Geographical Location

Qingdao is situated at the southern tip of the Shandong Peninsula, by the Yellow Sea and on the west shore of the Pacific Ocean, across the sea on its east are the Republic of Korea and Japan.

Administrative Divisions

Qingdao is a sub-provincial city with independent planning status. Its administrative divisions include seven districts: Shinan, Shibei, Licang, Laoshan, Huangdao, Chengyang, and Jimo, and three county-level cities: Jiaozhou, Pingdu and Laixi. It has a permanent resident population of more than 10 million.

Total Area

Qingdao’s jurisdiction area covers a land area of 11,282 square kilometers and a sea area of 12,240 square kilometers.

Original Bench Mark China’s leveling origin is located at the top of the Guanxiang Hill in Qingdao. This fixed starting point of the national elevation system was set up in October 1954.

Natural Environment

Qingdao is a hilly city by the sea, featuring tortuous coastline interspersed with capes and bays, with Mount Lao in the east, Dazhu Mountain, Xiaozhu Mountain, and Tiejue Mountain in the west, Daze Mountain in the north, and Jiaolai Plain in the middle. There are three river systems, namely, Dagu River, North Jiaolai River and rivers in coastal areas; as well as three bay clusters including Jiaozhou Bay, Aoshan Bay and Lingshan Bay. Qingdao has 49 bays, 120 islands and a coastline of 782 kilometers, accounting for a quarter of the total coastline of Shandong Province.

Climate

Qingdao has a temperate monsoon climate, which is mild with relatively abundant rainfalls. It is neither very hot in summer nor very cold in winter in Qingdao. The weather is particularly pleasant from late spring to early summer with frequent marine fogs. The coastal areas of Qingdao feature a late-arriving spring, a cool summer, a pleasant autumn, and a long winter.

City Tree and City Flowers

The official city tree of Qingdao is the cedar, and its city flowers are the common camellia and the Chinese rose.

A Key Coastal Center of China

In January 2016, the State Council approved Qingdao Overall Urban Plan (2011-2020), which raised Qingdao’s position from an economic center on the east coast of China to an important coastal center of China. By 2020, Qingdao will have a population of 12 million (permanent residents in downtown area controlled within 6.1 million), with an urban construction area of 660 square kilometers and urbanization ratio of over 78%. Urban space outlay structure, industrial development direction and comprehensive transport system will have been further optimized, which will enable the city to better undertake national strategies.

Climate Qingdao has a temperate monsoon climate, which is mild with relatively abundant rainfalls. It is neither very hot in summer nor very cold in winter in Qingdao. The weather is particularly pleasant from late spring to early summer with frequent marine fogs. The coastal areas of Qingdao feature a late-arriving spring, a cool summer, a pleasant autumn, and a long winter.

A Resort Destination

A hilly seaside city, Qingdao boasts picturesque landscapes featuring red tiles, green trees, blue sea and azure sky. The buildings here are of unique architectural styles, and the Badaguan architectural complex is hailed as the most beautiful urban district in China. Acclaimed “No.1 Famous Mountain on the Sea” and “Millennium-old Sacred Mountain for Taoism,” Mount Lao is noted as a national 5A tourist attraction. A blend of both mountains and sea, Qingdao is named by the United Nations among the world’s most livable cities, and Qingdao’s bays are lauded as the most beautiful bays of the world. Qingdao is also home to China Cruise Tourism Development Experimental Zone. The Qingdao Cruise Homeport has three berths, where ultra-large cruise liners enter and exit around the clock. Qingdao receives 100 million domestic and international tourists each year.

A Historical and Cultural City in China

Qingdao has been named a National Civilized City of China for several consecutive years. Renowned as a Historical and Cultural City in China and a Cultural City in East Asia, it was the first Chinese city to produce violins; screen and make movies. It is home to the Oriental Movie Metropolis, the world’s biggestfilm and television industry base in terms of investment. Qingdao has been named a UNESCO City of Film, the first Chinese city to win the title.

An Open Coastal City in China

Qingdao is one of China’s first coastal cities opening up to the outside world. It has established trade ties with over 216 countries and regions across the world, sister-city relationships (with 25 cities) or friendly cooperative relationships (with 48 cities) with 73 overseas cities, and international economic partnerships with 98 cities (provinces/states) or business organizations around the world. There are consulates general of Japan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand in this city. Over 2,100 foreign government organizations and enterprises have representative offices here, and 156 Fortune 500 companies have invested in 294 projects here.

A City of Marine Science and Technology

Qingdao is a city renowned for marine science and technology. It is home to one fifth of China’s marine research institutions, one third of the country’s high-end marine R&D platforms. It boasts the country’s sole center for marine technology transfer with 18 full-time Chinese academicians in thefield of marine science. It owns such national innovation platforms as the Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, CAS and the China National Deep Sea Center. Marine industries contributed over a quarter of Qingdao’s GDP in 2018. The city plans to give full play to its advantages in marine industries by promoting high-quality development and exploring new driving forces.

A City of Brands in China

Qingdao is famed for being a “City of Brands” in China. A number of world-renowned Chinese enterprises, such as Haier, Hisense, Tsingtao Brewery, Doublestar, and CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co., Ltd., are based in Qingdao and their products, including refrigerators, TV sets, beer and high-speed trains, are sold across the globe. Haier and Tsingtao Brewery ranked the 3rd and 22nd among China 500 Most Valuable Brands 2018. Qingdao has produced in total over 55% of the high-speed trains in China.

A City of Marine Science and Technology

Qingdao is a city renowned for marine science and technology. It is home to one fifth of China’s marine research institutions, one third of the country’s high-end marine R&D platforms. It boasts the country’s sole center for marine technology transfer with 18 full-time Chinese academicians in thefield of marine science. It owns such national innovation platforms as the Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Center for Ocean Mega-Science, CAS and the China National Deep Sea Center. Marine industries contributed over a quarter of Qingdao’s GDP in 2018. The city plans to give full play to its advantages in marine industries by promoting high-quality development and exploring new driving forces.

A Wealth Management Center

A national pilot zone for comprehensive financial reform for wealth management set up with approval of the State Council, Qingdao undertakes the mission to explore a wealth management development path with Chinese characteristics. It will vigorously establish a wealth management system with Chinese characteristics by building a cluster of wealth management organizations, a market functional center, a product and service innovation center, an education research center and a high-end business center towards the goal of an international center for wealth management. Each year the city hosts China Wealth Forum, an international wealth management event, which has enhanced the brand influence of “Wealth Qingdao”.

A National Innovation Center

Qingdao is the country’s sole city that functions as a national innovative city and at the same time undertakes technological innovation projects. The National Technology Innovation Center for High Speed Trains, approved in September 2016, has been listed in the 13th Five-Year Plan of China and a key project of Shandong Province in upgrading drivers of growth. This is the first national technological innovation center. Located in the core area of Qingdao Rail Transit Industry Demonstration Zone, with a planned area of six square kilometers, the center will focus on building “three platforms, two centers, and one network”.

A Co-Host City of Olympic Games

Qingdao hosted the sailing competitions of the 29th Olympic Games and the 13th Paralympic Games in 2008. Moreover, it has hosted the world’s premier sailing competitions such as the Volvo Ocean Race, the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, the Extreme Sailing Series, and the ISAF Sailing World Cup in succession. Qingdao is dubbed as a “Sailing City of China” and the “Best Sailing City of Asia.”