Wanshan Qundao
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| Wanshan Qundao | |||||||||
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| Traditional Chinese: | 萬山羣島 or 萬山群島 | ||||||||
| Simplified Chinese: | 万山群岛 | ||||||||
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Wanshan Qundao (which means Ten Thousand Hills Islands), known as Ladrones Islands (Thieves Islands) during 16 to 19th Century, is a 104-island archipelago, part of the Zhuhai Municipal Administration (Wanshan Administration), in the Guangdong Province of the People's Republic of China
The islands are situated to the south of Hong Kong in the South China Sea. The largest island, Dangan, has a mountain terrain similar to Hong Kong.
Islands of the archipelgo include:
- Dangan Liedao (Dangan Dao and Zhiwan Dao) - 13.2 kilometres in area and the largest of the islands; 200 permanent residents
- Dawanshan Dao
- San Men Liedao
- Wai Lingding Dao - 3.7 kilometres in and a tourist attraction with natural sites and temples
- Beijian Dao
- Yuejiawei
- Daguishanlian Dao
- Dahao
- Miaowan Dao - 1.46 kilometres in area with a small population of fishermen. Lighthouse on the island was built by the British in 1884
- Daxi
- Guishan - formerly PLA base from the 1950s
- Zhongxinzhou
- Niutou
- Dazhizhu
- Huangmao
- Xiaozhizhu
- Sanjiao
- Jiaopeng
- Erzhou
- Donggao - 4.62 square kilometres in area with population of 500
Other geographically important points of interest:
- Lema Channel is a major waterway in the archipelgo.
- Dahengqin Dao is an island off Macau and not part of this archipelgo.
- Biggest island is Dangan Island
- Erzhou, rising to 437.7m above sea level, is the highest
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[edit] Population
There is a small local population. mostly in small fishing villages:
- Dangan
- Danganwei
- Nacun
[edit] Economy
The archipelago's economy is mainly fisheries (crystal prawn, peeler crab). There is a growing tourism industry with a focus on history (Blundbuss Tower is a major attraction on Donggao Island), beaches, and the natural beauty of the islands. About 350,000 tourists visit the islands annually.
There is also potential for petroleum extraction in the waters off the islands.
[edit] Tourist Sites
- A-Ma Temple on Wanshan
- Floating Cobbles Bay - Wanshan
- Son-Soliciting Springs - Dongao
- Wen Tianxiang Park - Guishan
- Monument to the Martyrs of Guishan Warship - Guishan
- Xiafeng Bay - Miaowan
- Dangan Village - Dangan
[edit] Transportation
- Ferry service from Zhuihai to Guishan, Wai Lingding, Dangan, Dongao and Wanshan
- Fast/Slow Ferry service to Guishan, Wai Lingding, Xiangzhou
- Sightseeing Ferryboats from Zhuhai
[edit] References
- Aerial image of the islands (Google map)
- Wanshan Qundao
- Functional Division in Urban Planning
- Enjoying sunlight and sea in Zhuhai Islands
