Shandong ChinaShandong China is the nation’s 20th largest province, covering roughly 60,500 square miles (156,700 sq km). However, the province’s population ranks 2nd in the country with 91,800,000 people. The population density places 5th with 586 p/sq km. The capital and largest city, Jinan, is located on the Yellow River (Huang He) about 60 miles (97 km) from the western border. The name Shandong means Mountain East, which is derived from its geographic location east of the Taihang Mountains. Shandong China GeographyShandong province is located on China’s eastern coast. It borders the Bo Sea in the north and Yellow Sea (Huang Hai) in the south. The Shandong Peninsula (Shandong Bandao) stretches northeast towards Korea Bay and separates the Bo Sea from the Yellow Sea. Shandong province is the last to carry the Yellow River before it reaches the sea just above Laizhou Bay (Laizhou Wan). The much smaller but commercially important Jiaozhou Bay (Jiaozhou Wan) is located next to Qingdao. The Grand Canal of China flows through Shandong from the northwest to the southwest where it runs along Weishan Lake (Weishan Hu), the largest lake in the province, before exiting. Shandong province covers a portion of the historic center of China, the North China Plane, in the west. Central Shandong is home to the Tai Mountains (Taishan). Tai Mountain just above Tai’an city is one of China’s five sacred mountains. Low-lying flat lands cover 65% of the province with hills and mountains in the remaining 35%. Shandong China borders Hebei to the north, Henan to the west, and Jiangsu to the south. Shandong, Henan, Jiansu, and Anhui share a four point border in southern Shandong. Shandong China IndustryShandong province has more gold, gypsum, and natural sulfur than any other province and ranks second in its reserves of oil, diamonds, and magnesite. Agriculture also makes an important contribution to the province’s economy. Eastern Shandong, especially around Qingdao, has scene the most economic prosperity in part due to Korean and Japanese investment. A well-known Chinese beer, Tsingtao, is made in Qingdao. Shandong’s provincial GDP ranked second in China, behind Guangdong province, in 2004. Shandong China HistoryShandong province was a part of Chinese dynastic history as far back as China’s first dynasty, the Shang Dynasty (1600 BC – 1046 BC), and China’s longest dynasty, the Zhou Dnasty (1046 BC – 226 BC). These dynasties mostly ruled over the western portion of the province where the North China Plane is found. During the Spring and Autumn Period (722 BC – 481 BC) and the Warring States Period (5th century BC – 221 BC) Shandong was home to the state of Lu, which is noted for being the home of Confucius. In 256 BC Lu was annexed by the Chu to the south. Some of the oldest portions of the Great Wall of China were built here during the state of Qi. The Qin Dynasty (221 BC – 206 BC) defeated Qi and formed the first unified Chinese state, which included Shandong. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 221 AD) the region was divided into Qingzhou and Yanzhou, which were north and south of the Yellow River respectively. During the Three Kingdoms Shandong was ruled by the northern Wei Kingdom. After that, the region saw brief stability under the Western Jin Dynasty (265 AD – 316 AD) before the nomad invasions from the north. During the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period (907 AD – 960 AD), which fell between the Tang (618 AD – 907 AD) and Song (960 AD – 1279 AD) dynasties, Shandong province was part of the northern-based five dynasties. Shandong China was first ruled under its current name during the Jurchen Jin Dynasty (1115 AD – 1234 AD) divided into two circuits, east and west. The Ming Dynasty (1368 AD – 1644 AD) unified the two parts and included part of modern Lioaning. The Germans leased Qingdao in 1897 and Britain leased Weihai in 1898. In 1922, under the Republic of China, Qingdao was once again under Chinese rule. Weihai followed in 1930. The Kuomintang were driven entirely out of Shandong province by 1949 by the Communists who established the People’s Republic of China that year. In central Shandong, Tai Mountain and its temples have attracted pilgrims for nearly 3,000 years. Shandong China DemographicsShandong China is mostly Han Chinese who compose 99.3% of the population.
Hui follow with 0.6%. Manchu are also present. Back to Top View a list of all Chinese Provinces:
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