Zhangzhou

Zhangzhou
漳州市
Prefecture-level city

Location of Zhangzhou City jurisdiction in Fujian
Zhangzhou

Location in China

Coordinates: 24°31′N 117°39′E / 24.517°N 117.650°E / 24.517; 117.650Coordinates: 24°31′N 117°39′E / 24.517°N 117.650°E / 24.517; 117.650
Country People's Republic of China
Province Fujian
Area
  Prefecture-level city 12,888 km2 (4,976 sq mi)
  Urban 366 km2 (141 sq mi)
  Metro 3,257 km2 (1,258 sq mi)
Population (2010)[1]
  Prefecture-level city 4,809,983
  Density 370/km2 (970/sq mi)
  Urban 596,165
  Urban density 1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
  Metro 4,984,482
  Metro density 1,500/km2 (4,000/sq mi)
Time zone China Standard (UTC+8)
Postal code 363000
Area code(s) 596
GDP 2009[1]
 - Total CNY 111.317 billion (USD 16.31 billion)
 - Per capita CNY 23,264 (USD 3,409)
 - Growth Increase 13.3%
License Plate E
Local dialect Min Nan: Zhangzhou dialect
City trees Cinnamomum camphora
City flowers Narcissus tazetta
Website www.zhangzhou.gov.cn
Zhangzhou
Chinese 漳州
Hokkien POJ Chiāng-chiu
Postal Changchow

Zhangzhou (Chinese: 漳州; pinyin: Zhāngzhōu; Wade–Giles: Chang1-chou1; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Chiang-chiu; formerly Lung-ch'i) is a prefecture-level city in southern Fujian province, China. Located on the banks of the Jiulong River (Beixi), Zhangzhou borders the cities of Xiamen and Quanzhou to the northeast, Longyan to the northwest and the province of Guangdong (Shantou City) to the southwest.

Zhangzhou is home to 4,809,983 inhabitants at the 2010 census whom those of Longwen and Xiacheng districts are considered as urban. These two districts, together with Longhai and Xiamen, form a metropolitan area that, as of 2010, is home to about 5 million inhabitants.

In older English works, its name may appear as Chang-chow or Changchow and in Southeast Asian contexts it appears as Chiang-chew or Chiang Chew from the Hokkien name.

Dialect

Main article: Zhangzhou dialect

The main dialect spoken in Zhangzhou is Hokkien, one of the major Min Nan languages/topolects. Standard Mandarin is used in government, commerce and official business.

History

In the early 20th century, Zhangzhou-fu was surrounded by 42 miles (68 km) of wall (in circumference). [2] Its streets were paved with granite, but struck some Western visitors as dirty, as reported in the Encyclopædia Britannica. The Jiulong River was crossed by an 800-foot bridge of wooden planks supported on twenty-five stone piers.[2] At this time, heavy silk trading activity occurred in the city, while brick kilns and sugar-manufactures were among its primary industrial activities.[2] In 1911, its population was estimated around 1,000,000.[2]

Zhangzhou's central urban area (now Xiangcheng District) was occupied in April and May 1932 by a column of Communist guerrillas under Mao Zedong. Due to the presence of Western gunboats in Xiamen Bay, arms shipments from the Soviet Union were unable to get up the Jiulong River to Mao's forces and on to the main Communist base area. According to some reports, Mao's forces took with them a substantial amount of loot from bourgeois residents when his column retreated from the city.[3]

Climate

Zhangzhou has a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with mild to warm winters and long, very hot and humid summers. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 13.2 °C (55.8 °F) in January to 28.8 °C (83.8 °F) in July, and the annual mean is 21.3 °C (70.3 °F). The frost-free period lasts 330 days.

Climate data for Zhangzhou (1971−2000)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 28.8
(83.8)
30.3
(86.5)
33.7
(92.7)
35.1
(95.2)
37.5
(99.5)
37.6
(99.7)
38.6
(101.5)
38.1
(100.6)
37.1
(98.8)
34.6
(94.3)
35.2
(95.4)
29.1
(84.4)
38.6
(101.5)
Average high °C (°F) 18.0
(64.4)
18.0
(64.4)
20.3
(68.5)
24.6
(76.3)
27.8
(82)
31.0
(87.8)
33.6
(92.5)
33.1
(91.6)
31.2
(88.2)
28.2
(82.8)
24.4
(75.9)
20.3
(68.5)
25.9
(78.6)
Daily mean °C (°F) 13.2
(55.8)
13.5
(56.3)
15.9
(60.6)
20.2
(68.4)
23.7
(74.7)
26.8
(80.2)
28.8
(83.8)
28.3
(82.9)
26.7
(80.1)
23.5
(74.3)
19.3
(66.7)
15.1
(59.2)
21.3
(70.3)
Average low °C (°F) 10.0
(50)
10.7
(51.3)
13.0
(55.4)
17.1
(62.8)
20.9
(69.6)
23.8
(74.8)
25.3
(77.5)
25.1
(77.2)
23.5
(74.3)
20.1
(68.2)
15.6
(60.1)
11.4
(52.5)
18.0
(64.5)
Record low °C (°F) 1.3
(34.3)
1.3
(34.3)
3.0
(37.4)
7.3
(45.1)
12.3
(54.1)
17.0
(62.6)
21.0
(69.8)
21.3
(70.3)
16.8
(62.2)
7.6
(45.7)
4.8
(40.6)
−0.1
(31.8)
−0.1
(31.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 41.0
(1.614)
84.8
(3.339)
114.0
(4.488)
168.4
(6.63)
207.2
(8.157)
278.6
(10.969)
171.9
(6.768)
232.8
(9.165)
170.0
(6.693)
63.0
(2.48)
38.2
(1.504)
34.5
(1.358)
1,604.4
(63.165)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.1 mm) 8.5 12.2 14.9 15.2 16.9 17.7 12.5 14.3 11.2 5.5 5.1 5.6 139.6
Source: Weather China

Administrative divisions

The prefecture-level city of Zhangzhou administers 2 districts, 1 county-level city and 8 counties.

  1. Xiangcheng District (芗城区)
  2. Longwen District (龙文区)
  3. Longhai City (龙海市)
  4. Changtai County (长泰县)
  5. Dongshan County (东山县)
  6. Hua'an County (华安县)
  7. Nanjing County (南靖县)
  8. Pinghe County (平和县)
  9. Yunxiao County (云霄县)
  10. Zhangpu County (漳浦县)
  11. Zhao'an County (诏安县)
Map

Economy

A major petrochemical plant, producing paraxylene, owned by Taiwan-based Xianglu Group is located in Zhangzhou's Gulei Peninsula. The plant suffered major fires in 2013 and 2015.[4]

Transportation

Two passenger stations serve Zhangzhou:

Education

Notable people

See also

References

  1. 1 2 漳州市2009年国民经济和社会发展统计公报 (in Chinese). Zhangzhou Municipal Statistic Bureau. 2010-03-12. Retrieved 2010-05-03.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Encyclopædia Britannica, 1911 http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Chang-Chow
  3. Zhang Rong/Jung Chang, Mao: the Unknown Story, 2005, p.117
  4. A contentious chemical plant in China has exploded for the second time in two years

External links

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