Dandong

Dandong (Tan-Tung; previously known as Andong) is a city in the Liaoning Province, China. It is on the border between China and North Korea, marked by the Yalu River. Also at this point, the river flows into Korea Bay. The size of the administrative city is 14,910 square kilometers; the urban city is 563 square kilometers in size and has 780,414 inhabitants. The administrative city covers around 2.4 million inhabitants as of 2000.

The Hushan (Tiger Mountain) Great Wall, the far Eastern end of the Great Wall of China, is located here. Dandong is designated a major export production center in Liaoning province. Dandong is a port city connected by rail with Shenyang and Sinuiju in North Korea.

Geography
Dandong is located on the Northwestern border of North Korea, sharing the Yalu River as a respective boundary line with the city of Sinuiju. It is situated at the mouth of the Yalu River delta which converges with the Yellow Sea, Korean Bay, and the East China Sea. The city has therefore had a dynamic history because of its strategic location for the northeast’s rich natural resources and because of its convenient access to the ocean.

The city enjoys a reputation as a great place to live because of the moderate temperatures in comparison to the surrounding areas. While the city is known for its pleasant weather, it is also home to long winters and relatively cool summers. The winter temperatures can dip down to -30°C (-25°F) and the summer temperatures can reach 35°C (95°F). Winter usually begins in October and goes to the end of March (5 months), with the most severe cold only lasting around three weeks during December, January or February.

History
The area became known as Andong, county in 1876. Andong, which stands for pacifying the east, was so named to reflect the power projection that China had over Korea at the time. It was occupied by Japan after the start of the first Sino-Japanese War in 1894. During the Manchukuo era it was the capital of Andong Province, one of the fourteen provinces established by Manchukuo. Then, in 1907, it was opened as a treaty port. It adopted its present name on January 20, 1965, which means “red east,” to avoid connotation of its previous name, which was considered imperialistic by some. Recently, the city has been gaining influence in this region of China because of its market with North Korea and the government’s future plans to develop the city into a special 'Border Economic Cooperation Zone' for export and import, in order to expand the country’s ability to conduct trade.

Landmarks
The city is across the river from Sinuiju, North Korea. The two cities are connected by the Sino-Korea Friendship Bridge (, also called the China-Korea Friendship Bridge). Another major landmark is Hushan Great Wall, which marks the eastern end of the start of the Ming Dynasty's extension to the Great Wall. Other interesting tourist spots include: a museum dedicated to the "War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea" (also known as the Korean War) and Jinjiang mountain that is now the city's biggest park, but used to be a Chinese army lookout.

Places
Mock ferris wheel with "Short Bridge" in foregroundTourists can rent speed boats or passenger boats to approach the border and get a closer look at the North Korean city of Sinuiju. North Koreans often gather close to the river's edge, waving to foreigners as they cruise by. There is a rarely used ferris wheel in Sinuiju that tourists are able to see from across the Yalu River. This is a highlight for tourists wishing to catch a glimpse of North Korea.