The Liaodong Peninsula belongs to the Celestial Empire, it is spread across the northeastern lands of the state. On its territory is the province of Liaoning. The peninsula was an important site during the military conflict between China and Japan. Liaodong residents traditionally engage in agriculture, fishing, sericulture, horticulture, trade, and salt mining.
Geographical position
With its coasts, the Liaodong Peninsula crashes into the waters of the Yellow Sea. It is washed by the water area of two bays at once - West Korean and Liaodong. In the southwest, its territory adjoins the Guangdong Peninsula, which is considered to be part of it.
Description
The territory of the Liaodong Peninsula is very extensive. The longest stretch stretched from the northeast to the southwest. Its length is 225 kilometers. The width of the territory in different sections ranges from 80-130 kilometers.
The south-west coast from the side of Guangdong is of a Rias character. The landscape of the peninsula is represented by a hilly plain and low mountains. On its territory there is a mountain peak Buyunshan. Soils are covered by forests and shrubs.
Part of the southern lands is occupied by the large city of Dalian. The city has three seaports: Port Arthur, Dairen and Dalian-van. All the cities that occupied the Liaodong Peninsula developed rapidly from the end of the 20th to the beginning of the 21st century.
origin of name
The Chinese call this toponym Liaodongbandao. The first part of the name - "Liaodong" is taken from the Liaohe River flowing there. In the middle of the name is the term “dun”, which translates as “east”. As a result, the name of the toponym is interpreted as follows: "lands east of Liao."
Relief
The area is part of a huge mountain belt. It is composed mainly of limestone, shale and quartz sandstones. There are areas interspersed with gneisses and basalt covers. For the most part, the terrain is low. Low hills and plateaus are occupied by the southwestern lands of the peninsula.
From the south-west to the north-east, mountain ranges of the Qianshan ridge extend, merging into the Changbai mountain plateau, leaving in Manchuria, to the North Korean borders. The mountain ranges of the ridge, running in parallel, are formed by ancient slates and granites.
Atmospheric events turned mountain ranges into peaked peaks and bizarre ridges. Mountain peaks often soar up to 1000 meters or more. The highest peak is on Mount Buyun, its height is 1130 meters.
The southern tip is gentle. The heights of the mountain slopes here do not exceed the mark of 500 meters. The main part of the surface is covered with hills reaching a height of 300 meters. The rocks are enriched in iron ore, gold, magnesite and copper. Boron and salt are mined in this area.
The mountainous Liaodong Peninsula in China covers a large river network. The rivers that cut it feed Yalujiang, whose ribbon winds through the eastern lands, Liaohe, flowing through the western territories, and the Yellow Sea.
River valleys and alluvial plains are rather narrow. The areas of low-lying coasts (excluding the southwestern extremity) change under the influence of low tides. In the southeast and northwest, the coasts are low and straight, drained at low tide. Two bays cut into the isthmus of Jinzhou. Thanks to them, the southwestern extremity is isolated. This part is called Port Arthur Peninsula.
Fauna and flora
The plains are occupied by agricultural land. They cultivate corn, millet, wheat, maize, rice and kaolin. The population grows tobacco, mulberry, cotton and vegetables. Lush fruit plantations are planted in the Liaodong Peninsula. The traditions of fruit cultivation are sacred. Most of all on its territory are broken apple orchards. Grapes, peaches, apricots and pears are grown on its lands.
Mountain slopes are covered with thickets of oak and hazel. Mountain oaks, which uplifted the high mountain slopes, became the abode for wild silkworms. The local population collects their cocoons and receives natural silk. River deltas are covered by reeds, which are used as fuel.
The fauna of Liaodong is impoverished due to the densely populated territory, the destruction of forests and a large share of plowed land. The Liaodong Peninsula is inhabited by hares, squirrels, marmots, chipmunks, ferrets, weasels and other animals characteristic of these latitudes. Roe deer migrating from the eastern Manchu forests are found in the north.
Climatic conditions
Winter on the peninsula is milder, in contrast to the northeastern regions of the Middle Kingdom adjoining it. Up to 500-700 mm of precipitation falls here annually. This is more than in the Liaohe Valley. Two thirds of them are rains in July-September. The growing season in this area is estimated at 200 days. However, in the extreme south, it lasts up to 220 days.
History
The area located east of the Liaohe River has been known since antiquity. It once belonged to Inzhou, one of the twelve regions into which the territory of China was traditionally divided. This place during the reign of Qin and Han was called Liaodong Prefecture. At that time, the peninsula adjoined the northwestern borders to Liaosi Prefecture.
Annexation
The Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 ended not in favor of the Middle Kingdom. Japanese troops defeated the Chinese army and navy. When the peace was signed in Shimonoseki on April 17, 1995, the Qing Empire ceded the Liaodong Peninsula and some other territories to the Japanese.
However, this turn of events did not suit Russia, Germany and France. The Russian Empire regarded the actions of the Japanese as a threat to their Far Eastern possessions. With the support of the allied countries, she, exerting pressure on Japan, forced her to return to China the land acquired as a result of the armistice.
The forced annexation of the Liaodong Peninsula occurred in November 1895. For the return of the lands, the Celestial Empire paid Japan 30 million taels. As a result of the annexation, the Japanese lost control of Port Arthur, which did not suit them at all.
