Shandong
Shandong (UK: /ʃænˈdʊŋ/ shan-DUUNG, US: /ʃɑːnˈdɔːŋ/ shahn-DAWNG; simplified Chinese: 山东; traditional Chinese: 山東; alternately romanized as Shantung) is a coastal province of the People's Republic of China and is part of the East China region.
Shandong
山东 | |
|---|---|
| Province of Shandong | |
| Name transcription(s) | |
| • Chinese | 山东省 (Shāndōng Shěng) |
| • Abbreviation | SD / 鲁 (pinyin: Lǔ) |
Clockwise from top left: South Gate to Heaven at Mount Tai, Qingdao from the sea, Temple of Confucius in Qufu, Yellow River delta in Kenli, Acient City of Langya in Linyi, and Thousand Buddha Mountain in Jinan | |
Map showing the location of Shandong Province | |
| Coordinates: 36°24′N 118°24′E | |
| Country | China |
| Named for | 山 Shān—"(Taihang) Mountains" 东 dōng—"east" "East of the (Taihang) Mountains" |
| Capital | Jinan |
| Largest city | Linyi |
| Divisions | 16 prefectures, 140 counties, 1941 townships |
| Government | |
| • Type | Province |
| • Body | Shandong Provincial People's Congress |
| • CCP Secretary | Lin Wu |
| • Congress chairman | Lin Wu |
| • Governor | Zhou Naixiang |
| • CPPCC chairman | Ge Huijun |
| • National People's Congress Representation | 174 deputies |
| Area | |
| • Total | 157,100 km2 (60,700 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 20th |
| Highest elevation | 1,545 m (5,069 ft) |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 101,527,453 |
| • Rank | 2nd |
| • Density | 650/km2 (1,700/sq mi) |
| • Rank | 5th |
| Demonym | Shandongese |
| Demographics | |
| • Ethnic composition | Han - 99.3% Hui - 0.6% |
| • Languages and dialects | Jiaoliao Mandarin, Jilu Mandarin, Zhongyuan Mandarin |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-SD |
| GDP (2021) | CNY 8.31 trillion US$1.3 trillion |
| - per capita | CNY 81,846 US$12,689 (11th) |
| • growth | 8.3% |
| HDI (2019) | 0.759 high · 14th |
| Website | SD.gov.cn |
| Shandong | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
"Shandong" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 山东 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese | 山東 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literal meaning | "East of the Mountains (Taihang)" | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history since the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River. It has served as a pivotal cultural and religious center for Taoism, Chinese Buddhism and Confucianism. Shandong's Mount Tai is the most revered mountain of Taoism and a site with one of the longest histories of continuous religious worship in the world. The Buddhist temples in the mountains to the south of the provincial capital of Jinan were once among the foremost Buddhist sites in China. The city of Qufu is the birthplace of Confucius and was later established as the center of Confucianism. Confucianism developed from what was later called the Hundred Schools of Thought from the teachings of the Chinese philosopher Confucius.
Shandong's location at the intersection of ancient and modern north–south and east–west trading routes has helped establish it as an economic center. After a period of political instability and economic hardship that began in the late 19th century, Shandong has experienced rapid growth in recent decades. Home to over 100 million inhabitants, Shandong is the world's sixth-most populous subnational entity, and China's second most populous province. The economy of Shandong is China's third largest provincial economy with a GDP of CNY¥8.3 trillion in 2021 or USD$1.3 trillion, which is equivalent to the GDP of Mexico. Compared to a country, it would be the 15th-largest economy and the 15th most populous as of 2021. Its GDP per capita is around the national average.
Shandong is considered one of China's leading provinces in education and research. It hosts 153 higher education institutions, ranking second in East China after Jiangsu and fourth among all Chinese provinces/municipalities after Jiangsu, Guangdong and Henan. As of 2023, two major cities ranked in the top 50 cities in the world (Jinan 32nd and Qingdao 43rd) by scientific research output, as tracked by the Nature Index.