1. Brief Introduction
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers. Arising out of the conglomeration of three cities, Wuchang, Hankou, and Hanyang, Wuhan is known as "the nine provinces' leading thoroughfare"; it is a major transportation hub, with dozens of railways, roads and expressways passing through the city. Because of its key role in domestic transportation, Wuhan was sometimes referred to as the "Chicago of China.” It is recognized as the political, economic, financial, cultural, educational and transportation center of central China.
2. Economy
Wuhan is a sub-provincial city. In 2012, the city's GDP exceeded 800 billion CNY, growing at an annual rate of 11.4 percent. GDP is split almost evenly between the city's industrial and service sectors. GDP per capita was approximately 64,000 CNY as of 2009. In 2013, the city's annual average disposable income was 23,738.09 CNY.
Wuhan has attracted foreign investment from over 80 countries, with 5,973 foreign-invested enterprises established in the city with a total capital injection of $22.45 billion USD. Among these, about 50 French companies have operations in the city, representing over one third of French investment in China, and the highest level of French investment in any Chinese city. The municipal government offers various preferential policies to encourage foreign investment, including tax incentives, discounted loan interest rates and government subsidies.
Wuhan is an important center for economy, trade, finance, transportation, information technology, and education in China. Its major industries include optic-electronic, automobile manufacturing, iron and steel manufacturing, new pharmaceutical sector, biology engineering, new materials industry and environmental protection. Wuhan Iron and Steel (Group) Co. and Dongfeng-Citroen Automobile Co., Ltd headquartered in the city. Environmental sustainability is highlighted in Wuhan's list of emerging industries, which include energy efficiency technology and renewable energy.
Wuhan is one of the cities with the most competitive force for domestic trade in China. Wuhan, close next to Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou in its volume of retail, is among the top list of China's metropolises. Wuhan Department Store, Zhongshang Company, Hanyang Department Store, and Central Department Store enjoy highest reputation and are Wuhan's four major commercial enterprises and listed companies. Hanzhengjie Small Commodities Market has been prosperous for hundreds of years and enjoys a worldwide reputation.
3. Education - College and Universities
Wuhan is one of the three scientific and educational centers of China, along with Beijing and Shanghai. It has the largest number of enrolled college students in the world in 2011. The city of Wuhan has 85 higher educational institutions such as Wuhan University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology. Wuhan ranks 3rd in China in scientific and educational strength: it contains three national development zones and four scientific and technologic development parks, as well as numerous enterprise incubators, over 350 research institutes, 1470 hi-tech enterprises, and over 400,000 experts and technicians. Wuhan also boasts eight national colleges and universities among its 36 colleges and universities.
4. Culture
Wuhan is one of the birthplaces of the brilliant ancient Chu Culture in China. Han opera, which is the local opera of Wuhan area, was one of China's oldest and most popular operas. During the late Qing dynasty, Han opera, blended with Hui opera, gave birth to Peking opera, the most popular opera in modern China. Therefore Han opera is called "mother of Peking opera" in China.
5. Geography & Transportation
Located in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River, Wuhan has been regarded as the “thoroughfare to nine provinces”. Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and the Yangtze River converge in Wuhan and also Beijing-Jiulong Railway and Beijing-Guangzhou Railway intersect in it, thus forming a railway network linking North China, Southwest China, Central-South China and East China. Moreover, Beijing-Zhuhai Expressway and Shanghai-Chengdu Expressway converge in Wuhan and a High-speed Railway along the Yangtze River will be completed here soon. Therefore, a “flexible multimodal transportation system” combining expressways, high-speed railways and water transportation on the Yangtze River gives greater prominence to Wuhan’s position of strategic importance as a junction of water and land transportation in China. Combined with Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, it is very convenient to other cities throughout China and the world.
6. Climate
Wuhan's climate is humid subtropical with abundant rainfall and four distinctive seasons. Wuhan is known for its oppressively humid summers, when dewpoints can often reach 26 °C (79 °F) or more. Because of its hot summer weather, Wuhan is commonly known as one of the Three Furnaces of China, along with Nanjing and Chongqing. Spring and autumn are generally mild, while winter is cool with occasional snow. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 3.7 °C (38.7 °F) in January to 28.7 °C (83.7 °F) in July. Annual precipitation totals 1,269 millimetres (50.0 in), mainly from May to July; the annual mean temperature is 16.63 °C (61.9 °F), the frost-free period lasts 211 to 272 days. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 31 percent in March to 59 percent in August, the city proper receives 1,929 hours of bright sunshine annually. Extreme temperatures have ranged from -18.1 to 42.0 °C (-1 to 108 °F).
Population: 9.79 million
Temperature: average 16.63 °C (61.9 °F)
7. Cuisine
Hubei cuisine ranks as one of China’s ten major styles of cooking with many representative dishes. With development of more than 2,000 years, Hubei cuisine, originating in Chu Cuisine in ancient times, has developed a lot of distinctive dishes with its own characteristics, such as steamed blunt-snout bream in clear soup, preserved ham with flowering Chinese cabbage, etc.
Guozao is a popular way to say having breakfast in Wuhan. It is generally said that Guangzhou is the paradise for eating and Shanghai for dressing, while Wuhan is a combination of both. Sitting favorably at the heart of China, Wuhan has gathered and mixed together various habits and customs from neighboring cities and provinces in all directions, which gives rise to a saying of concentrating diverse customs from different places.
1. Hot and Dry Noodles, Re-gan mian consists of long freshly boiled noodles mixed with sesame paste. The Chinese word re means hot and gan means dry. It is considered to be the most typical local food for breakfast.
2. Duck's neck or Ya Bozi is a local version of this popular Chinese dish, made of duck necks and spices.
3. Bean skin or Doupi is a popular local dish with a filling of egg, rice, beef, mushrooms and beans cooked between two large round soybean skins and cut into pieces, structurally like a stuffed pizza without enclosing edges.
4. A salty doughnut or Mianwo is a kind of doughnut with a salty taste. It's much thinner than a common doughnut, and is a typical Wuhan local food.
