About Ningbo

Ningbo, also known as "Yong"（甬）in Chinese, is a city with independent economic planning status and a sub-provincial city in Zhejiang. It is an important port city on the southeastern coast of China and an economic hub of southern Yangtze River Delta. In the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), the city was called Mingzhou. In AD 1381, the city was renamed Ningbo, which means "calm waves" in Chinese, to reflect the saying "calm sea produces calm waves", and this name has been used ever since. There are six districts under Ningbo's jurisdiction: Haishu, Jiangbei, Zhenhai, Beilun, Yinzhou, and Fenghua; two county-level cities: Yuyao and Cixi; and two counties: Ninghai and Xiangshan. Ningbo covers 9,816.2 km² on land and 8,355.8 km² at sea. As of the end of 2022, Ningbo had a total of 9.618 million permanent residents.

The city's history can be traced back to the Hemudu Culture that originated 7,000 years ago. In the Xia and Shang dynasties about 4,000 years ago, Ningbo was known as Yin. Later, in the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 B.C.), it became part of the Sate of Yue. In the Qin Dynasty (221-206 B.C.), it encompassed Yin, Mao and Gouzhang, three areas under the Kuaiji Shire. In the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), it was named Mingzhou. In 821 A.D., the local authority relocated to the junction of three local rivers and built city walls, marking the establishment of today's city. In 1381 A.D., the city acquired its current name of Ningbo, or, literally, Calm Waves.

Great Port of the East

In Ningbo, the growth of the port and the city are mutually reinforcing. 7,000 years ago, our Hemudu Culture ancestors built wooden ships and thus began the region's seafaring tradition. In the Tang Dynasty, the first travelers, Japanese people eager to learn about Chinese culture, landed at Ningbo port, then known as Mingzhou port. In the Song and Yuan dynasties, customs were established to manage international trade. In the Ming Dynasty, it was the only port for the trade between China and Japan. In the Qing Dynasty, Ningbo was one of the four major points of entry by sea into China. The port is connected by 232 routes to over 600 ports in more than 100 countries and regions, operating more than 350 days annually on average. The port can easily accommodate three-hundred-thousand-ton vessels, and up to four-hundred-thousand-ton vessels at high tide. No other port in the Chinese mainland receives a larger number of hundred-thousand-ton ships than the Ningbo-Zhoushan Port.

In 2022, Ningbo Zhoushan Port handled 1.26 billion tons of cargo, maintaining its position as the world's busiest cargo port for the 14^th consecutive year; the container volume handled by the port reached 33.351 million TEU, maintaining its position as the world's 3^rd-busiest container port for the 5^th consecutive year. Ningbo has entered the list of Top 10 International Shipping Centers in terms of comprehensive strength for two years in a row.

Key Socioeconomic Indicators of Ningbo in 2022

In 2022, Ningbo's GDP was ¥1.57043 trillion, growing by 3.5% year-on-year.
(1) GDP
In 2022, Ningbo's GDP was ¥1.57043 trillion, growing by 3.5% year-on-year.
(2) Industrial Performance
Value added by the primary sector was ¥38.2 billion, up by 4.1% year-on-year.
Value added by the secondary industry was ¥741.35 billion, up by 3.2% year-on-year.
Value added by the tertiary industry was ¥790.88 billion, up by 3.8% year-on-year.
(3) Fiscal Revenue
In 2022, Ningbo registered a fiscal revenue of ¥335.86 billion, growing by 2.9% year-on-year.
(4) Ningbo Zhoushan Port
The cargo throughput of Ningbo Zhoushan Port was 1.26 billion tons, up by 3.0%, of which the cargo throughput of the Ningbo Port Area accounted for 640 million tons, up by 2.2%. The container volume of the Ningbo Zhoushan Port was 33.351 million TEUs, up by 7.3%, of which the container volume of the Ningbo Port Area accounted for 307.78 million TEUs, up by 4.8%. The Ningbo Zhoushan Port has maintained its position as the world's busiest cargo port for the 14^th consecutive year.
(5) Agriculture, Forestry, Animal Husbandry, and Fishery
In 2022, the value added of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery reached ¥40.04 billion, up by 4.2% year-on-year.
(6) Fixed Asset Investment
In 2022, Ningbo's fixed asset investment grew by 10.4% year-on-year.
(7) Per Capita Disposable Income
In 2022, the per capita disposable income of Ningbo citizens was ¥68,348, with a nominal growth of 4.5% year-on-year and a growth of 2.2% in real terms.
(8) Industry
In 2022, Ningbo's industry value-added was ¥668.17 billion, up by 3.3% year-on-year. The industry value-added of enterprises above designated size grew by 3.8% year-on-year.
(9) Consumer Goods
In 2022, the total retail sales of consumer goods reached ¥489.67 billion, up by 5.3% year-on-year. In 2022, urban consumer prices rose by 2.3%.
(10) Trade Import and Export
In 2022, the city's foreign trade volume was ¥1.26713 trillion, up by 6.3% year-on-year. Exports accounted for ¥823.06 billion, up by 8.0% year-on-year. Imports accounted for ¥444.07 billion, up by 3.4% year-on-year.

Commercial Metropolis

The city is a dynamic business hub. Ever since the Tang dynasty, local streets have been lined with shops displaying a dazzling array of goods. The city's commerce was so prosperous that it led to the saying "there can be no market without Ningbo merchants". Over the last few centuries, these hardworking, creative businessmen have made a name for themselves with their pioneering spirit and are collectively referred to as the Ningbo Bang, or the Ningbo Merchant Community, in recognition of their success. Today, the city is once again full of vitality. Its advanced manufacturing, thriving international trade, and booming private sector have made it a veritable gem of the Yangtze River Delta. Each year, a number of trade promotion events, including the Zhejiang Investment and Trade Symposium, China Consumer Goods Fair, International Fashion Fair, and Housing Products Expo are held in Ningbo.

Famous Enterprises

As of March 2023, there are 138 listed companies in Ningbo, including 116 A-share-listed companies. Ningbo has also been awarded the title "Model City of National Trademark Strategy Implementation", with 104 famous brands registered in the city.

Land of Rich Culture

The city is steeped in history and culture. It was here that the Hemudu Culture flourished 7,000 years ago. It was here that philosophers such as Wang Yangming and Huang Zongxi formed the East Zhejiang school of Confucian philosophy of pragmatism and rationality. The city is also known for its book collection tradition and Buddhism culture—the Tianyige Museum holds a large collection of valuable manuscripts and the Tiantong Temple and Xuedou Mountain are well-known Buddhist pilgrimage sites of East Asia. Throughout history, the city has always been known as the birthplace of men of great learning. In recent times, the city has produced 111 national academicians, including Tu Youyou, the first Chinese Nobel laureate in science.

Eco-Friendly City

Efforts have been made to improve the natural environment in the city. Ningbo is the first city in Zhejiang province to draw "ecological red lines", or, clearly define protected zones around the city where development is strictly prohibited. The city has been nationally recognized for its efforts in environmental protection, and has a forest coverage rate of 48.7%. Landscaping and clean-up work is being actively carried out near roads, rivers, and on hillsides; over the previous year, city green space has increased by 213 hectares. A large-scale campaign was carried out to improve the appearance of rural areas, with a number of villages achieving visible results.