Jintang Island

Infobox Islands
name = Jintang


image caption = Relief map of Jintang island
image size = 250px
locator

map_custom = yes
native name = 金塘岛
native name link = Chinese language
nickname = Golden Pond
location = Zhoushan
coordinates = coord|30|121.9|region:CN|display=inline
archipelago = Zhoushan
total islands = 1,390 (103 inhabited)
major islands =
area = convert|76.4|km2|abbr=on|lk=on
length =
width =
coastline =
highest mount =
elevation =
country = People's Republic of China
country admin divisions title = Province
country admin divisions = Zhejiang
country admin divisions title 1 = Prefecture
country admin divisions 1 = Zhoushan
population = 41700
population as of = 2003
density = #expr: 41700 / 76.4 round 0
ethnic groups =
additional info =

Jintang Island (金塘岛) is an island in the Zhoushan prefecture-level city in China's northeastern Zhejiang province. It has a population of about 41700. [http://www.zhoushan.cn/pub/zsxww/zssq/ftrq/zsdz/t20030714_92125.htm Jintang Island Information Page] Zhoushan Web (2003-7-14)zh icon]

It is one of the closest islands to the continental shore of Zhejiang, being only 3.6 km from the southern Ningbo Beilun port [http://www.zsgj.gov.cn/wstd/list.asp?id=876 Jintang Island legends] zh icon] and 6.25km from the eastern Zhoushan Island. Jintang is Zhoushan's fourth largest island with an area of convert|76.4|km2|abbr=on|lk=on.

History

The name Jintang Island is literally translated as "Golden Pond Island".

It derived its name from the 2 ponds built on the western side of the island by the locals to prevent erosion of the western coastline. The soil of the inner pond coastline became fertile and rich in minerals, bringing about bountiful harvests to the locals who dub the island "Golden Pond" (金塘).

Industries

Jintang Island is largely an agricultural community. Its thriving industries include farming, fishing and furniture production. [http://baike.baidu.com/view/251775.htm Jintang Island] - article from Baidu encyclopedia zh icon]

It is most famous for the production of Jintang Plums (金塘李), a local fruit. The fruit has received a number of awards and accolades, earning a Zhejiang Province High Quality Agricultural Product Exhibition Silver Award in 1998 and subsequently a Gold Award in 1999 when the island was also conferred the namesake of "Jintang Plum Township (金塘李之乡)" by the provincial government. [ [http://baike.baidu.com/view/325274.htm Jintang Plum] - article from Baidu encyclopedia zh icon]

Jintang Island coastal waters produce a large number of marine products, such as squid, cuttlefish, fish, and more.

Transportation

Transport between Jintang and Zhoushan is made by boat.

In April 2006 work began for the construction of two bridges, the Xihoumen Bridge (西堠门大桥) and Jintang Bridge (金塘大桥) connecting Zhoushan Archipelago with the country's continental area, an improvement long awaited by Zhoushan people. They are scheduled to be completed in 2008.

The two bridges are the second phase of a huge "continent-island joint project" launched by Zhoushan in 1999 to link the archipelago with the mainland through five bridges. Construction of the other three bridges have been completed. [cite web
title=Bridges to connect Zhoushan
url=http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/nation/userobject1ai911976.html
date=2005-03-05
publisher=Xinhua]

Xihoumen Bridge

The 5.3-kilometer-long Xihoumen Bridge, linking Jintang and Cezi, two major islands of the archipelago, will be a suspension bridge consisting of a 2.6-kilometer sea-crossing bridge and 2.7-kilometer side joint sections on both ends, costing 2.48 billion yuan (US$299.87 million). It will allow the passage of ships of 30,000 dead weight tonnage.

Jintang Bridge

The Jintang Bridge, linking Jintang Island and Zhenhai (on Ningbo prefecture), will be 27 kilometers long. The 7-billion-yuan project consists of an 18.5-kilometer sea bridge and joint sections totaling 8.5 kilometers. [structurae|id=s0015468|title=Jintang Bridge]

In 27 March 2008, there has been an accident involving a Taizhou freighter that hit the bridge construction site. Two pieces of reinforced concrete from the bridge weighing 3000 tons each got stuck in the cockpit of the freighter, which was moving at a fast pace. The accident will result in further delay to the completion of its construction. [cite web
title=Zhejiang Freighter hits Bridge: Construction of Zhoushan Continental-Island Project Affected]
url=http://www.chinanews.com.cn/sh/news/2008/03-28/1205513.shtml
date=2008-03-28
publisher=China News zh icon ]

There are plans by a Sino-Italian consortium to build an archimedes bridge in the 3,300m Jintang strait.cite web
author = Zhejiang University Health Monitoring & Controlling Studying of Large-scale Bridge & Tunnel Structure
title = Research about suspending tunnel
date = 2006
url = http://www.zju.edu.cn/sscm06/zjushm/son2/cgzs-xfsd.htm
accessdate = 2007-02-11 ] [ [http://english.sina.com/technology/1/2007/1023/129041.html China to build world's 1st 'Archimedes bridge'] ]

[http://www.nbport.com/en/ Ningbo Ports Group] is also planning to build a proposed 12 container berths worth 10 billion yuan (US$1.25billion) in future at Jintang Island in anticipation of fierce competition from Shanghai's [http://www.sinoptic.ch/shanghaiflash/texts/pdf/200303_Shanghai.Flash.pdf Yangshan Deep-Water Port] . [cite web
title= Where cooperation meets competition
url=http://english.eastday.com/eastday/englishedition/delta/userobject1ai1895360.html
date=2006-03-06
publisher=Shanghai Daily]

References

External links

* [http://www.jintangdao.com/ JinTangDao] , Jintang Island discussion forum zh icon