Nanjing

Nanjing (Chinese 南京, pinyin Nánjīng - "Southern Capital", listen^{? /i}) is a district-free city in the People's Republic of China and has the short name Ning (寧 / 宁, Níng - "peace, tranquility"). In addition to the nowadays common spelling according to the official Pinyin transcription "Nanjing", the older German spelling according to Stange Nanking (with diacritic: "Nank'ing") can still be seen in many places today. Nanjing is the capital and metropolis of today's Jiangsu Province. As a city with a long history, Nanking has received a variety of names over time. For example, one of Nanjing's many ancient names is Jinling (金陵, Jīnlíng - "golden hill") or Shicheng (石城, Shíchéng - "stone castle, rock city"). The city was the historical capital of the Ming Dynasty in the late 14th and early 15th centuries, as well as the capital of the Republic of China in 1927-1949, making it one of the four great historical capitals of China. Nanjing is a political cultural center of China with a long history. Therefore, Nanjing also has the name "Ancient Capitol of the Six Dynasties" (六朝古都, Liù Cháo Gǔdū) or "Metropolis of the Ten Dynasties" (十朝都會 / 十朝都会, Shí Cháo Dūhuì) in Chinese. Nanjing has 5,827,888 inhabitants in the urban city area (as of 2010) and 8,270,000 in the agglomeration (as of 2016).

Geography and administrative division

Nanjing is located in the east of the People's Republic at the beginning of the Yangtze River Delta. The city extends on both sides of the river, which bends to the east here, with the centre lying entirely on the right bank of the river. Due to the enormous width of the Yangtze River, there was only one bridge in the entire city area before 2000, but it is still one of the most strategically important transport routes in the country. By 2010, another three new bridges had been completed. In connection with the construction measures for the 2014 Summer Youth Olympic Games, there was also the expansion of a subway line on the Yangtze River. The narrow Qinhuai River meanders through the city in numerous meanders. In addition, there are numerous natural and artificial lakes of varying sizes. To the east stretches the protected landscape area of the comparatively low Purple Mountains.

Nanjing is composed of eleven urban districts:

• Xuanwu Municipality (玄武區 / 玄武区), 70 km², population approx. 440,000 (2004);
• Qinhuai Municipality (秦淮區 / 秦淮区), 49.39 km², population approx. 700,000 (2004);
• Jianye Municipality (建鄴區 / 建邺区), 18 km², population approx. 170,000 (2004);
• Gulou Municipality (鼓樓區 / 鼓楼区), 53.08 km², population approx. 930,000 (2004);
• Pukou Municipality (浦口區 / 浦口区), 894 km², population approx. 480,000 (2004);
• Luhe borough (六合區 / 六合区), 1,487 km², population approx. 860,000 (2004);
• Qixia Municipality (棲霞區 / 栖霞区), 302 km², population approx. 370,000 (2004);
• Yuhuatai Municipality (雨花台區 / 雨花台区), 148 km², population approx. 180,000 (2004);
• Jiangning Municipality (江寧區 / 江宁区), 1,602 km², population approx. 760,000 (2004);
• Lishui Municipality (溧水區 / 溧水区), 1,048 km², population about 400,000 (2004);
• Gaochun Municipality (高淳區 / 高淳区), 750 km², population approx. 420,000 (2004),
  Capital: Greater Chunxi Municipality (淳溪鎮 / 淳溪镇).

Climate

Nanjing has a subtropical monsoon climate with four distinct seasons and, along with the cities of Wuhan and Chongqing, is one of the three so-called "blast furnaces on the Yangtze River". Summers are hot and humid with monthly average temperatures up to 28 °C (daytime temperatures up to a maximum of 43 °C) and humidity up to 81%; winters are cold with monthly average temperatures of 2 °C. All 12 months are humid. The best time to visit is autumn (September to November).