Xiamen

Xiamen is situated on the southeast coast of Fujian Province and at the estuary of Jiulong River. It lies at 118 degree 04' 04'' east longitude and 24 degree 26' 46'' north latitude. At the back of Xiamen lies the Zhangzhou-Quanzhou Plain and facing Xiamen across the Taiwan Strait are the Taiwan Island and the Penghu Islands.
　　Xiamen City comprises Xiamen Island proper, Gulangyu (Gulang Island) and the coastal part of north Jiulong River. It has a land area of more than 1565.09 square kilometers and a sea area of 300 square kilometers. Because of such favorable conditions, Xiamen becomes an international seaport scenery city.

　　The island proper covers an area of 128.14 square kilometers, with a length of 13.7 kilometers from south to north and a width of 12.5 kilometers from east to west which is the fourth largest island of Fujian province. The Xiamen Harbor, which is a harbor of the strait type, has a coastal line that zigzags to 234 kilometers. Many other islands scatter all along the outside of Xiamen Island and hills and mountains surrounded inside this charming place. It is a natural harbor with deep water that is ice-free all the year round. Xiamen has always been an important seaport of foreign trade of southeast coast ever since the ancient times.
　　Xiamen has a subtropical climate. It is generally mild and temperate with abundant rainfalls. It has an average annual temperature of approximately 21℃. Winter in Xiamen is not harsh while summer is free from extreme heat. The city has an average annual rainfall of about 1200mm, mainly concentrated on the months from May to August. Wind power measures between Grade 3 to 4 in general, with northeast wind representing the dominant wind direction. Because of the air currents resulting from the difference in temperature in the Pacific, Xiamen is affected by typhoon three to four times annually on average, which mainly comes during the months from July to September.
　　In May of 2003, authorized by the State Council, Xiamen adjusted part of administrative districts layout. Main contents are as follows: First, Combine Siming District, Gulangyu Island and Kaiyuan District as a whole district named Siming. Original 3 districts are administrated by Siming District. Second,Xinglin District street office and Xinglin town are administrated by Jimei District.Xinglin District is renamed as Haicang District. Third, set Xiang'an District which administrates five towns originally belong to Tong'an District, They are: Xindian, Xinyu, Maxiang,NeiCe and Dadeng. Currently there are six districts under the administration of Xiamen: Siming, Huli, Jimei, Haicang,Tong'an and Xiang’an.

　　Except majority of Han Chinese in Xiamen, there are also has other more than 20 different ethnic groups such as Hui, Manchu, Zhuang, She, Miao and Goashan etc. Because of geographic environment and historical background, Xiamen has lots of returned overseas Chinese and their families, and oversea Chinese with Xiamen registered permanent residence from Macao, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
The high level and high speed of gardening and afforestation of the city
　　Xiamen's advantageous natural conditions, rich botanical resources, and particularly favorable geographical environment, especially the preferential policies obtained after Xiamen becaming a special economical zone, provide Xiamen with vast space for the development of gardening and afforestation. Since Xiamen proposed to build a state garden city in 1994, Xiamen's gardening and afforestation have been rapidly developed with an ever improving level. By the end of 1997, the whole city had a total garden and green area of 2403.9 hectares and a public total green area of 517.2 hectares. The afforestation rate in finished urban areas is 36.1% and the greenbelt rate in finished urban areas is 33.7%. The public green area per capita is 9.9 square meters.
The green area is planned in a systematic way with a high starting point and high standard.
　　Systematic Planning on Xiamen (the island proper) Greenbelt, compiled in 1994, and the systematic planning on greenbelts in the districts outside the island, such as Jimei, Xinglin, Tong'an, and Haicang Investment Zones, compiled in 1996, have the characteristics as follows:
　　First, the plans try to reach a high starting point and high standard. With reference to the standard of advanced cities in China and abroad and in view of Xiamen's concrete conditions, Xiamen has set the planning targets. The immediate objective in 2000 is as follows: the afforestation rate in finished urban areas is 40%, greenbelt rate is 35%, and public greenbelt per capita is 10 square meters. The long term objective in 2010 is as follows: the afforestation rate in finished urban areas is 45%, greenbelt rate is 40% and public greenbelt per capita is 13 to 15 square meters.
　　Secondly, the plans aim at rational distribution and complete functions. According to Xiamen's topographical features and the general urban planning and layout, a systematic greenbelt frame characterized by 'one area, one ring, two axis, and two tracts,' is formed.
　　Thirdly, the plans lay stress on the scenic peculiarity depending on advantages. In Xiamen, mountains and waters are exquisite; humanistic landscape is rich; mountains and sea are linked closely; mountains and the city cross each other; the city and landscape are in perfect harmony; subtropical botanical scenery is rich. The planning stresses the scenic peculiarity. Mountains, lakes and most of the coastal lines on the island are designated as the urban greenbelts or land for scenery. The high-standard systematic greenbelt planning provides scientific basis for urban afforestation and for building state garden city.