Hainan Island is world-famous for its unique and charming tropical views, relaxed and happy natural environment, particularly magnificent marine resources and simple and kindhearted people
Hainan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located at the southernmost end of the country. It consists several islands, the largest of which is also called Hainan (Hainan Dao). And when speaking of "Hainan" in Chinese, it is usually Hainan Island that is referred to. To emphasize the referent as a province, one says Hainan Sheng ("Hainan Province").
History
Hainan Island was called the Pearl Cliffs (珠崖), the Jade Cliffs (琼崖 qiong2 yai2), and the Qiong Prefecture (琼州 Qiongzhou), the latter two gave rise to the province's abbreviation, Qiong (琼 in Simplified Chinese).
In Wu Kingdom of the Three Kingdoms Period, Hainan was the Zhuyai Prefecture (珠崖郡).
Hainan was one of the last areas of China controlled by the Chiang Kai-Shek's KMT. From March to May 1950, the Landing Operation on Hainan Island (海南岛登陆战役) captured the island for the Chinese communists.
Hainan was historically part of Guangdong Province, being as such, it was the Qionyai Circuit (琼崖道) in 1912 (the establishment of the Republic of China). In 1921, it was planned to became a Special Administrative Region (琼崖特别行政区), and in 1944 and became Hainan Special Administrative Region with 16 counties that contains the South China Sea Islands.
On May 1, 1950 (under the PRC), the Special Administrative Region became an Administrative Region Office (海南行政区公署), a branch of the Guangdong provincial government. On October 1, 1984, it became the Hainan Administrative Region (海南行政区), with a People's Government, and finally as province separated from Guangdong four years later.
Geography
Hainan is the second largest island of China (after Taiwan). Qiongzhou Strait (琼州海峡) locates north of Hainan and separates it from the Leizhou Peninsula (雷州半岛) of Guangxi. To the west is the Gulf of Tonkin.
Not just one island, Hainan also contains all 250 South China Sea Islands as a part of the official PRC territory. The containment of the South China Sea Islands makes Hainan Province have a very large water body, but disproportionally small land area. James Shoal (曾母暗沙 Zengmu Anshan), which is presently occupied by the PRC, signifies the country's southernmost border. But the Malaysians also claim it is on their continental shelf.