Hainan

Hainan, province, southeastern China, island in the South China Sea, south of Leizhou Bandao Peninsula. Hainan Strait, about 24 km (about 15 mi) wide, separates the peninsula from the island, which adjoins the Gulf of Tonkin on the east. Between its northern and southern extremities, Hainan has a length of about 257 km (about 160 mi) and an extreme width of about 145 km (about 90 mi). The southern half is traversed by a series of mountain chains, the highest of which has a maximum elevation of 1,867 m (6,125 ft). The region has numerous extinct volcanoes, but many of the slopes and valleys are covered with dense tropical vegetation. The northern portion of the island, except for occasional mountainous outcroppings, consists of level plains. Hainan contains rich mineral deposits, including gold, tin, iron ore, lead, and silver, but the economy is predominantly agrarian. Among the leading crops are rice, rubber, coconuts, sugar, betel nuts, and pineapples. Large numbers of hogs, cattle, and ducks are raised.

People of Chinese origin constitute about two-thirds of the population of Hainan. Several aboriginal tribes, locally designated the Maiu and Lois, inhabit the more remote areas of the mountainous region. The Maiu tribes originated on the Chinese mainland; the Lois show marked physical similarities to the Igorot tribe of the Philippines and speak the same language. A Chinese possession since 111 bc, Hainan was occupied by the Japanese in February 1939, during the Second Sino-Japanese War. The island was retaken in 1945 by the Chinese Nationalists, and in 1950 it passed to the Chinese Communists. Formerly part of Guangdong Province, Hainan became a separate province in 1988. The capital, largest town, and chief seaport is Haikou; population 438,000 (1999 estimate).

Area, 33,991 sq km (13,124 sq mi); population 8,105,200 (2003 estimate).