Travel Before: Zhejiang

Zhejiang China

Zhejiang is a coastal province in the east of the People’s Republic of China. Its capital and biggest city is Hangzhou. Zhejiang borders Jiangsu and Shanghai to the north, Anhui to the northwest, Jiangxi to the west, and Fujian to the south. To the east lies the East China Sea, with Japan’s Ryukyu Islands beyond. The province has a population of about 57 million, the 10th largest among China’s provinces. Other major cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. In ancient times, the area of Zhejiang was ruled by the Kingdom of Yue during the Spring and Autumn period, before being annexed by the Qin Empire in 222 BC. During the late Ming dynasty and the subsequent Qing dynasty, ports in Zhejiang developed into important hubs of international trade. The province is also the birthplace of Chiang Kai-shek, the Chinese Nationalist leader and president. Zhejiang was occupied by Imperial Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War and placed under the control of the Japanese puppet regime known as the Reorganised National Government of China. After Japan’s defeat, Zhejiang’s economy stagnated under Mao Zedong’s policies. Since the beginning of China’s economic reforms, Zhejiang has become one of the country’s wealthiest provinces. It ranks fourth nationally in total GDP and fifth in GDP per head, with a nominal GDP of about CN￥5.62 trillion (around US$849 billion) as of 2018. Its economy is based largely on electromechanical manufacturing, textiles, chemicals, food processing, and construction materials. Around 70% of Zhejiang’s land area is hilly, with higher ground in the south and west. The province has the longest coastline of any in China. The Qiantang River flows through Zhejiang and gives the province its name. There are some three thousand islands within its waters, more than in any other Chinese province. Hangzhou, the capital, sits on the northern coast of Zhejiang on Hangzhou Bay, which separates Shanghai and Ningbo. The bay contains numerous small islands known together as the Zhoushan Islands. Hangzhou has long been one of China’s most historically significant cities and is classified as a “Beta+” World City by the GaWC. The city is famous for West Lake, a UNESCO World Heritage site. A variety of Chinese languages are spoken in Zhejiang, with Wu Chinese being the most widespread.

Recommended airport

Xiaoshan (HGH)

Nearby destinations

Zhejiang, China

Zhejiang China