Lianyungang

Lianyungang (zh-stp|s=连云港|t=連雲港|p=Liányúngǎng lit. "the port connected to the clouds") is a prefecture-level city in northeastern Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China. It borders Yancheng to its southeast, Huai'an and Suqian to its south, Xuzhou to its southwest, and the province of Shandong to its north. Its name derives from Lian Island (formally Dongxilian Island) the largest island in Jiangsu Province which lies off its coastline, and Yuntai Mountain, the highest peak in Jiangsu Province, a few miles from its town centre.

Lianyungang (as Yuntai Mountain) was one of the four original ports opened up for foreign trade in the 1680s by the Qing Dynasty Government. The others were Ningbo, Xiamen and Guangzhou.

Administration

The prefecture-level city of Lianyungang administers 7 county-level divisions, including 3 districts and 4 counties.

* Lianyun District (连云区)
* Xinpu District (新浦区)
* Haizhou District (海州区)
* Donghai County (东海县)
* Ganyu County (赣榆县)
* Guanyun County (灌云县)
* Guannan County (灌南县)

Geography

Lianyungang is situated between 118°24' and 119°48' east longitude and 34°11' and 35°07' north latitude. Lianyungang covers an area of 7,444 km².

Economy

Lianyungang is the eastern end of the New Eurasia Continental Landbridge and the proposed Northern East West Freight Corridor, is one of the first 14 Chinese coastal cities opening to the outside world, and is a rising centre of industry, foreign trade and tourism in east China.

This port is located in the center of the coast, linking eastern sea routes with western land routes. Both Japan and the Republic of Korea in the east can be reached economically and conveniently from Liangyungang, which is also part of the world-wide network of sea transport. As well as this, the New Eurasia Continental Landbridge and the railway networks in Western Europe continue by land, connecting Lianyungang with over 40 countries and regions in Europe, South Asia and the Middle East.

At present, the Chinese government has clearly stated its intention to build an economic belt along the New Eurasia Continental landbridge in "the 9th Five-Year Plan of National Economy and Social Development and the Long-range Goal for the Year 2010"; and on "China's 21st Century Agenda", Lianyungang is to be developed into an international seaport linking countries on the Pacific rim with those in Central Asia. In the "National Ocean Development Plan" it is listed as one of three special development zones.

Family planning

In a nation with a male-to-female ratio that is skewed toward males, Lianyungang is a particularly extreme example. According to the China Family Planning Association, there are 163.5 boys for every 100 girls in the city.

Sister Cities

*flagicon|Australia - Geelong, Australia
*flagicon|Japan - Saga, Japan
*flagicon|South Korea - Mokpo, South Korea (1992.11.01)

External links

* [http://www.lyg.gov.cn Government website of Lianyungang] (available in Chinese, English, Japanese and Korean)
* [http://lianyungang.jiangsu.net Lianyungang comprehensive guide with open directory] (Jiangsu.NET)