Xiamen (UK: sh(y)ah-MEN, US: -MUN; 厦门, 厦門, 廈門), alternately known as Amoy, is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian province, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Strait. It is divided into six districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an, Haicang, and Xiang'an. Altogether, these cover an area of 1,699.39 square kilometers with a population of 3,531,347 as of 2010. The urbanized area of the city has spread from its original island to include parts of all six of its districts, with a total population of 1,861,289. This area connects to Quanzhou in the north and Zhangzhou in the west, making up a metropolis of more than five million people. The Kinmen Islands administered by the Republic of China lie less than 6 kilometers away.
Xiamen is a city well suited for walking, becoming lost in thought and basking in the sun. It has become a haven for creative, artistic people and those who want to live a more relaxed life. This “garden on the sea” has the unique feel of a hometown for Chinese living abroad. There is delicious seafood and Fujian cuisine all around, and the exotic architecture of Xiamen gives it a distinct character. Xiamen's scenic spots are mainly concentrated in the southern part of the main island and on Gulangyu Island. You can go to Huandao Road and go for a bike ride in the refreshing ocean breeze, or go to Xiamen University to relive the old campus life. You can also visit pedestrian-only Gulangyu to get a taste of the artist's life.
