Ma'anshan, also written as Maanshan, is a prefecture-level city in the eastern part of Anhui Province in Eastern China. An industrial city stretching across the Yangtze River, Ma'anshan borders Hefei to the west, Wuhu to the southwest, and Nanjing to the east. It is a core city of the Nanjing Metropolitan Circle. The prefecture-level city of Ma'anshan administers 6 county-level divisions, including 3 districts and 3 counties: Yushan District, Huashan District, Bowang District, Dangtu County, He County and Hanshan County. In September 2012, Jinjiazhuang District was dissolved and merged with Huashan District, while part of Dangtu County was split and established as Bowang District.
The name of the city means "Horse Saddle Mountain". According to legend, the name came to be when the Western Chu hegemon Xiang Yu was fleeing from the Battle of Gaixia. Rather than be captured, the defeated general killed himself at the area now known as Ma'anshan after ensuring that his beloved horse would be ferried across the river to safety. Upon seeing his master die, the grief-stricken horse leapt into the river and was drowned. As a tribute, the boatman buried the horse's saddle on a nearby hill, giving Ma'anshan its name.
1. History
The south bank of the Yangtze River from Ma'anshan upstream for 240 km (150 mi), has long been a mining area. The coming of a railroad and the opening of the Huai-nan coalfield in the 1930s made it possible for the Japanese to open an iron and steel works in 1938. Although destroyed at the end of the Second World War, the industries were restored to production in 1953, and Ma'anshan grew rapidly under the Communists' first and second Five-Year Plans. Ma'anshan also has sulfur and limestone mines, and chemical and cement factories. In 1954, Ma'anshan was elevated to town level and in Oct. 12, 1956, Ma'anshan City was declared to be founded.
2. Economy
The main industry is the steel industry (MaGang) which employs much of the workforce of Ma'anshan.
At present, major expansions of the steel plant are underway to increase production drastically. With the advanced manufacturing infrastructure and fast transportation link, Ma'anshan has received much investment in many industries.
Ma'anshan city has an annual manufacture investment ranking No.1 in Anhui Province and her GDP ranks No.4 in Anhui Province after Hefei, Anqing and Wuhu. Ma'anshan's population ranks No.16 in the province and GDP per capita ranks No.1 in Anhui Province and near the average of Yangtze River Delta.
Ma'anshan has been identified by the Economist Intelligence Unit in the November 2010 Access China White Paper as a member of the CHAMPS (Chongqing, Hefei, Anshan, Ma'anshan, Pingdingshan and Shenyang), an economic profile of the top 20 emerging cities in China.
3. Education
Ma'anshan has two institutions of higher education: Anhui University of Technology and Hohai University Wentian College, the latter is a high institute mainly focusing on trading and business management, and expanding to offer the international bachelor's degree for several majors bilingually in English and Chinese.
4. Transportation
The deep water river port of Ma'anshan, with custom offices ensures fast and inexpensive transportation to other cities both in the East coast, and the inner cities along the Yangtze River. Nanjing Lukou International Airport is 40 km (25 mi) from Ma'anshan, with direct flights to every corner of China and also daily flights to Europe. By road, Ma'anshan is connected with highways to Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Hefei and Wuhu.
The city has one Yangtze River crossing-the Ma'anshan Yangtze River Bridge, has opened and come into use, enables direct road access to cities in northern Anhui.
5. Climate
Surrounded by low hills (The name of the city means "horse saddle mountain"), it is not as polluted as other major Chinese steelmaking cities, thanks to the environmental policies taken by the local government that granted the city the recognition as one of the "Ten Green Cities of China". Ma'anshan has a subtropical monsoon climate, four seasons, the annual average temperature of 15.7 °C, the annual average rainfall of 1060 mm.
Its climate is similar to other cities in the Yangtze River Delta, with lower humidity that makes its summers and winters less extreme. There are frequent showers during July and August.
6. Tourism
Caishi Rock, a famous ancient battlefield from the Jin-Song wars lying to the southwest of the city, is regarded as the best of three rocks that project over the Yangtze River.
Taibai Pavilion is one of four famous pavilions along the Yangtze River. Caishi scenic area is a national tourism spot, with a combination of natural and man-made scenery.
Population: 2.23 million
Temperature: average 15.7 °C
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