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Location
Wenzhou lies in the southeastern coast of Zhejiang Province and is its economic and cultural center. For centuries, the inhabitants here have relied on shipping, trading and fishing for their livelihoods. Its location on the sea has also been crucial to international trades. Shoes and electrical appliances produced here are popular both at home and abroad. Its citizens are progressive and open to western ideas. Millions of merchants have emigrated and started businesses throughout the world. The city is therefore a famous hometown of overseas Chinese.
History
Originally known as Yongjia, Yung-chia or Yungkia. Wenzhou was a prosperous foreign treaty port, which remains well-preserved today. It is situated in a mountainous region and, as a result, has been isolated for most of its history from the rest of the country, making the local culture and language very distinct not only from the rest of China but from neighbouring areas as well. It is also known for its emigrants who leave their native land for Europe and the United States, with a reputation for being entrepreneurs who start restaurants, retail and wholesale businesses in their adopted countries. People of Wenzhou origin make up a large number of ethnic Chinese residents of Italy, the Netherlands, France, and Africa.
Administration and Population
With jurisdiction over three districts, two county-level cities and six counties, Wenzhou covers a land area of 11,784 km2 (4,550 sq mi) and sea area of 11,000 km2 (4,200 sq mi). The population of the prefectural level city is 9.12 million including 2.30 million urban residents, divided among 2 county-level cities and 3 districts.
Climate
Wenzhou derives its present name from its mild climate, and has a humid subtropical climate (K?ppen: Cfa) with short, mild, dry winters and long, hot, humid summers. But winter is much milder. The monthly 24-hour average temperature ranges from 8.0 °C (46.4 °F) in January to 28.0 °C (82.4 °F) in July and August, while the annual mean is 18.08 °C (64.5 °F). With 1,706 hours of bright sunshine annually, sunlight is not generous.
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