Dalian City Facts & Districts
 Dalian
as a city is young by Chinese standards, dating from 1898,
though smaller settlements had long existed in the area.
Like Hong Kong, Shanghai and Qingdao, Dalian's development
stemmed from colonial occupation, in this case by Russia, as
well as Japanese presence.
Situated on Liaodong Peninsular, Dalian borders the Yellow
Sea to the north, Dalian is one of the most heavily developed
industrial areas of China. The Dalian administrative district
today consists of Dalian proper and the smaller L¨¹shunkou (formerly
L¨¹shun city, known in western and Russian historic references
as Port Arthur), about forty nautical miles farther along the
Liaotung/Liaodong Peninsula.
The bustling downtown area and most sights are located in
the eastern part of the city. The governmental and commercial
centers are around Zhongshan Square and Renmin Square. The
southwestern part of the city is the university district. The
northern part of the city is the newly developing zone where
Dailian's Economic and Technology Zone located. The southern
coastal area has many beach attractions.
The city area is not very large, and sight-seeing attractions,
hotels and shopping places are not very far from each other.
A walking trip throughout the downtown is quite easy.
Dalian City Facts
Dalian Districts
Map of Dalian
Population |
6,200,000 |
Sub-Provincial City of |
Liaoning |
Land Size |
12,374 square kilometers
(4,777 square miles);
Urban area of 2,415 square kilometers (932 square miles) |
Elevation |
29 meters (94 feet) |
Coastline |
1,906 kilometers (excluding
islands) |
Country Code |
86 |
Area Code |
411 |
Zip Code |
116011 |
Main inhabitants |
Han nationality (99 percent
of the total population.) |
Main ethnic nationalities |
Manchurians, Koreans and
Mongolians |
Main religion |
Buddhism and Taoism |
Language |
Natives speak the Dalian
dialect, the government language is Mandarin |
 Dalian is divided into 6 districts (Zhongshan, Xigang, Shahekou,
Ganjingzi, Lushunkou, and Jinzhou districts); 3 county-level
cities (Wafangdian, Pulandian and Zhuanghe); and 1 county called
Changhai which is made up entirely of islands east of the peninsula.
Zhongshan, Xigang, Shanhekou, and Ganjingzi make up the urban
centre.There are a total of 74 sub-districts and 127 town/townships
(11 of which are ethnic) in Dalian.
In addition, there are 4 state-level leading areas that have
opened: the Development Zone, the Free Trade Zone, the Hi-Tech
Industrial Zone, and the Golden Pebble Beach National Holiday
Resort.
Following please find more information about the popular districts
in Dalian.
Zhongshan District
 The Zhongshan District encompasses both the main business
and commercial centre of Dalian and many of the most scenic
parts of the southern coastline.As a result, visitors to
the city tend to spend most of their time here, as reflected
in the wide range of hotels and restaurants found in this area.The downside of this popularity is that hotels, restaurants,
and shops tend to be more expensive than in other parts of
the city.That being said, for those who can afford it or
can take advantage of the few lower budget options available,
Zhongshan District makes for an excellent base for exploring
Dalian.
Xigang District
 Smallest of Dalian's four districts, Xigang takes up the western
half of the city center and is the home of most of the city's
government.As with government districts in most cities, there
is not a huge amount for tourists to do in the central part
of Xigang (aside from gawking at the center of power) but the
stadium and the nearby bar area are worthwhile attractions.The southern half of the district offers more for visitors,
with a forest zoo for panda watchers and Fujiazhuang beach
for sun lovers.Bargain hunters may find a trip to the central
market rewarding, if, or course, bargaining and haggling skills
are decent.
Shahekou District
 The Shahekou District is mainly a residential area to the
south-east of the center of Dalian, though Xinghai Square and
the district's many universities may attract visitors.Hotels
are equally limited, though the large number of universities
means that those on a budget may perhaps find themselves sleeping
on this part of the city.
Ganjingzi District
Ganjingzi is the largest district, running from the Heishijiao
University and high tech area in the south to the edge of the
Dalian Development Zone in the north and to Yingchenzi in the
west.Despite its size, however, Dalian International Airport
is the only location within the district most travelers are
likely to visit.
Jinzhou District
The Jinzhou District lies to the north of Dalian. The main
attractions in this district are the Golden Pebble Beach (east
of the Dalian Development Zone) and Xiangshui Temple.
Lushunkou District
The Lushunkou District occupies the southern tip of the Liaodong
Peninsula with the historically significant Lushun (formerly
Port Arthur) at its center.
Zhuganghe District
The Zhuganghe District is located in the north east of Dalian
city and is a mostly rural district with the impressive Bingyu
Valley as its main, or rather only, attraction.
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