.9 meters) in Jiuzhou Town, Rishai Ridge (171 meters) in Jiazi Town, and Leihu Ridge (168.3 meters) in Yongxing Town, the vast majority of the city's area is composed of tablelands and plains below 100 meters in elevation. Ma'an Ridge is the highest point in the city.

3.1 Geology

The geological structure of Haikou City belongs to the southern depression zone of the Leiqiong Rift. From the Miocene to the Pliocene, fault subsidence occurred north of the Wangwu-Wenjiao major fault on Hainan Island to the Qiongzhou Strait, forming the Qiongbei Faulted Basin with an area of about 3,135 square kilometers, where thick Cenozoic (Tertiary) strata accumulated. By the Holocene (Quaternary), there were multiple seismic and submarine volcanic activities, with several phases of volcanic rocks interbedded within the Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentary layers, exposed on the surface to form the extensive Qiongbei basic (predominantly) volcanic lava plateau. In the late Pliocene, the crust in the northern part of the island uplifted, accompanied by several volcanic eruptions. After the mid-Holocene, the crust in the northern and northeastern parts slowly subsided, receiving sedimentation. Haikou City is situated within the Qiongbei Cenozoic faulted basin, composed mainly of the Qiongbei Cenozoic faulted basin and the Qiongdongbei uplift (southeastern part), located at the intersection and composite site of regional near east-west, near north-south, northeast-trending, and northwest-trending faults. The strata primarily belong to Cenozoic Paleogene (predominantly) to Quaternary littoral and paralic facies. Igneous rocks include sporadically exposed intrusive rocks and extensively distributed basic (predominantly) and ultrabasic volcanic rocks.

3.2 Mineral Resources

Twenty types of mineral resources have been identified within Haikou City. These include five energy minerals: petroleum, natural gas, lignite, low-calorific-value oil shale (oil-carbonaceous shale), and peat; three metallic minerals: bauxite, cobaltite, and limonite; nine non-metallic minerals: kaolin, refractory clay, brick and tile clay, diatomite, bentonite, zeolite, pumice, construction basalt, and construction sand; and three hydrogeological and gaseous minerals: potable natural mineral water, thermal mineral water, and groundwater. Mineral resources with significant advantages and development potential mainly include potable natural mineral water, geothermal water, groundwater, as well as river sand, basalt stone, and brick and tile clay for large-scale construction. Comparatively important mineral resources include cobaltite, bauxite, lignite, low-calorific-value oil-carbonaceous shale, kaolin, and refractory clay. Geothermal resources are abundant, with the geothermal field covering an area of about 4 square kilometers, distributed at depths of 350 to 700 meters, with water temperatures ranging from 39.5°C to 49°C and mineralization levels between 1 and 2.3 grams per liter.

3.3 Climate

Located in the northern part of Hainan Island, Haikou has a tropical monsoon climate. With the ongoing trend of global warming, winter temperatures in Haikou have shown an increasing trend in recent years, and it is becoming more common for the average temperature of the coldest month to exceed 18°C. Summers are hot and rainy, with frequent tropical cyclones during the summer and autumn. The annual average temperature is 24.8°C. The average temperature in January is 18.4°C. The extreme minimum temperature recorded was 2.8°C (on January 12, 1955). The average temperature in July is 29.1°C, with an extreme maximum temperature of 40.9°C (on April 27, 2024). The average annual precipitation is 1,656.3 mm, with the rainy season generally concentrated from May to October.

Haikou City Meteorological Data (Average data from 1981 to 2010, Extreme data from 1951 to 2015) | Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year | |------------------|-------|-------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|--------|-------|-------|-------|----------| | Record high °C (°F) | 33.5 | 37.2 | 38.1 | 41.3 | 38.8 | 38.4 | 38.7 | 37.3 | 36 | 34.5 | 34.7 | 31.5 | 41.3 | | | (92.3)| (99.0)| (100.6)| (106.3)| (101.8)| (101.1)| (101.7)| (99.1) | (96.8) | (94.1)| (94.5)| (88.7)| (106.3) | | Average high °C (°F) | 21.8 | 22.9 | 26.3 | 30.7 | 32.3 | 33.7 | 33.5 | 32.6 | 30.7 | 29.1 | 26.2 | 22.4 | 28.5 | | | (71.2)| (73.2)| (79.3) | (87.3) | (90.1) | (92.7) | (92.3) | (90.7) | (87.3) | (84.4)| (79.2)| (72.3)| (83.3) | | Daily mean °C (°F) | 18.4 | 19.4 | 22.2 | 26.0 | 27.9 | 29.0 | 29.1 | 28.6 | 27.4 | 26.0 | 23.3 | 19.8 | 24.8 | | | (65.1)| (66.9)| (72.0) | (78.8) | (82.2) | (84.2) | (84.4) | (83.5) | (81.3) | (78.8)| (73.9)| (67.6)| (76.6) | | Average low °C (°F) | 16.1 | 17.2 | 19.6 | 23.2 | 25.1 | 25.9 | 26.0 | 25.9 | 25.0 | 23.7 | 21.0 | 17.8 | 22.2 | | | (61.0)| (63.0)| (67.3) | (73.8) | (77.2) | (78.6) | (78.8) | (78.6) | (77.0) | (74.7)| (69.8)| (64.0)| (72.0) | | Record low °C (°F) | 2.8 | 6.5 | 6.4 | 9.8 | 16.3 | 21.2 | 21.0 | 21.7 | 17.5 | 14.1 | 10.0 | 5.3 | 2.8 | | | (37.0)| (43.7)| (43.5) | (49.6) | (61.3) | (70.2) | (69.8) | (71.1) | (63.5) | (57.4)| (50.0)| (41.5)| (37.0) | | Average precipitation mm (inches) | 20.3 | 38.2 | 50.4 | 90.1 | 175.6 | 220.5 | 214.7 | 262.1 | 255.8 | 221.9 | 72.4 | 34.3 | 1,656.30 | | | -0.8 | -1.5 | -1.98 | -3.55 | -6.91 | -8.68 | -8.45 | -10.32 | -10.07 | -8.74 | -2.85 | -1.35 | -65.2 | | Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 8.4 | 10.6 | 10.1 | 11.5 | 16.5 | 16 | 15 | 14.9 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 7.9 | 7.3 | 145 | | Average relative humidity (%) | 85 | 87 | 85 | 82 | 81 | 81 | 80 | 82 | 83 | 79 | 79 | 80 | 82 | | Monthly sunshine hours | 109.1 | 98.7 | 137.3 | 167.9 | 218.1 | 222.8 | 251.3 | 217.7 | 193.8 | 176.7 | 144.8 | 131.3 | 2,069.50 | | Percentage of possible sunshine | 32 | 31 | 37 | 45 | 54 | 56 | 61 | 55 | 53 | 49 | 43 | 39 | 47 |

Data source: China Meteorological Administration (precipitation days and sunshine data from 1971–2000), www.mherrera.org (all extreme temperatures)

4. Administrative Divisions

Haikou City currently administers four municipal districts: Xiuying District, Longhua District, Qiongshan District, and Meilan District. The Haikou Municipal People's Government is located in the Second Office Area, Changbin 1st Road, Changliu Town, Xiuying District.

| Division Code | Division Name | Chinese Pinyin | Area (km²) | Resident Population (2020 Census) | Government Seat | Postal Code | Subdistricts | Towns | |-------------------|-------------------|--------------------|----------------|---------------------------------------|---------------------|-----------------|------------------|-----------| | 460100 | Haikou City | Hǎikǒu Shì | 2,284.27 | 2,873,358 | Xiuying District | 570000 | 21 | 22 | | 460105 | Xiuying District | Xiùyīng Qū | 493.64 | 567,108 | Xiuying Subdistrict | 570300 | 2 | 6 | | 460106 | Longhua District | Lónghuá Qū | 302.49 | 797,684 | Jinmao Subdistrict | 570100 | 6 | 5 | | 460107 | Qiongshan District | Qióngshān Qū | 928.62 | 655,553 | Fucheng Subdistrict | 571100 | 4 | 7 | | 460108 | Meilan District | Měilán Qū | 559.52 | 853,013 | Bailong Subdistrict | 570200 | 9 | 4 |

5. Economy

According to the yearbook data from the Haikou Municipal Bureau of Statistics, Haikou's total economic output in 2018 reached 151.051 billion yuan, with the primary, secondary, and tertiary industries accounting for 4.8%, 18.3%, and 77.5% respectively.

• Rubber industry
• Coconut processing
• Tourism
• Automotive industry
• Pharmaceutical processing industry

6. Transportation

Urban Rail Transit: Haikou Rail Transit has a total of seven planned lines. Railways: Yuehai Railway, Hainan Ring Island High-Speed Railway, Haikou Suburban Railway. Highways: National Highway 223, National Highway 224, National Highway 225. Expressways: G98 Hainan Ring Expressway (Eastern Line Expressway, Western Line Expressway, Haikou Ring Expressway), G9812 Haiqiong Expressway, G9811 Central Line Expressway (Haikou - Tunchang - Qiongzhong - Ledong). Ferries: Xiuying Port, Haikou Xinhaigang Port, Yuehai Railway South Port Terminal. Taxis: The starting fare for taxis in Haikou is ¥10, with ¥2 per kilometer after the first 3 kilometers. Buses: Fares within the city are generally ¥1-¥2 per ride, while fares to/from the train station and airport are ¥4-¥5. Long-Distance Passenger Transport: Inter-provincial coaches from Haikou's bus stations (East Station/West Station/Main Bus Station/Port Bus Station) connect to destinations within the province such as Sanya, Wenchang, and Wuzhishan, as well as to other major and medium-sized cities across the country.

6.1. Civil Aviation

Haikou Meilan International Airport, formerly known as Haikou Meilan Airport, is located in Lingshan Town, Meilan District, Haikou City, Hainan Province, approximately 15 kilometers in a straight line from the city center. Its construction was approved in December 1993, and it officially opened for operation on May 25, 1999. Its flight zone is classified as 4E and 4F.

Meilan Airport currently operates flights to 65 domestic and international cities, with 220 routes. In 2019, it handled 24.2166 million passengers, ranking 17th among China's civil airports; cargo and mail throughput reached 175,600 tons, ranking 19th; and it recorded 164,800 aircraft movements, ranking 22nd.

7. Education

7.1. Higher Education Institutions

Hainan University Hainan Normal University Hainan Medical University Qiongtai Normal University Haikou University of Economics Hainan Vocational University of Science and Technology Hainan Vocational College of Political Science and Law Hainan Vocational College of Business Hainan College of Economics and Business Hainan Vocational College of Physical Education Hainan Open University

7.2. Secondary Schools

Hainan Middle School Hainan Overseas Chinese Middle School Qiongshan Overseas Chinese Middle School Hainan Guoxing Middle School The Affiliated High School of Hainan Normal University Haikou No.1 Middle School Haikou No.4 Middle School Haikou Experimental Middle School Qiongshan Middle School

7.3. Primary Schools

Huandao Primary School

7.4. Kindergartens

Hainan Provincial First-Class Kindergarten Hainan Provincial Government Agencies Kindergarten Hainan Provincial Government Agencies Second Kindergarten Hainan Provincial Military Region Kindergarten Armed Police Hainan Provincial Corps Kindergarten Hainan Changmao Garden Kindergarten Hainan University Affiliated Kindergarten Hainan Normal University Affiliated Kindergarten Qiongtai Normal University Affiliated Kindergarten Haikou Municipal Government Agencies Kindergarten Haikou Central Kindergarten Haikou Health Kindergarten Haikou Qiongshan Kindergarten

8. Population

The province's permanent resident population at the end of the year was 10.2702 million, an increase of 65,600 from the end of the previous year. The urbanization rate of the permanent resident population was 61.49%, an increase of 0.52 percentage points. The annual number of births was 88,100, with a birth rate of 8.60‰; the number of deaths was 63,100, with a death rate of 6.16‰. By age structure, the population aged 0-14 was 1.9525 million, the population aged 15-64 was 7.1553 million, and the population aged 65 and above was 1.1624 million.

According to the Seventh National Population Census in 2020, the city's permanent resident population was 2,873,358. Compared with the 2,046,170 people from the Sixth National Population Census, the total increase over the ten years was 827,188 people, a growth of 40.43%, with an average annual growth rate of 3.45%. Among them, the male population was 1,509,004, accounting for 52.52% of the total population; the female population was 1,364,354, accounting for 47.48% of the total population. The sex ratio of the total population (with females as 100) was 110.6. The population aged 0-14 was 528,529, accounting for 18.39% of the total population; the population aged 15-59 was 1,987,937, accounting for 69.19% of the total population; the population aged 60 and above was 356,892, accounting for 12.42% of the total population, of which the population aged 65 and above was 250,105, accounting for 8.7% of the total population. The population residing in urban areas was 2,349,239, accounting for 81.76% of the total population; the population residing in rural areas was 524,119, accounting for 18.24% of the total population.

8.1 Ethnic Groups

In 2017, among the permanent resident population of Haikou City, there were 48 ethnic groups including Han, Li, Miao, Hui, Manchu, Yao, Mongolian, Korean, Tujia, Bouyei, Dai, Dong, Zhuang, etc. Among them, the Han population was 2,000,173, accounting for 97.75% of the total population; the population of various ethnic minorities was 46,016, accounting for 2.25% of the total population.

In 2020, among the city's permanent resident population, the Han population was 2,758,597, accounting for 96.01%; the population of various ethnic minorities was 114,761, accounting for 3.99%. Compared with the Sixth National Population Census in 2010, the Han population increased by 763,808, a growth of 38.29%, with its proportion of the total population decreasing by 1.48 percentage points; the population of various ethnic minorities increased by 63,380, a growth of 123.35%, with its proportion of the total population increasing by 1.48 percentage points.

8.2 Languages

Languages used in Haikou City include Hainanese, Mandarin, Baihua, Junhua, Hakka, as well as Sichuan, Henan, Hunan, and other local dialects and languages of various ethnic minorities. The main dialect is Hainanese. Specifically, the Changliu area speaks Changliu Village dialect, while towns in the southeastern part such as Longtang, Longqiao, Shishan, Yongxing, Zuntan, Yunlong, and some villages under their jurisdiction speak the Lingao Yangshan local dialect.

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9. Sister City Relationships

Haikou City has established 8 sister city relationships and 18 international friendly exchange relationships worldwide.

9.1 Sister City Relationships

| Country | City | Date Established | | ------ | ------ | ------ | | Australia | Perth | 1990.09.05 | | United Kingdom | Perth | 1992.02.03 | | France | Saint-Nazaire | 1992.06.27 | | United States | Oklahoma City | 1992.11.20 | | Tanzania | Zanzibar City | 1997.10.30 | | Poland | Gdynia | 2006.04.24 | | Seychelles | Victoria City | 2007.07.25 | | Myanmar | Yangon City | 2017.06.16 | | Indonesia | North Lombok Regency | 2017.07.25 |

9.2 International Friendly Exchange Relationships

| Country | City | Date | |-------|------------------|------------| | South Korea | Donghae City | 2006.04.01 | | Russia | Vladimir | 2007.09.26 | | Portugal | Faro | 2008.05.12 | | Ukraine | Chornomorsk | 2008.09.19 | | Brazil | Curitiba | 2008.09.22 | | Egypt | Faiyum | 2008.11.13 | | Philippines | Tagaytay | 2009.11.21 | | United States | Honolulu | 2009.12.21 | | United States | Scottsdale | 2010.03.22 | | Thailand | Kamphaeng Phet | 2010.04.07 | | Canada | Nanaimo | 2010.09.20 | | Turkey | Antalya | 2010.11.22 | | Italy | Pisa | 2010.11.25 | | France | Ajaccio | 2011.07.08 | | Germany | Rostock | 2011.12.15 | | Malaysia | Malacca | 2012.08.16 | | Finland | Åland | 2013.06.12 |

9.3 Foreign Consular Institutions in Haikou

In the 8th year of the Xianfeng reign of the Qing Dynasty (1858 AD), the Qing government signed the Treaty of Tianjin with Britain and France respectively, agreeing to open Qiongzhou (present-day Hainan) and other places as treaty ports, permitting trade and missionary work, and allowing foreign countries to establish consular institutions locally. The United States was the first to establish a consulate in Qiong in 1872, and Japan also set up a consulate in Qiongzhou the following year. The United Kingdom established a consular institution in Haikou in the 1st year of the Guangxu reign (1875), Germany in the 7th year (1881), France in the 14th year (1888), Austria-Hungary in the 21st year (1895), Portugal in the 23rd year (1897), Italy in the 25th year (1899), Belgium in the 28th year (1902), and Norway in the 33rd year (1907). By then, ten countries had established consular institutions in Qiong. However, all of them were closed before 1949.

The Kingdom of Cambodia opened a consulate general in Haikou on October 10, 2019, which is the first consulate general established in Haikou since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

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Taking the meaning of "the estuary of the Nandu River"

Xiuying District

Xiuying District

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Coconut Tree

Bougainvillea