Sanmenxia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sanmenxia
三门峡市
Sanmenhsia
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Prefecture-level city
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Sanmenxia Dam
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Location of Sanmenxia City jurisdiction in Henan
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 Sanmenxia
Location in China
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| Country | People's Republic of China |
| Province | Henan |
| Municipal seat | Hubin District |
| Area | |
| • Prefecture-level city | 10,475 km2 (4,044 sq mi) |
| • Urban | 1,814.3 km2 (700.5 sq mi) |
| • Metro | 2,995.3 km2 (1,156.5 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 376 m (1,234 ft) |
| Population
(2020 census)
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| • Prefecture-level city | 2,034,872 |
| • Density | 194.260/km2 (503.131/sq mi) |
| • Urban | 615,220 |
| • Urban density | 339.095/km2 (878.252/sq mi) |
| • Metro | 820,300 |
| • Metro density | 273.862/km2 (709.30/sq mi) |
| GDP | |
| • Prefecture-level city | CN¥ 132.6 billion US$ 20.0 billion |
| • Per capita | CN¥ 58,894 US$ 8,867 |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (China Standard) |
| Postal Code |
472000
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| Area code(s) | (0)398 |
| ISO 3166 code | CN-HA-12 |
| Major Ethnicities | Han |
| County-level divisions | 6 |
| License plate prefixes | 豫M |
Sanmenxia (simplified Chinese: 三门峡; traditional Chinese: 三門峽; pinyin: Sānménxiá) is a city in western Henan Province, China. It's the westernmost city in Henan. Sanmenxia is next to Luoyang on the east and Nanyang on the southeast. To its west is Shaanxi Province, and to its north is Shanxi Province. The city sits on the south side of the Yellow River. This is where the river cuts through the Loess Plateau before reaching the North China Plain.
In 2020, about 2 million people lived in Sanmenxia. Around 820,300 of these people lived in the main city area. This area includes Hubin, Shanzhou urban districts, and Pinglu County in Shanxi.
Contents
The Story Behind Sanmenxia's Name and History
The name Sanmenxia (三门峡) means "The Gorge of Three Gateways" in Chinese. This name comes from two islands in the Yellow River. These islands split the river into three different paths.
Ancient Legends and the Yellow River
According to old Chinese stories, a hero named Yu the Great used a special axe. He cut the mountain ridge three times to create the Sanmenxia gorges. This was done to stop huge floods. The three "men" or gates were given names:
- "The Gateway of Man" (人门)
- "The Gateway of Gods" (神门)
- "The Gateway of Devils" (鬼门)
However, when the Sanmenxia Dam was built in the late 1950s, these ancient river paths were covered by water.
Sanmenxia Through the Dynasties
During the Western Zhou dynasty, Sanmenxia was part of the State of Western Guo. This state was ruled by relatives of the Zhou royal family. The capital of Guo moved from Baoji to Shangyang (上阳), which was near Sanmenxia. Later, the State of Jin took over this area.
Discoveries and Heritage
Between 1956 and 1991, archaeologists found amazing things near Sanmenxia. They discovered many chariot graves and bronze items from the Western Guo State rulers. Also, an important archaeological site is in Sanmenxia. It's called the "Shihao Section of Xiaohan Ancient Road." This old pathway is part of the World Heritage Site known as the "Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang'an-Tianshan Corridor."
In 2011, the Sanmenxia Cultural Sports Centre Stadium opened. This stadium is used for soccer games and can hold 22,000 people.
Geography and Climate of Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia is in western Henan Province. It's located on the south side of the Yellow River. Mountains surround the city on three sides. The land generally gets higher as you go from the northeast to the southwest.
Mountainous Surroundings
Most of the area is between 300 and 1500 meters (about 980 to 4,900 feet) above sea level. The highest mountain peak in Henan Province, which is 2413.8 meters (about 7,920 feet) tall, is located in Lingbao, near Sanmenxia. The city is where Henan, Shanxi, and Shaanxi provinces meet. It borders Luoyang to the east and Nanyang to the south. To the west is Weinan in Shaanxi, and across the Yellow River to the north is Yuncheng in Shanxi.
Weather Patterns
Sanmenxia has a mostly dry climate influenced by monsoons. This means it has four distinct seasons. Winters are somewhat cold and very dry. Summers are hot and humid. The average daily temperatures range from -0.3°C (31.5°F) in January to 26.4°C (79.5°F) in July. The average temperature for the whole year is 13.9°C (57°F).
More than half of the yearly rainfall happens between July and September. The area usually has between 184 and 218 days without frost each year. Sanmenxia's climate is a mix between a humid subtropical climate and a humid continental climate. It gets just enough rain to avoid being considered a semi-arid (very dry) area.
| Climate data for Sanmenxia, elevation 410 m (1,350 ft), (1991–2018 normals, extremes 1971–2010) | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.6 (60.1) |
23.3 (73.9) |
29.7 (85.5) |
36.7 (98.1) |
39.8 (103.6) |
41.4 (106.5) |
41.6 (106.9) |
39.6 (103.3) |
39.2 (102.6) |
33.3 (91.9) |
26.3 (79.3) |
18.4 (65.1) |
41.6 (106.9) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 5.2 (41.4) |
9.4 (48.9) |
15.6 (60.1) |
22.6 (72.7) |
27.4 (81.3) |
31.5 (88.7) |
32.4 (90.3) |
30.7 (87.3) |
25.8 (78.4) |
20.3 (68.5) |
12.9 (55.2) |
6.6 (43.9) |
20.0 (68.1) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 0.1 (32.2) |
3.8 (38.8) |
9.5 (49.1) |
16.1 (61.0) |
21.1 (70.0) |
25.4 (77.7) |
27.0 (80.6) |
25.5 (77.9) |
20.5 (68.9) |
14.6 (58.3) |
7.5 (45.5) |
1.6 (34.9) |
14.4 (57.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −3.7 (25.3) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
4.8 (40.6) |
10.8 (51.4) |
15.6 (60.1) |
20.1 (68.2) |
22.9 (73.2) |
21.6 (70.9) |
16.6 (61.9) |
10.4 (50.7) |
3.6 (38.5) |
−2.0 (28.4) |
10.0 (50.1) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −12.5 (9.5) |
−10.9 (12.4) |
−6.2 (20.8) |
−0.4 (31.3) |
4.7 (40.5) |
12.4 (54.3) |
15.8 (60.4) |
12.8 (55.0) |
6.5 (43.7) |
−2.1 (28.2) |
−8.0 (17.6) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
−12.8 (9.0) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 3.8 (0.15) |
8.6 (0.34) |
17.4 (0.69) |
36.6 (1.44) |
57.8 (2.28) |
63.5 (2.50) |
105.0 (4.13) |
79.2 (3.12) |
89.7 (3.53) |
49.4 (1.94) |
24.3 (0.96) |
3.7 (0.15) |
539 (21.23) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.1 mm) | 3.2 | 3.6 | 5.3 | 6.5 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 9.8 | 9.3 | 9.9 | 7.7 | 5.7 | 2.7 | 79.9 |
| Average snowy days | 4.4 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.7 | 3.1 | 14.8 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 53 | 53 | 52 | 54 | 56 | 59 | 70 | 72 | 72 | 69 | 64 | 55 | 61 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 143.3 | 136.5 | 170.1 | 202.5 | 220.5 | 216.2 | 208.5 | 190.0 | 147.5 | 148.6 | 140.3 | 145.5 | 2,069.5 |
| Percent possible sunshine | 46 | 44 | 46 | 51 | 51 | 50 | 48 | 46 | 40 | 43 | 46 | 48 | 47 |
| Source 1: China Meteorological Administration | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: Weather China | |||||||||||||
How Sanmenxia is Governed
The city of Sanmenxia is a prefecture-level city. This means it's a large area that includes several smaller divisions. Sanmenxia manages two districts, two cities, and two counties.
- Hubin District (湖滨区)
- Shanzhou District (陕州区)
- Lingbao City (灵宝市)
- Yima City (义马市)
- Lushi County (卢氏县)
- Mianchi County (渑池县)
| Map of Sanmenxia's Divisions |
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Hubin
Shanzhou
Mianchi
County Lushi
County Yima
(city) Lingbao
(city) |
Getting Around Sanmenxia
Sanmenxia has important roads that help people travel and transport goods.
- China National Highway 209
- China National Highway 310
Famous People from Sanmenxia
Many notable people have come from Sanmenxia, including:
- Gao Jixing: A prince who founded the state of Jingnan during a time in China called the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.
- Hao Pengju: A Chinese general and politician.
- Zhang Zifeng: A well-known actress.
See also
In Spanish: Sanmenxia para niños
