Dalian

Dalian (Traditional Chinese: 大連, Simplified Chinese: 大连, Hanyu Pinyin: Dàlián, Wade-Giles: Ta-lien), formerly Lüda or Luta, is an ice-free seaport city in eastern Liaoning Province of the Northeastern People's Republic of China (Manchuria). It is west of the Yellow Sea (Korea Bay) and east of Bohai Sea. With a coastline of 1,906 km, it governs the southernmost Liaodong Peninsula and about 260 surrounding islands and reefs.

Area: 13,237 km² (land 12,573.85)
Population: 5,550,000 (2001)
Geographic coordinate: 120°58'-123°31' East, 38°43'-40°10' North
Capital: Xigang
One of the most heavily developed industrial areas of China, Dalian today consists of Dalian proper and the smaller Lushun (Port Arthur), formerly a city in its own right as well.

History
Part of the State of Yan in the Spring and Autumn Period, Dalian became a small town in the 1880s, when the Qing Empire established bridges, cannon platforms and camps there. Named after the Dalianwan Bay of the Yellow Sea northeast of the peninsula, it was officially called Dalian in 1899, and the term was first used in October 1879 by Li Hongzhang in a document.

Dalian of south Pulandian was occupied by the British in 1858, returned to the Chinese in the 1880s, and then occupied by Japan in 1895 during the first Sino-Japanese War. From 1898-1905, it was occupied by the Russians and renamed Dalny (Qingniwaqiao of Zhongshan District, Dalian) and Port Arthur (Lüshun). After the Russo-Japanese war Port Arthur was conceded to Japan (Treaty of Portsmouth), who held it from February 5, 1905-1937. In 1937, the modern Dalian City was enlarged and modernized by the Japanese as two cities: the northern Dairen (Dalian) and the southern Ryojun (Lushun). It was was part of the Japanese Manchukuo puppet state.

After World War II, Dalian was returned to Soviet-Chinese control (see Yalta Conference), and was returned to full Chinese control in 1955, although the first communist Chinese mayor of the new Lüda Administrative Office was elected in 1945. Lüda is the acronym of Lüshun and Dalian. Because of the sudden closure of many Japanese businesses, many Dalian residents were out of work for a while.

On December 1, 1950, Lüda was made into a city again. From March 12, 1953 to August 1, 1954, it became a municipality. The city's name was changed from Lüda to Dalian on March 5, 1981, after the State Council approved it on February 9. It was upgraded from a prefecture-level city to a sub-provincial city in 1994, with no change in its administrative subdivisions.

Subdivisions
The city contains 6 districts, 3 county-level cities, and 1 county:

New Jinzhou District is a section Jinzhou District under development and is technically not an administrative district, although it is at district-level.
Ganjingzi, Zhongshan, Xigang, Shahekou make up the urban centre. Changhai County is made up entirely of islands east of the peninsula. There are 74 sub-districts and 127 town/townships (11 of which are ethnic). (see Political divisions of China#Levels)

There are, in addition, 4 national leading open zones:

The Development Zone
The Free Trade Zone
The Hi-Tech Industrial Zone
The Golden Pebble Beach National Holiday Resort

Economy
A new harbor for oil tankers, at the terminus of an oil pipeline from the Daqing oilfields, was completed in 1976. Dalian is the largest petroleum port in China, and also the 3rd largest port overall. Accordingly, Dalian is a major center for oil refineries, diesel engineering, and chemical production.

Dalian has been given many benefits by the Chinese government, including the title of "open-city," (1984) which allows it consiberable foreign investment (see Special economic zone).

Cultural Life
Every September Dalian hosts the Dalian International Fashion Festival. This festival is a chance for many major foreign companies to showcase their new products and sign up buyers. Before the festival, the city holds an opening ceremony attended by government officials as well as famous stars of the entertainment world.

Dalian is the home of three zoological parks: Dalian Forest Zoo, Shengya Ocean World, and Polar World. The Forest Zoo has a free-range animal section as well as a more traditional zoo. Shengya Ocean World includes an underwater conveyor through a transparent tunnel. Polar World is the only park devoted to polar animals in China.

Miscellaneous
Dalian is considered a "model city" from which other urban planning in China is to be inspired from.

Dalian is a sister city of Le Havre, France and of Glasgow, Scotland.