Dalian

Dalian
大连市
Aerial view of Xinghai Square
Bangchuidao beach
East Harbor
Location of Dalian City jurisdiction in Liaoning
Dalian
Location of the city center in Liaoning
Dalian
Location of the city center in China
Coordinates (Dalian municipal government): 38°54′N 121°36′E / 38.900°N 121.600°E / 38.900; 121.600
CountryChina
ProvinceLiaoning
Established1899
Transfer of sovereignty to Japan (Treaty of Shimonoseki)17 April 1895
Russian occupation

Japanese occupation
3 March 1898 – 2 January 1905
1905 – 15 August 1945
– Transfer of sovereignty to China16 April 1955
Municipal seatXigang District
County-level divisions7 districts, 2 county cities, 1 county
Government
  TypeSub-provincial city
  BodyDalian Municipal People's Congress
  CCP SecretaryTang Jun
  Congress ChairmanXiao Shengfeng
  MayorChen Shaowang
  CPPCC ChairmanWang Qiyao
Area
13,743 km2 (5,306 sq mi)
  Land12,573.85 km2 (4,854.79 sq mi)
  Urban
5,766.2 km2 (2,226.3 sq mi)
  Metro
3,169.2 km2 (1,223.6 sq mi)
Elevation
29 m (95 ft)
Population
 (2020 census)
7,450,785
  Density540/km2 (1,400/sq mi)
  Urban
5,736,383
  Urban density990/km2 (2,600/sq mi)
  Metro
5,106,719
  Metro density1,600/km2 (4,200/sq mi)
DemonymDalianese
GDP
  Prefecture-level & Sub-provincial cityCN¥ 951.7 billion
US$ 133.6 billion
  Per capitaCN¥ 127,743
US$ 17,937
  Growth 6.5%
Time zoneUTC+8 (China Standard)
Postal code
116000
Area code0411
ISO 3166 codeCN-LN-02
Vehicle registration辽B
Division code210200
HDI (2011)0.86 – very high
Coastline1,906 km (1,184 mi) (excluding islands)
ClimateDwa
Websitewww.dl.gov.cn
Symbols
FlowerChina rose
TreeDragon juniper
Dalian
"Dalian" in Simplified (top) and Traditional (bottom) Chinese characters
Simplified Chinese大连
Traditional Chinese大連
PostalDalny (1898–1905)
Dairen (1905–1945)
Literal meaning"The Far-Away"
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinDàlián
Wade–GilesTa4-lien2
IPA[tâ.ljɛ̌n]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationDaaih-lìhn
JyutpingDaai6-lin4
IPA[taj˨.lin˩]
Southern Min
Hokkien POJTāi-liân
Lüda (1950–1981)
Chinese旅大
PostalLuta
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLǚdà
Wade–Giles3-ta4
External videos
Dalian Aerial Photography
Dalian Aerial Photography by New China TV, 2019.

Dalian (/dɑːˈljɛn/ dah-LYEN) is a major sub-provincial port city in Liaoning province, People's Republic of China, and is Liaoning's second largest city (after the provincial capital Shenyang) and the third-most populous city of Northeast China (after Shenyang and Harbin). Located on the southern tip of the Liaodong peninsula, it is the southernmost city in both Liaoning and the entire Northeast. Dalian borders the prefectural cities of Yingkou and Anshan to the north and Dandong to the northeast, and also shares maritime boundaries with Qinhuangdao and Huludao across the Liaodong Bay to the west and northwest, Yantai and Weihai on the Shandong peninsula across the Bohai Strait to the south, and North Korea across the Korea Bay to the east.

As of the 2020 census, its total population was 7,450,785 inhabitants of whom 5,106,719 lived in the built-up (or metro) area made of 6 out of 7 urban districts, Pulandian District not being conurbated yet.

Today, Dalian is a financial, shipping, and logistics center for East Asia. The city has a significant history of use by foreign powers for its ports. Dalian was previously known as "Dalniy" (Russian: Дальний; Dal'nii), "Dairen" (Japanese: 大連), and "Lüda" or "Luta" (Chinese: 旅大; pinyin: Lǚdà). The city used to be better known as "Port Arthur" and "Ryojun" (Japanese: 旅順) from the original Port Arthur, now the city's Lüshunkou district.

In 2016, Dalian ranked 48th in the Global Financial Centres Index. In 2012, Dalian ranked 82nd in the Global City Competitiveness Index. In 2006, Dalian was named China's most livable city by China Daily. It is now a "Beta - Global City" according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network. The large amount of port traffic makes Dalian a Large-Port Metropolis.

Dalian is one of the top 40 science cities in the world by scientific research as tracked by the Nature Index, ranking 37th globally in 2023. The city is home to several major universities, notably Dalian University of Technology and Dalian Maritime University, members of China's prestigious universities in the Project 211, and the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.