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Hainan Province is an island that lies at the southernmost tip of China. It is surrounded on the south and southeast by the South China Sea. Hainan Island is China's second largest island after Taiwan. Zengmu Shoal of Nansha Archipelago on the southern tip of Hainan is the southernmost part of Chinese territory.
Most mountains on Hainan Island are 500 to 800 meters high, but 81 of its peaks are higher than 1,000 meters. Among those rising 1,500 meters or higher above sea level are Mount Wuzhi, Mount Yingge, Mount Ezong, Mount Houmi, Yajiada Ridge and Mount Diaoluo. Most rivers on the island originate from the central mountainous region. The island has 154 streams flowing directly into the sea. The three major rivers are the Nandu, the Changhua and the Wanquan.
Hainan has a tropical climate with a yearly average temperature of 23˚C to 25˚C (72 to 74F), and an average annual rainfall of over 1,600 mm. The wet central area and east coast of Hainanreceive more rainfall than the semi-dry southwest coast. Winter and spring are usually dry, while summer and autumn are wet.
At the end of the year 2005, the total population of Hainan Province stood at 8.28million. Han people make up the largest majority of the population, with Li, Miao (Hmong) and Zhuang, also being represented. The Li is the largest of these groups. Also found on the island are the Utsuls, descendants of Cham refugees, who are classified as Hui (Muslims) by the Chinese government.
The main religions are Buddhism and Islam, but since Hainan was a stopping place in the missionary travel route, there are also many Christians.
The Han Chinese of Hainan speaks a variant of the Min Nan Chinese language, known as Hainanese. Mandarin and Cantonese are spoken by the majority of residents. English is understood by some of the younger generation, but Hainan still largely remains a non-English speaking environment. The Li people have their own language, as do the Miao and Zhuang. They usually speak standard Mandarin as a second language.
A promising future lies ahead for Hainan's tourist industry. It is becoming known as the Hawaii of China. Haikou and Sanya are its two most visited areas. Haikou offers such interesting sites as the tomb of Hai Rui, Memorial Temple of the Five Lords (Wugongci) and the coconut tree groves in Dongjiao County. Sanya has a variety of choices such as the Remotest End of the Earth and Corner of the Ocean (Tianya Haijiao), Bay of Greater East Sea, Monkey Island at Nanwan, Center for Touring Stockade Villages of the Li and Miao Peoples, and National Holiday Center at Yalongwan. Leading festivals are the Hainan International Festival of Coconuts and the "Third Day of Third Lunar Month" festival.
What particularly attracts tourists to Hainan is its beautiful scenery, sunny, sandy, beaches, warm seawater and hot springs. As a result of its extensive building projects, Hainan, with its world class hotels and resorts, is competing successfully for the tourist dollar in East Asia.
