Beihai

Beihai is also the ancient Chinese name for Lake Baikal

Beihai
—  Prefecture-level city  —
Beihai Silver Beach
Location of Beihai Prefecture within Guangxi
Beihai Location of Beihai Prefecture within Guangxi
Coordinates: 21°28′N 109°06′E / 21.467°N 109.1°E / 21.467; 109.1
Country	China
Province	Guangxi
Area
- Total	1,288.4 sq mi (3,337 km2)
Population (2001)
- Total	145,000
Time zone	China standard time (UTC+8)

Beihai, in Cantonese called Bakhoi, is a prefecture-level city of Guangxi, China. Beihai means "north sea" in Chinese, meaning that the place is a seaport on the north shore of the Gulf of Tonkin. Between the years 2006 and 2020, Beihai is predicted to be the world's fastest growing city^[1]. Beihai has a large shipyard and is reputed to still be a pirate harbour^{[citation needed]}. Beihai is known within China as a travel destination. While Beihai does suffer from pollution as much of China does, it is not nearly as severe as most other parts of the country.^{[citation needed]}

It has a fairly active nightlife also containing western style bars. The dialect spoken throughout Beihai is "Beihua" a Cantonese dialect, although Mandarin is also known, or at least understood, by most of the population (Mandarin is the official language used in government, business and education above elementary level throughout China.)

• Area: 3337 km², 957 km² urban centre
• Population: 145,000 (2001), 135,500 in urban centre (estimated 2006: 305,000)
• Municipal seat: Haicheng District
• Geographic coordinates: 108°50′45″ - 109°47′28″ East, 21°29′ - 21°55′34″ North

It governs the islands of Weizhou and Xieyang, and is north of Hainan Island.

Subdivision

Beihai contains three districts and one county, which are subdivided into five urban sub-districts, 23 towns, 3 townships, 87 neighborhood committees, 343 village committees. (see also Political divisions of China#Levels)

• Haicheng District (Cantonese: Hoi Shing)
• Yinhai District (Cantonese: Ngan Hoi)
• Tieshangang District (Cantonese: Tit San Gang)
• Hepu County

History

After the 1876 Sino-British Treaty of Yantai, eight Western nations (UK, US, Germany, Austria-Hungary, France, Italy, Portugal, and Belgium) set up embassies, hospitals, churches, schools, and maritime customs. Today, 15 of these western buildings remain in Beihai. It officially became an international tourist spot (旅遊對外開放城市) in 1982.

City timeline

• December 4, 1949: Beihai became a town of Hepu County under the Communist Party of China .
• January 1951: a province-administered city of Guangdong
• May 1951: entrusted to Guangxi
• March 1952: officially administered by Guangxi
• May 1955: Administered by Guangdong again
• 1956: reduced to a county-level city
• 1958: reduced to Beihai People's Commune of Hepu County
• 1959: county-class town
• 1964: restored to county-class city
• June 1965: Administered by Guangxi again
• October 1983: restored to prefecture-level city

Demographics

Beihai is dominated by Han Chinese, with a few minorities such as ethnic Zhuang.

Transport

• The Beihai Airport has scheduled flights to major airports in China.
• China National Highway 209

International relations

Twin towns — Sister cities

Beihai is twinned with:

• Suva, Fiji
• Gold Coast, Australia
• Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA
• Yatsushiro, Japan

Miscellanea

Beihai has greatest high tides at September 1, with the tides being 5 meters (16 feet). Most ports have around 2 metres of high tide; Honolulu has 0.5 meter.

There is a spinning restaurant in the city.

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Beihai

• Beihai tourism site
• http://www.beihai.gov.cn/ (Official Website)
• http://www.bhly.gov.cn/ (Beihai Travel Website)

v • d • e Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Regions History • Politics • Economy • Music Prefecture-level cities Baise • Beihai • Chongzuo • Fangchenggang • Guigang • Guilin • Hechi • Hezhou • Laibin • Liuzhou • Nanning • Qinzhou • Wuzhou • Yulin See also: List of Guangxi County-level divisions

v • d • e Economic Development Zones of the People's Republic of China The original four Special Economic Zones Shenzhen · Zhuhai · Shantou · Xiamen New open development zones Hainan Province · Dalian · Qingdao · Qinhuangdao · Lianyungang · Pudong · Yantai · Zhanjiang · Ningbo · Wenzhou · Nantong · Fuzhou · Guangzhou · Beihai

Coordinates: 21°28′N 109°06′E / 21.467°N 109.1°E / 21.467; 109.1