About Xiamen

  Xiamen, also known as Amoy, is a major city on the southeast coast of China mainland. It is administered as a sub-provincial city of Fujian province with an area of 1,699.39 square kilometres (656.14 m2) and population of 3.67 million. Its built up area is now bigger than the old urban island area and covers all six districts of Xiamen (Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, Haicang and Xiang'an). It borders Quanzhou to the north and Zhangzhou making this a unique built up area of more than five million people. Xiamen and the surrounding southern Fujian countryside are the ancestral home to large communities of overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia. The city was a treaty port in the 19th century and one of the four original Special Economic Zones opened to foreign investment and trade when China began economic reforms in the early 1980s. It is endowed with educational and cultural institutions supported by the overseas Chinese. In 2006, Xiamen was ranked as China's second "most suitable city for living", as well as China's "most romantic leisure city" in 2011.

  Gulangyu Island is an island off the coast of Xiamen city, about 2 km² (0.77 sq mi) in area. It is home to about 20,000 people and is a domestic tourist destination. The only vehicles permitted are small electric buggies and electric government service vehicles. Visitors can reach it by ferry from Amoy (Xiamen) Island in about 10 minutes. Gulangyu Island is renowned for its beaches and winding lanes and its varied architecture. The island is on China's list of National Scenic Spots and also ranks at the top of the list of the ten most-scenic areas in the province. Gulangyu Island (Kulangsu Island), in the bay of Xiamen, has been recognized by UNESCO on its list of World Cultural Heritage sites in 2017.

More information about Xiamen and Gulangyu Island is available at the following sites:

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/cityguides/fujian/xiamen/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gulangyu_Island

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/fujian/xiamen/gulang.htm

http://www.travelchinaguide.com/picture/fujian/gulangyu-island.htm