Qiongzhou Strait

The Qiongzhou Strait, also called the Hainan Strait, is the Chinese strait that separates Guangdong's Leizhou Peninsula from the island province of Hainan. It connects the Gulf of Tonkin on its west to the South China Sea on its east. The strait is on average 30 km (19 mi) wide[1] and centered at 20°09′N 110°16′E with a maximum water depth of approximately 120 m (390 ft).[2] The strait is susceptible to closure during strong typhoon activity.[3]

Qiongzhou Strait
The Qiongzhou Strait
Qiongzhou Strait
Coordinates20°09′N 110°16′E
TypeStrait
Basin countriesChina
Max. width30 km (19 mi)
Max. depth120 m (390 ft)
Qiongzhou Strait
Qiongzhou Strait with Leizhou Peninsula in background viewed from Haikou on Hainan
Traditional Chinese瓊州海峽
Simplified Chinese琼州海峡
PostalKiungchow Strait

Whales and dugongs were once common in the strait.

History

The strait was crossed by the People's Liberation Army forces in the spring of 1950 (see Landing Operation on Hainan Island).

Transportation

The Guangdong–Hainan Ferry (part of the Guangdong–Hainan railway) carries rail cars and automotive vehicles across the strait.

While a bridge was planned in the early 2000s, it never came to fruition. A bridge or tunnel have been discussed, as of 2018, as travel by air or ferry can leave residents and visitors isolated when bad weather sets in.[4]

See also
  • Haikou, formerly called Qiongzhou

References
  1. "China to bridge the Qiongzhou Strait at a cost of 140 Billion RMB (我国将在琼州海峡建首座跨海大桥 投资超1400亿)" (in Chinese). Sohu. September 1, 2010. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  2. "The Role of Qiongzhou Strait in the Seasonal Variation of the South China Sea Circulation" (PDF). January 2002. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2011. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  3. "Typhoon Chanthu lands on south China". Enbar.net. July 22, 2010. Archived from the original on July 23, 2011. Retrieved August 14, 2010.
  4. "Hainan travel chaos: Is it time to build the cross-strait subsea tunnel?". June 8, 2018. Retrieved June 8, 2018.

Further reading
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