Shantou the six !!

SHANTOU

Also known as Swatow or Suátao, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guandong province, peoples republic china, with a total population of 5,391,028 as of 2010 and an administrative area of 2,064 square kilometres (797 sq mi). With it and the immediately surrounding cities of Jieyang and Chaozhou, the metropolitan region – known as Chaoshan – covers an area of 10,404 square kilometres (4,017 sq mi), and had a permanent population of 13,937,897 at the end of 2010.

It is the fourth-largest most populated area in China, after Guangzhou, Shanghai and Beijing.

Shantou, a city significant in 19th-century Chinese history as one of the treaty ports established for Western trade and contact, was one of the original Special Economic Zone of the People Public of China established in the 1980s, but failed to blossom like other cities such as Shenzhen, Xianmen and Zhuhai. However, it remains as Eastern Guangdong's economic centre, and is home to Shantou University, a member of the “Project 211” group.

HISTORY

Shantou was a fishing village part of Tuojiang City (鮀江都), Jieyang District (揭陽縣) during the Song Dinasty. It came to be Xialing (廈嶺) during the Yuan Dinasty. In 1563, Shantou was a part of Chenghai District (澄海縣) in Chao Prefecture (Chaozhou). As early as 1574, Shantou had been called Shashan Ping (沙汕坪). In the seventeenth century, a cannon platform called Shashan Toupaotai (沙汕頭炮臺 sha shan tou pao tai) was made here, and the placename later was shortened to "Shantou". Locally it has been referred to as Kialat.

Connecting to Shantou across the Queshi Bridge is Queshi (礐石) which had been known by the local people through the 19th century as Kakchio. It was the main site for the American and British Consulates. Today the area is a scenic park but some of the structures are somewhat preserved from its earlier history.

It became a city in 1919, and was separated from Chenghai in 1921. 1922 saw the devastating Swatow Typoon, which killed 50,000 out of the 65,000 people then inhabiting the city.

In the 1930s, as a transport hub and a merchandise distribution centre in Southeast China, Shantou Port's cargo throughput ranked third in the country. A brief account of a visit to the city in English during this period is the English accountant Max Relton'sA Man in the East: A Journey through French Indo-China (Michael Jospeh Ltd., London, 1939).

With higher-level administrative authority, Shantou governed Chaozhou City and Jieyang City from 1983 to 1989.

Shantou was a fishing village part of Tuojiang City (鮀江都), Xieyang District (揭陽縣) during the Song Dinasty. It came to be Xialing (廈嶺) during the Yuan Dinasty. In a 1563, Shantou was a part of Denghai District (澄海縣) in Chao Prefecture (Chaozhou). As early as 1574, Shantou had been called Shashan Ping (沙汕坪). In the seventeenth century, a cannon platform called Shashan Toupaotai (沙汕頭炮臺 sha shan tou pao tai) was made here, and the placename later was shortend to "Shantou".

It became a city in 1919, and was separated from Denghai in 1921. As a high-level city, Shantou administered Chaozhou city from 1983 to 1989.

Administration

Shantou is a Prefecture-level city. It has direct jurisdiction over six districs and one County.

Map	#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Population (2010 Census)	Area (km²)	Density (/km²)
	City proper
	1	Jinping District	金平区	Jīnpíng Qū	810,606	109	7,437
	3	Longhu District	龙湖区	Lónghú Qū	536,102	104	5,155
	Suburban
	2	Haojiang District	濠江区	Háojiāng Qū	267,597	135	1,982
	4	Chaoyang District	潮阳区	Cháoyáng Qū	1,626,641	668	2,435
	5	Chaonan District	潮南区	Cháonán Qū	1,290,922	596	2,166
	6	Chenghai District	澄海区	Chénghǎi Qū	798,896	345	2,315
	Rural
	7	Nan'ao County	南澳县	Nán'ào Xiàn	60,264	108	558

As of 2003, the district of Haojiang was established out of Hepu and Dahao which had been merged together, and the district of Jinping Shengping and Jinyuan; Waisha and Xinxi Town, part of former Chenghai City, was merged into Longhu District; Chenghai City became Chenghai District; Chaoyang City was divided and became Chaoyang and Chaonan District respectively.

DEMOGRAPIC

Shantou is one of the most densely populated regions in China. Former Chaoyang City was China's most populous county-level administrative region, with 2.4 million inhabitants.

Most residents are linguistically Teochew. There are also Hakka, popularly known as Half-Hakka (半山客), living mainly in Chaoyang District (潮陽區) and Chaonan District (潮南區), although they speak Teochew on a daily basis and practise Teochew culture. Thanks to the Mandarin-medium education system, most people, especially the younger generations, can speak Mandarin fluently. Thanks to Cantonese-language TV and labor migrations to the Pearl River Delta, Cantonese is widely spoken as a second or third language by the younger generations.

Governmental statistics show that 2.16 million Overseas Chinese have roots in Shantou, with significant populations of Teochew people residing in Thailand and Cambodia. This is demonstrated by the unusually high number of international direct flights between Bankok and Shantou. In addition, there are at least two Teochew-speaking air hostesses on board each China Southern flight between Shantou and Bangkok.The Teochew presence, furthermore, is evident in Singapore and Malaysia; Johor Bahru, a coastal city situated at the latter's southernmost tip, is known as 'Little Swatow'. On 02/02/2010, Jetstar Asia launches flights between Shantou and Singapore to better connect the latter's Teochew community.

Demographics

It has a large population from Chaozhou, and most residents use the local Chaozhou dialect of Min Chinese, or the national dialect, putonghua.

Government statistics show that 2.16 million overseas chinese have roots in Shantou, with significant populations of Chaozhou people residing inThailand and Singpore. This is demonstrated by the unusually high number of international direct flights between Bankok and Shantou.