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Kunming

Kunming:Kunming
Kunming:Lake Dianchi
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Lake Dianchi

Kunming (Chinese: 昆明; pinyin: Kūnmíng; Wade-Giles: K'un-ming) is the capital of Yunnan province, China with an estimated population of 3,740,000 including 1,055,000 in the urban area. It is located at the northern edge of the massive Lake Dian. Because of its year-round temperate weather, Kunming is often called the "Spring City (春城)."


Contents

Geography

Kunming is situated atop a plateau in Yunnan Province. It enjoys a protected location with mountains surrounding the city on three sides, and a lake to the south.

Elevation: 1900 meters (6200 feet) above sea level.


History

Kunming:A canal in the city centre (2003-08-24).
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A canal in the city centre (2003-08-24).

Early townships in the southern edge of Lake Dianchi (outside the comtemporary city perimeter) can be dated back to 279 BC, although long since lost to history.

In 765 AD, Tuodong (拓东) city was founded.

In the 13th century, Marco Polo is thought to have traveled to this area and written about his fascination. The city was renamed Kunming by the Mongol rulers of the Yuan dynasty in 1276.

In the 14th century, Kunming was retaken by the Ming Dynasty, which built a wall surrounding present-day Kunming.

In the 19th century, Kunming suffered at the hands of rebel leader Du Wenxiu, the Sultan of Dali, who attacked and besieged the city several times between 1858 and 1868. Decades later Kunming began to be influenced by the West.

In the 20th Century, Kunming was targeted by the Imperial Japanese Air Force during their campaigns in China. The American Volunteer Group, also known as the Flying Tigers, flew out of Kunming in 1941 and 1942 in defiance of Japanese aggression. They also were tasked with defending China's lifeline to the outside world, the Burma Road, which had Kunming as its Northern terminus.

Economy

Kunming's economy was ranked 12th of all Chinese cities in 1992. The salt and phosphate mines around Kunming are some of China's best. Because of its location in the remote corner of China, Kunming has generally been ignored by China’s rapid economic growth in the 1990s. However, recently the city has received renewed attention, launching Kunming into an international hub that China desperately needs to access different areas of South and Southeast Asia. Several railroads and highways have been planned to connect Kunming to areas of Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, providing Kunming access to sea ports. Kunming economic authorities are active participants in the Greater Mekong Sub-region, promoting trade throughout China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Colleges and universities

Note: Institutions without full-time bachelor programs are not listed.

Chinese Language Schools in Kunming

Sister cities


Prefecture-level divisions of Yunnan
Prefecture-level cities: Baoshan | Kunming | Lijiang | Lincang
Qujing | Simao | Yuxi | Zhaotong
Autonomous prefectures: Chuxiong | Dali | Dehong | Dêqên
Honghe | Nujiang | Wenshan | Xishuangbanna
List of Yunnan County-level divisions

Categories


Prefecture-level divisions of Yunnan | 765 establishments | Kunming

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