Rizhao
title: "Rizhao" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["rizhao", "cities-in-shandong", "prefecture-level-divisions-of-shandong", "national-civilized-city"] topic_path: "geography" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rizhao" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::data[format=table title="Infobox settlement"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | |
| other_name | Jihchao |
| native_name | 日照市 |
| native_name_lang | zh |
| settlement_type | Prefecture-level city |
| total_type | |
| motto | |
| image_skyline | Rizhao sea-port.jpg |
| image_caption | Rizhao Seaport |
| image_map | |
| image_map1 | ChinaShandongRizhao.png |
| map_caption1 | Location of Rizhao City jurisdiction in Shandong |
| coor_pinpoint | Rizhao municipal government |
| coordinates | |
| pushpin_mapsize | |
| subdivision_type | Country |
| subdivision_name | People's Republic of China |
| subdivision_type1 | Province |
| subdivision_name1 | Shandong |
| subdivision_type2 | County-level divisions |
| subdivision_name2 | 4 |
| subdivision_type3 | Township-level divisions |
| seat_type | Municipal seat |
| seat | Donggang District |
| parts_style | |
| parts | |
| p2 | |
| leader_title | CCP Municipal Committee Secretary |
| leader_name | Li Zaiwu (李在武) |
| leader_title1 | Mayor |
| leader_name1 | Wang Xinsheng (王新生) |
| established_title | |
| established_title1 | |
| established_title2 | |
| named_for | |
| area_magnitude | |
| unit_pref | |
| area_footnotes | {{cite web |
| url | https://www.hongheiku.com/xianjirank/ |
| script-title | zh:最新人口信息 |
| publisher | hongheiku |
| language | Chinese |
| access-date | 2021-01-12}} |
| area_total_km2 | 5359 |
| area_land_km2 | |
| area_urban_km2 | 1915 |
| area_metro_km2 | 1507 |
| area_blank1_km2 | |
| elevation_footnotes | |
| elevation_min_ft | |
| population_as_of | 2020 census |
| population_footnotes | |
| population_total | 2968365 |
| population_density_km2 | auto |
| population_metro | 1172205 |
| population_density_metro_km2 | auto |
| population_urban | 1551513 |
| population_density_urban_km2 | auto |
| demographics_type2 | GDP |
| demographics2_title1 | Prefecture-level city |
| demographics2_info1 | CN¥ 256 billion |
| US$ 36 billion | |
| demographics2_title2 | Per capita |
| demographics2_info2 | CN¥ 87,000 |
| US$ 12,300 | |
| timezone | |
| utc_offset | +8 |
| postal_code_type | |
| postal_code | 276800 |
| area_code | 0633 |
| iso_code | CN-SD-11 |
| blank_name | GDP |
| blank1_name | GDP per capita |
| blank2_name | License Plate Prefix |
| blank2_info | 鲁L |
| :: |
| name = Rizhao | official_name = | other_name = Jihchao | native_name = 日照市 | native_name_lang = zh | nickname = | settlement_type = Prefecture-level city | total_type = | motto = | image_skyline = Rizhao sea-port.jpg | imagesize = | image_caption = Rizhao Seaport | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | image_map1 = ChinaShandongRizhao.png | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = Location of Rizhao City jurisdiction in Shandong | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | coor_pinpoint = Rizhao municipal government | coordinates = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_caption = | pushpin_mapsize = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = People's Republic of China | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Shandong | subdivision_type2 = County-level divisions | subdivision_name2 = 4 | subdivision_type3 = Township-level divisions | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | seat_type = Municipal seat | seat = Donggang District | parts_type = | parts_style = Default is list if up to 5 items, coll if more than 5-- | parts = | p1 = | p2 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = | leader_title = CCP Municipal Committee Secretary | leader_name = Li Zaiwu (李在武) | leader_title1 = Mayor | leader_name1 = Wang Xinsheng (王新生) | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | established_title = | established_date = | established_title1 = | established_date1 = | established_title2 = | established_date2 = | established_title3 = | established_date3 = | founder = | named_for = | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = {{cite web |url = https://www.hongheiku.com/xianjirank/ |script-title=zh:最新人口信息 |publisher = hongheiku |language = Chinese |access-date = 2021-01-12}} | area_total_km2 = 5359 | area_land_km2 = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = 1915 | area_metro_km2 = 1507 | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = | elevation_max_m = | elevation_max_ft = | elevation_min_m = | elevation_min_ft = | population_as_of = 2020 census | population_footnotes = | population_note = | population_total = 2968365 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_metro = 1172205 | population_density_metro_km2 = auto | population_urban = 1551513 | population_density_urban_km2 = auto | demographics_type2 = GDP | demographics2_title1 = Prefecture-level city | demographics2_info1 = CN¥ 256 billion US$ 36 billion | demographics2_title2 = Per capita | demographics2_info2 = CN¥ 87,000 US$ 12,300 | timezone = China Standard | utc_offset = +8 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = 276800 | area_code = 0633 | iso_code = CN-SD-11 | blank_name = GDP | blank_info = | blank1_name = GDP per capita | blank1_info = | blank2_name = License Plate Prefix | blank2_info = 鲁L | website = | footnotes = | c = | l = "Sunshine" | p = Rìzhào | w = Jih4-chao4 | mi = | gr = Ryhjaw | j = Jat3-ziu6 | y = Yat-jiuh | tl = Ji̍t-tsiò Rizhao (), alternatively romanized as Jihchao, is a prefecture-level city in southeastern Shandong province, China. It is situated on the coastline along the Yellow Sea, and features a major seaport, the Port of Rizhao. It borders Qingdao to the northeast, Weifang to the north, Linyi to the west and southwest, and faces Korea and Japan across the Yellow Sea to the east.
The name of the city literally means "sunshine". The city is known for its sustainability, and it mandates solar-water heaters in all new buildings. Rizhao city was recognized by the United Nations as one of the most habitable cities in the world in 2009.
The city population stands at 2,968,365 people as of the 2020 Chinese census, of whom 1,172,205 live in the urban area of Donggang District. As of 2024, the resident population is estimated at 2,929,000. Compared with the 2,801,013 people in 2010 Chinese census, there has been a total increase of 167,352 people in the past decade, an increase of 5.97%, with an average annual growth rate of 0.58%.
History
Rizhao is located at the place where the ancient Dawenkou culture and the Longshan culture flourished. Rizhao belonged to the Dongyi people during the Xia and Shang dynasties (2070-1046 BC), and to Ju and Yue States in the Spring and Autumn period (770-476 BC) and the Warring States period (476-221 BC). It became a part of Langye Commandery in the Qin dynasty (221-206 BC). Rizhao was named Haiqu County () during the Western Han (206 BC-25 AD) and Xihai County under the Eastern Han (25-220 AD). The fangsheng pond of Haiqu's early Buddhist community is the earliest attested.
During the Tang dynasty, together with Ju County, Rizhao belonged to Mi Prefecture of Henan Prefecture. In 1087, during the Northern Song dynasty, Rizhao Town was established under Ju County, originating the name meaning "(the place that first receives the) sunshine" due to its eastern coastal location. Rizhao County was set up in 1184 during the Jin dynasty. In 1940, it came under the control of the Chinese Communist Party. After being a county and since 1985 a city under the administration of Linyi, Rizhao became a prefecture-level city within Shandong province in 1989.
The Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago has done field survey archaeological work in Rizhao over the years.
Climate
Rizhao has a temperate, four-season, monsoon-influenced climate that lies in the transition between the humid subtropical (Köppen Cwa) and humid continental (Köppen Dwa) regimes. Winter is cool to cold and windy, but generally dry, with a January average of 0.3 °C. Summer is generally hot and humid, but sweltering days are rare, with an August average of 25.5 °C. Due to its proximity to the coast and being on a peninsula, it experiences a one-month delayed spring compared to much of the province. Conversely, fall is milder than inland areas in Shandong. The annual mean temperature is 13.7 °C. On average, there are 2,310 hours of bright sunshine annually, and the relative humidity is 69%.
|metric first=y |single line=y |collapsed = Y |location = Rizhao, elevation 64 m, (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1971–2010) |Jan high C = 4.4 |Feb high C = 6.4 |Mar high C = 11.3 |Apr high C = 17.2 |May high C = 22.5 |Jun high C = 25.4 |Jul high C = 28.5 |Aug high C = 28.9 |Sep high C = 25.9 |Oct high C = 20.7 |Nov high C = 13.4 |Dec high C = 6.8 |Jan mean C = 0.3 |Feb mean C = 2.3 |Mar mean C = 6.8 |Apr mean C = 12.7 |May mean C = 18.2 |Jun mean C = 21.8 |Jul mean C = 25.5 |Aug mean C = 25.9 |Sep mean C = 22.3 |Oct mean C = 16.6 |Nov mean C = 9.3 |Dec mean C = 2.7 |Jan low C = -2.8 |Feb low C = -0.9 |Mar low C = 3.4 |Apr low C = 9.0 |May low C = 14.7 |Jun low C = 19.1 |Jul low C = 23.1 |Aug low C = 23.3 |Sep low C = 19.0 |Oct low C = 12.9 |Nov low C = 5.8 |Dec low C = -0.5 |Jan record high C = 14.6 |Jan record low C = -13.8 |Feb record high C = 19.0 |Feb record low C = -12.6 |Mar record high C = 25.0 |Mar record low C = -7.1 |Apr record high C = 34.0 |Apr record low C = -2.5 |May record high C = 35.7 |May record low C = 5.9 |Jun record high C = 38.3 |Jun record low C = 11.5 |Jul record high C = 41.4 |Jul record low C = 14.9 |Aug record high C = 36.2 |Aug record low C = 13.4 |Sep record high C = 37.6 |Sep record low C = 9.4 |Oct record high C = 30.2 |Oct record low C = 0.5 |Nov record high C = 25.8 |Nov record low C = -7.2 |Dec record high C = 17.9 |Dec record low C = -12.2 |year high C = |year low C = |year high F = |year low F = |precipitation colour = green |Jan precipitation mm = 11.3 |Feb precipitation mm = 18.6 |Mar precipitation mm = 22.2 |Apr precipitation mm = 37.7 |May precipitation mm = 77.5 |Jun precipitation mm = 87.2 |Jul precipitation mm = 197.2 |Aug precipitation mm = 163.4 |Sep precipitation mm = 86.9 |Oct precipitation mm = 39.0 |Nov precipitation mm = 35.3 |Dec precipitation mm = 16.5 |Jan humidity = 59 |Feb humidity = 63 |Mar humidity = 63 |Apr humidity = 65 |May humidity = 70 |Jun humidity = 81 |Jul humidity = 86 |Aug humidity = 83 |Sep humidity = 73 |Oct humidity = 65 |Nov humidity = 63 |Dec humidity = 58 |unit precipitation days = 0.1 mm |Jan precipitation days = 3.3 |Feb precipitation days = 4.5 |Mar precipitation days = 5.0 |Apr precipitation days = 6.8 |May precipitation days = 8.0 |Jun precipitation days = 8.6 |Jul precipitation days = 13.0 |Aug precipitation days = 11.3 |Sep precipitation days = 7.5 |Oct precipitation days = 5.2 |Nov precipitation days = 5.2 |Dec precipitation days = 3.5 |year precipitation days = |Jan sun = 172.9 |Feb sun = 163.4 |Mar sun = 206.8 |Apr sun = 217.8 |May sun = 230.1 |Jun sun = 187.5 |Jul sun = 175.3 |Aug sun = 196.7 |Sep sun = 204.9 |Oct sun = 201.3 |Nov sun = 173.2 |Dec sun = 176.6 |year sun = | Jan percentsun = 55 | Feb percentsun = 53 | Mar percentsun = 55 | Apr percentsun = 55 | May percentsun = 53 | Jun percentsun = 43 | Jul percentsun = 40 | Aug percentsun = 48 | Sep percentsun = 56 | Oct percentsun = 58 | Nov percentsun = 57 | Dec percentsun = 58 | year percentsun = |Jan snow days = 2.8 |Feb snow days = 2.3 |Mar snow days = 0.9 |Apr snow days = 0.1 |May snow days = 0 |Jun snow days = 0 |Jul snow days = 0 |Aug snow days = 0 |Sep snow days = 0 |Oct snow days = 0 |Nov snow days = 0.4 |Dec snow days = 1.6 |year snow days = |source 1 = China Meteorological Administration | source 2 = Weather China{{cite web | url = http://www.weather.com.cn/cityintro/101121501.shtml? | script-title=zh:日照 - 气象数据 -中国天气网 | publisher = Weather China | language = zh | access-date = 29 November 2022}}
Administration
The prefecture-level city of Rizhao administers four county-level divisions, including two districts and two counties.
- Donggang District (东港区)
- Lanshan District (岚山区)
- Ju County (莒县)
- Wulian County (五莲县)
::data[format=table]
| Map |
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Landmarks and tourist attractions
The Zaishui Art Museum on an artificial lake was completed in December 2023, along with a promenade and café by the Spanish firm SelgasCano. In addition to the museum, Jun'ya Ishigami designed a horseback-riding center, a hotel, and a 148-foot-high, concrete church.
The following locations have a 4-star rating according to Chinese classification for scenic spots (旅游景区质量等级)
- Wulian Mountain (五莲山风景区)
- Daqing Mountain (大青山风景区)
- Wanpingkou Beach (万平口风景区)
- Rizhao Beach National Park (日照海滨国家森林公园)
- Longmengu (龙门崮风景区)
- Liujiawan Park (刘家湾赶海园)
- Tiantai Mountain Tourism Area (天台山旅游区)
Sustainable development
Since the early 1990s, the city has mandated the incorporation of solar water heaters in all new buildings and renovated public buildings, and oversees the construction process to ensure they are correctly installed. The effort to install solar water heaters began in 1992. By 2007, 99% of households in the central districts used solar water heaters, contributing to the city's high sustainability rankings.
Transportation
Rizhao features a major seaport (Port of Rizhao), located approximately 620 km north of Shanghai, 170 km southwest of Qingdao, and 120 km north of Lianyungang. The seaport serves as a site for loading and unloading iron ore and coal. Other products passing through the harbor include cement, nickel, bauxite, and the like. In 2011 the Port of Rizhao, together with the cities of Qingdao, Weihai and Yantai in Shandong, signed a strategic alliance with Busan, the largest port of the Republic of Korea. The alliance aims at building a shipping and logistics center in Northeast Asia. The iron ore port of Lanqiao, which opened in 2014, is located close to it as is the Lanshan port region.
Rizhao Shanzihe Airport (IATA: RIZ) is an airport serving the city of Rizhao. The airport received approval from the State Council and the Central Military Commission in October 2013. It is located in the town of (后村镇), Donggang District. It was opened on 22 December 2015.
The city is served by two railway stations, Rizhao railway station for local trains, which was rebuilt and reopened in April 2025, and Rizhao West railway station for both local and high-speed services.
Education
Universities and colleges
Since becoming a city, Rizhao has seen a significant growth in the number of universities and colleges,
- Qufu Normal University ()
- Jining Medical University ()
- Rizhao Polytechnic ()
- Shandong Foreign Languages Vocational College ()
- Shandong Sport College ()
- Shandong Water Conservancy Vocational College (山东水利职业学院)
- Rizhao Marine Engineering Vocational College (日照航海工程职业学院)
Image gallery
File:Wanping kou beach.jpg|Wanpingkou Beach File:Fulai mountain.jpg|Fulaishan File:Dengta square beach.jpg|Dengta Lighthouse File:Wulian .jpg|Wulian Mountain File:日照站2022.jpg|Rizhao Railway Station File:Rizhao Railway Station.jpg|Rizhao Railway Station File:日照灯塔 - panoramio (1).jpg|Rizhao Lighthouse File:Rizhao1.jpg|Rizhao scenery File:日照市万平口海洋公园2022.jpg|Rizhao Wanpingkou Ocean Park 2022 File:Rizhao sea port.jpg|Rizhao sea port
International relations
Rizhao has established twin towns and sister city relationships with several international partners. ::data[format=table]
| City | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Trabzon | Turkey | 1991 |
| Muroran | Japan | 2002 |
| Gisborne | New Zealand | 2006 |
| Coatzacoalcos | Mexico | 2008 |
| Dangjin | South Korea | 2010 |
| Alhambra | United States | 2011 |
| Roebourne | Australia | 2014 |
| Türkmenabat | Turkmenistan | 2014 |
| Addis Ababa | Ethiopia | 2024 |
| :: |
As of 2025, Rizhao has also formed friendly cooperation agreements with additional localities, such as Pakhtakor District (Uzbekistan, 2023) and Kovacica (Serbia, 2025), though these may differ from formal sister city status.
References
Citations
Bibliography
- .
References
- "China: Shāndōng (Prefectures, Cities, Districts and Counties) - Population Statistics, Charts and Map".
- "Shandong Statistical Yearbook-2016".
- [[Worldwatch Institute]]. (2007). ''[[State of the World (book series). State of the World]] : Our Urban Future.'' {{rp. 108
- "China coastal city wins UN Habitat award - China.org.cn".
- (2009-10-06). "Shandong Rizhao becomes the sixth city in China to win the UN Habitat Award". 杨锈祯 党正林.
- (2021-06-18). "Heavyweight! Announcement of the Seventh National Population Census in Rizhao City". Lanshan Statistics.
- "Expeditions @ Field Museum - Feinman and Underhill - About the Expedition".
- link. [[China Meteorological Administration]]
- "Junya Ishigami's Zaishui Art Museum Nimbly Extends Across a Lake in China's Shandong Province | Architectural Record".
- "Rizhao solar water heating".
- [http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/613350/china_company_report_rizhao_port_co_ltd] {{Webarchive. link. (2012-02-13 http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/613350/china_company_report_rizhao_port_co_ltd {{Webarchive). link. (2012-02-13)
- (29 September 2011). "Four Chinese ports ally with ROK's largest port". Marine News China.
- (1 January 2017). "Guide to port entry". IHS Guides.
- "Города побратимы для Туркменистана {{!}} Общество {{!}} Гундогар".
- "日照已与8市缔结国际友好城市关系".
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