[edit]
Haikou city map
Haikou is situated on the north coast of Hainan Island, by Haikou Bay, facing the Leizhou Peninsula across the Qiongzhou Strait that stretches west from Beibu Bay near Vietnam to the James Shoal bordering the South China Sea to the west. Most of the city is almost completely flat and only a few metres above sea level. It has an area of 2,304.84 km2 (889.90 sq mi).[citation needed] The Meishe River winds through the east side of the city flowing northward to the Haidian River.
The northern part of Haikou City, the district of Haidian Island, is separated from the main part of Haikou by the Haidian River, a tributary of the Nandu River. The district is accessed by one of four bridges, the largest being Haikou Century Bridge, which connects the Guomao district with Haidian Island at the estuary of the Haidian River. From east to west the remaining three road connections are provided by the Renmin, Heping and Xinbu Bridges.
Directly to the northeast of Haikou and to the east of Haidian Island is Xinbu Island.
Climate[edit]
Further information: Hainan § Annual fog
Haikou is on the northern tropical zone, and is part of the Intertropical Convergence Zone. April to October is the active period for tropical storms and typhoons, most of which occur between August and September. May to October is the rainy season with the heaviest rainfall occurring in September. The city has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen Aw). Extremes since 1951 have ranged from 2.8 °C (37 °F) on 12 January 1955 to 41.3 °C (106 °F) on 30 April 2024.
Climate data for Haikou, elevation 64 m (210 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Year
Record high °C (°F)
33.5(92.3)
37.2(99.0)
38.4(101.1)
41.3(106.3)
39.2(102.6)
38.4(101.1)
38.7(101.7)
37.6(99.7)
36.0(96.8)
34.5(94.1)
34.7(94.5)
31.5(88.7)
41.3(106.3)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)
21.3(70.3)
23.0(73.4)
26.6(79.9)
30.2(86.4)
32.5(90.5)
33.6(92.5)
33.4(92.1)
32.5(90.5)
31.1(88.0)
28.9(84.0)
26.1(79.0)
22.4(72.3)
28.5(83.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)
18.2(64.8)
19.3(66.7)
22.4(72.3)
25.6(78.1)
27.9(82.2)
28.9(84.0)
28.9(84.0)
28.3(82.9)
27.6(81.7)
25.9(78.6)
23.2(73.8)
19.6(67.3)
24.7(76.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)
16.1(61.0)
17.1(62.8)
19.9(67.8)
22.9(73.2)
25.0(77.0)
25.9(78.6)
25.8(78.4)
25.6(78.1)
25.0(77.0)
23.5(74.3)
21.1(70.0)
17.7(63.9)
22.1(71.8)
Record low °C (°F)
2.8(37.0)
6.5(43.7)
6.4(43.5)
9.8(49.6)
16.3(61.3)
21.2(70.2)
21.0(69.8)
21.7(71.1)
17.5(63.5)
14.1(57.4)
10.0(50.0)
5.3(41.5)
2.8(37.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches)
23.5(0.93)
29.9(1.18)
42.9(1.69)
80.0(3.15)
191.4(7.54)
238.9(9.41)
247.6(9.75)
293.0(11.54)
268.8(10.58)
274.1(10.79)
59.6(2.35)
38.3(1.51)
1,788(70.42)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm)
8.6
9.1
9.6
10.3
15.2
16.5
16.3
15.6
14.1
11.4
8.4
8.3
143.4
Average relative humidity (%)
85
86
84
82
81
80
80
82
82
79
80
80
82
Mean monthly sunshine hours
91.5
97.0
128.5
160.4
208.5
211.7
230.6
210.0
174.5
165.7
121.0
95.5
1,894.9
Percentage possible sunshine
27
30
34
42
51
53
57
53
48
46
36
28
42
Source: China Meteorological Administration all-time extreme temperatureall-time August recordall-time March record
Environment[edit]
As of 2018[update], Haikou has the second best air quality among major cities nationally, preceded only by Lhasa, Tibet. However, since approximately 2009, due to an increase in the number of automobiles, there has been somewhat worsening air pollution.
According to the 2005 statistical book issued by the National Bureau of Statistics, Haikou scored the highest among China's main cities in air quality, with 366 days (2004) of ambient air quality equal to or above grade II, with only 0.033 milligrams/m2 of particulate matter (the least of all main cities), 0.003 milligrams/m2 of sulphur dioxide (only Lhasa had less), and 0.013 milligrams/m2 of nitrogen dioxide (the least of all main cities).
In 1995, the Haikou city government began an initiative to improve the quality of life for its residents. With the approval of the World Health Organization, and Ministry of Health, a ten-point plan was undertaken to address such issues as:
Community health care
Vaccinations for children
Waste recycling
Green belts and urban trees
Environmentally friendly construction
Public toilets (These are available throughout the city, are staffed, and well maintained.)
Sewage treatment
Communications
Noise pollution
The groundwater is of international standard[clarification needed], and is classified as mineral water.
By 2004, the city had established 43 new community health service centers reaching 85 percent of the population. The initiative has increased the size of Haikou's green spaces to 2,000 hectares, with trees lining 40 percent of its roads. Noise pollution has dropped from 61.1db to 58.2db and 300 public toilets have been built. All industrial effluents, industrial waste water and solid waste, and all live sewage, is now processed through centralized treatment centers, and is disposed of without environmental impact. These improvements and others have increased life expectancy in Haikou to 78.26 years.
Haikou city has also built 163 model ecological villages. Now, over 200,000 villagers in 933 villages have tap water in their homes.
Comprehensive city-improvement campaign[edit]
During 2015 and 2016, large-scale city improvements have taken place as part of a province-wide initiative called "double create" (双创). It is described by government sources as a campaign to create a cleaner city and create a more civilized city. It is focused on traffic and commerce, but has also improved the overall appearance of the city, tackling air pollution from industry emissions, aiming to ensure the safety of drinking water sources, improving public security in such places as hospitals, schools, malls, and visitor attractions. Details of these improvements include:
Traffic: Many new street crossings with traffic lights were installed around the city to improve two-wheel vehicles (consisting mainly of electric motorbikes) and pedestrian travel. Throughout the city, teams of police have been stationed at major intersections to ensure that two-wheel vehicles obey the law. Although there are many side lanes for these bikes, the actual pedestrian sidewalks serve as legal, one-way routes. Police at intersections stop vehicles either going the wrong way, or running red lights and the offenders may be forced to wear a red sash, stop other offenders, and lecture them.
Commerce: Around August 2015, teams of officers physically removed nearly all illegal structures used for business in the city (a province-wide campaign) which were commonly made of corrugated metal or cinderblocks and were shop extensions or simply unused space that had been built upon. Street vendors were banned (most of whom sold vegetables or fruit), as was the night operation of roadside BBQ sites and the placement of tables onto the sidewalks by restaurants. These night time food operations were once common throughout the city.
Roads and sidewalks: Many small roads have been repaved including narrow lanes in old neighbourhoods. Also, many sidewalks have been upgraded with new brick. Bricks are used as sidewalk material in Haikou because of the large amount of ficus trees, the roots of which deform the surrounding sidewalk.
Demolition and reconstruction: A number of entire neighbourhoods within the city have been, and are being, entirely demolished with new buildings and roads being built.
Starting around the beginning of 2018, the city government funded painting and cladding of a number of buildings in the city centre.
Water and sewage treatment[edit]
The treatment of Haikou's wastewater, and the supply of tap water is operated by the French company Veolia Water. The partial privatization agreement gives 49 percent ownership to Veolia Water in a 30-year joint venture with Haikou Water Group (2012–2042).
