Hainan Province
Area: 34,000 square kilometers
Climatic features:
Situated between the 21st
and 4th parallels north latitude, Hainan Province has a tropical maritime
climate with high temperatures all year round. It is hard to distinguish the
seasons. In the South China Sea Islands, the coldest month is February, with an
average temperature of 22.9'C; the hottest month is August, with a 29.5'C
average. Precipitation is heavy and evenly distributed throughout the year.
Physical features: Hainan Island, also known
as Qiong'ai, is the second largest island in China with an area of 32,000
square kilometers. The parallel Wuzhi and Limu Mountains dominate the central
area, taking up one third of the whole island. Lowlands surround the mountains
except on the southern coast, where precipices meet the South China Sea. The
Qiongzhou Strait separates the Hainan Island from the mainland. Over 20 kilometers
wide, the Qiongzhou Strait connects the Beibu Bay to the South China Sea. The South China Sea Islands refer to all the islands, shoals, rocks,
reefs, and shallows in the South China Sea. They are divided into four groups:
Dongsha in the north; Xisha in the west; Zhongsha in the center, including
Huangyan Island; and Nansha in the south, ending at the Zengmu Reef. The
territory stretches 1,800 kilometers from north to south and over 900
kilometers from east to west.
Mountains: Wuzi Mountains and Limu Mountains, their main peaks
are 1,867 and 1,412 meters above sea level, respectively.
Products: Hainan Province's natural
resources include iron, salt, mined in Yinggehai on Hainan Island; petroleum
from the South China Sea; minerals from the seabed; tropical plants, and all
kinds of aquatic products. Xisha and its neighboring areas are a rich fishing
ground. The islands are a haven for birds, whose abundant droppings are
collected for natural fertilizer.
Neighboring countries: the Philippines in the
east, Malaysia and Brunei in the south, Indonesia (Natuna Islands) in the
southwest, and Vietnam in the west.
Capital: Haikou
Special Note: Hainan Province is China's
newest administrative division on the provincial level. It was formally
established by the Seventh National People's Congress in April 1988. Consisting
of Hainan Island and the South China Sea Islands, it is the smallest province. |
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