117-495: Beijing Olympics may refer to: 2008 Summer Olympics , Games of the XXIX Olympiad 2022 Winter Olympics , XXIV Winter Olympic Games See also [ edit ] Beijing Paralympics (disambiguation) Beijing (disambiguation) Olympics (disambiguation) [REDACTED] [REDACTED] List of sports-related pages with the same or similar names This article includes
234-407: A retractable roof , and low maintenance costs. The entry list was narrowed to thirteen final designs. The bird's nest model submitted by architects Jacques Herzog and Pierre de Meuron in collaboration with Li Xinggang of China Architecture Design and Research Group (CADG) was selected as the top design by both a professional panel and by a broader audience during a public exhibition. The selection of
351-479: A "New City District" was established to furnish the Japanese colonists with commercial sections and living quarters, which suggested a striking contrast to the shabby houses in the local Chinese zones (Li 2007, p. 133). In the meantime, several schools, hospitals, and public buildings were constructed, followed by urban streets and intercity highways as well. The urban spatial layout continued to expand northward along
468-624: A 108 km (67 mi) long "highway" scaling the Tibetan side of the mountain, built especially for the relay. The $ 19.7 million blacktop project spanned from Tingri County of Xigazê Prefecture to the Everest Base Camp . In March 2008, China banned mountaineers from climbing its side of Mount Everest, and later persuaded the Nepalese government to close their side as well, officially citing environmental concerns. It also reflected concerns by
585-522: A disease-free zone", the equestrian events were held in Hong Kong . Some stadiums were built on the former site of hutong neighbourhoods, including Qianmen Subdistrict . The showpiece of the 2008 Summer Olympics was the Beijing National Stadium, nicknamed "The Bird's Nest" because of its nest-like skeletal structure. The stadium hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as
702-475: A list of sports-related pages with the same or similar names. If an internal link for a specific sport article referred you to this page, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended sport article, if one exists. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Beijing_Olympics&oldid=1236892848 " Category : Set index articles on sports Hidden categories: Articles with short description Short description
819-629: A minor British naval attack on the German concession in Shandong in 1914, Japanese Empire troops occupied the city and the surrounding province during the Siege of Tsingtao (Qingdao) after Japan's declaration of war on Germany in accordance with the Anglo-Japanese Alliance . China protested against Japan's violation of her neutrality but was not able to interfere in the military operations. The decision of
936-555: A single pictogram was released). This set of sport icons was named the beauty of seal characters , because of each pictogram's likeness to Chinese seal script . The mascots of the 2008 Summer Olympics were the Fuwa, created by Han Meilin ( 韩美林 ). The mascots consisted of Beibei, a fish, Jingjing, a panda, Huanhuan, an Olympic flame, Yingying, a Tibetan antelope, and Nini, a sand martin kite. When their Chinese characters are combined, they form 北京欢迎你 , or "Beijing Welcomes You". A year before
1053-623: A strong growth period, with a new central business district created to the east of the older business district. Outside of the center of the city, there is a large industrial zone, which includes chemical processing, rubber, and heavy manufacturing, in addition to a growing high-tech area. Numerous local and national service companies, rather than manufacturers, are based in the city's southern district. The sub-provincial city of Qingdao has seven districts (区; qū) and three county-level cities (市; shì):Qingdao City, located in Shandong Province, China,
1170-707: Is a prefecture-level city with several aliases, including "Island City" and "Jiaozhou Bay". Qingdao is a vice-provincial-level city, a separately listed city, and recognized as a major city. According to the approval of the State Council, Qingdao is designated as an important coastal center city and a coastal resort tourism city in China, as well as an international port city. Qingdao City administers 7 districts and 3 county-level cities. These districts include Shinan District, Shibei District, Huangdao District, Laoshan District, Licang District, Chengyang District, and Jimo District, while
1287-640: Is about 1.5 billion dollars. The bridge was designed by the Shandong Gausu Group and the construction lasted for four years. Haiwan Bridge cut the commute between the city of Qingdao and the sprawling suburb of Huangdao by 30 minutes. At least 10,000 workers toiled in two teams around the clock to build the bridge, which was constructed from opposite ends. On the same day, the Jiaozhou Bay Tunnel opened. The tunnel brought much convenience to people by supporting public buses and making transport between
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#17328453488531404-715: Is also one of the world's top 50 cities for global scientific research as tracked by the Nature Index . The city was also ranked 20th globally in the "Global Top 100 Science & Technology Cluster Cities" rankings based on "publishing and patent performance" as of 2024. It is home to several notable universities , including the Ocean University of China , China University of Petroleum , Shandong University of Science and Technology , Qingdao , Qingdao University of Science and Technology Qingdao University of Technology , and Qingdao Agricultural University. Human settlement in
1521-658: Is associated with prosperity and confidence in Chinese culture , and the ceremonial start comprised a triple eight for the date and one extra for time (close to 08:08:08 pm). The ceremony was co-directed by Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou and Chinese choreographer Zhang Jigang and featured a cast of over 15,000 performers. The ceremony lasted over four hours and was reported to have cost over US$ 100 million to produce. UNGA President Miguel d'Escoto and leaders from 105 countries and territories attended this ceremony. A rich showcase of ancient Chinese art and culture dominated
1638-596: Is different from Wikidata All set index articles 2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics ( 2008年夏季奥运会 ), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad ( 第二十九届夏季奥林匹克运动会 ) and officially branded as Beijing 2008 ( 北京2008 ), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing , China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) competed in 28 sports and 302 events, one event more than those scheduled for
1755-487: Is generally hot and humid, but very hot days are rare, with an August average of 25.6 °C (78.1 °F). Due to its proximity to the coast and location on a peninsula, compared to most inland areas of China, its spring is delayed by one month, and the annual diurnal temperature variation is only 6.3 °C (11.3 °F); conversely, its fall is milder than inland areas in Shandong. The water temperature peaks at about 25 °C (77 °F) in late August. Thus, swimming
1872-680: Is led by the Greek team , which hosted the previous games , entered first in honour of its status as the Olympic birthplace. They were led by judoka Ilias Iliadis . Meanwhile, the Chinese team entered last as the host country, led by the NBA 's Houston Rockets superstar Yao Ming and earthquake survivor Lin Hao, who was just 9 years old. The last torchbearer in the Olympic Torch was the gymnast legend Li Ning ignited
1989-623: Is now the headquarters of the Chinese navy's northern fleet . An early example of the open-door policy occurred on 5 November 1984, when three United States Naval vessels visited Qingdao. This was the first US port call to China in more than 37 years. USS Rentz , USS Reeves , and USS Oldendorf and their crews were officially hosted by the Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN). Northern Qingdao, particularly Shibei , Licang , and Chengyang districts, are now major manufacturing centers. The city has recently experienced
2106-596: Is possible for two months on either side. The annual mean temperature is 13.3 °C (55.9 °F). Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −15.5 °C (4 °F) on 16 January 1958 to 38.9 °C (102 °F) on 15 July 2002; unofficial readings have reached a record low of −16.9 °C (1.6 °F) or for the official weather station there, −16.4 °C (2.5 °F) on 10 January 1931. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 38 percent in July to 59 percent in October,
2223-857: The 2004 Summer Olympics . This was the first time China had hosted the Olympic Games , and the third time the Summer Olympic Games had been held in East Asia , following the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo , Japan, and the 1988 Olympics in Seoul , South Korea. These were also the second Summer Olympic Games to be held in a communist state , the first being the 1980 Summer Olympics in the Soviet Union (with venues in Russia , Ukraine , Byelorussia , and Estonia ). Beijing
2340-496: The 2014 Winter Games in Sochi . The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and numerous international presses as spectacular, spellbinding, and by many accounts, "the greatest ever in the history of Olympics". Beijing hosted the 2022 Winter Olympics , making it the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Games. An unprecedented 87 countries won at least one medal during
2457-667: The Chinese Revolution the year before. However, Japan maintained its economic dominance of the railway and the province as a whole. The city became a direct-controlled municipality of the ROC Government in July 1929. Japan re-occupied Qingdao in 1938, a year after it expanded the Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945), (a precursor to World War II , 1939–1945) with its plans of territorial expansion into China's coast. Nationalist (Kuomintang) ROC forces returned after
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#17328453488532574-548: The Imperial German treasury and Protestant and Roman Catholic missions. Commercial interests established the Germania Brewery in 1903, which later became the world-famous Tsingtao Brewery . German cultural and commercial influences extended to other areas of Shandong Province, including the establishment of diverse commercial enterprises. Identified by the German authorities as a strategically important port, Qingdao
2691-511: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned Iraq from competing in the 2008 Olympic Summer Games because of "political interference by the government in sports." The IOC reversed its decision five days later and allowed the nation to compete after a pledge by Iraq to ensure "the independence of its national Olympics panel" by instituting fair elections before the end of November. In the meantime, Iraq's Olympic Organization
2808-612: The Japanese surrender in September 1945. On 2 June 1949, during the Chinese Civil War and shortly before the founding of the communist People's Republic of China on 1 October 1949 the city was taken by Chairman Mao Zedong and his troops. The development of the Qingdao urban space during the German occupation (1898–1914) originated from the port. Mass urban construction began in 1898 with
2925-738: The KMT allowed Qingdao to serve as the headquarters of the Western Pacific Fleet of the US Navy in 1945; however, its headquarters were transferred to the Philippines sometime in late 1948. On 2 June 1949, the CPC -led Red Army entered Qingdao and the city and province have been under PRC control since that time. Since the 1984 inauguration of China's open-door policy to foreign trade and investment, Qingdao has rapidly developed into an ultramodern port city. It
3042-855: The LZR Racer , a specialized swimming suit developed by NASA and the Australian Institute of Sport . Only two swimming Olympic records remained intact after the Games. Before the event started, the People's Liberation Army Navy Band performed the Welcome March song as delegations of both IOC and the Chinese government, led by Jacques Rogge and Hu Jintao , entered Beijing National Stadium (The Bird's Nest ). The opening ceremony officially began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time ( UTC+8 ) on 8 August 2008. The number 8
3159-747: The Paris Peace Conference and the Versailles Treaty negotiations not to restore Chinese rule over the previous foreign concessions in Qingdao after the Great War triggered the May Fourth Movement (4 May 1919) of anti-imperialism, nationalism and cultural identity in China. The city came under Chinese rule in December 1922, under control of the Republic of China (R.O.C.) established in 1912 after
3276-482: The Republic of China , visited the Tsingtao area and stated in 1912, "I am impressed. The city is a true model for China's future". The development of Tsingtao urban space continued during the first Japan-occupation period (1914–1922). In 1914, Tsingtao was taken over by the Japanese and served as a base for the exploitation of natural resources of Shandong and northern China. With the development of industry and commerce,
3393-767: The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. The mascots of Beijing 2008 were the five Fuwa , each of which represented both a color of the Olympic rings and a symbol of Chinese culture. In 2006, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games released pictograms of 35 Olympic disciplines (however, for some multidiscipline sports such as cycling,
3510-477: The athletics competition. Construction of the venue began on 24 December 2003. The Guangdong Olympic Stadium was originally planned, constructed, and completed in 2001 to help host the Games, but a decision was made to construct a new stadium in Beijing. In 2001, the city held a bidding process to select the best arena design. Several criteria were required of each design, including flexibility for post-Olympics use,
3627-632: The cauldron , after being suspended into the air by wires and completing the relay last 400m of the National Stadium at roof height. The opening ceremony was lauded by spectators and various international presses as "spectacular" and "spellbinding". Hein Verbruggen , chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for the XXIX Olympiad, called the ceremony "a grand, unprecedented success." The 2008 Summer Olympics Closing Ceremony concluded
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3744-433: The humid subtropical ( Köppen : Cwa ) and humid continental (Köppen: Dwa ) regimes. Due to the direct regulation of the marine environment, the city is influenced by the southeast monsoon and the currents and water masses from the ocean, so it also has significant maritime climate characteristics. Winters range from cool to cold and windy, but are generally dry, with a January average of 0.2 °C (32.4 °F). Summer
3861-401: The 10 million residents of Qingdao, 6.2 million reside in the Qingdao urban area. Another estimated 5 million live in other cities under Qingdao's jurisdiction. The annual birth rate is calculated around 76,507, with a birth rate of 10.15 per year per thousand, and a death rate of 6.32, both calculated on an annual basis. Living standards are among the highest of leading Chinese cities due to
3978-496: The 2000 Summer Olympics before losing to Sydney by two votes in the final round. Human rights concerns expressed by Amnesty International and politicians in both Europe and North America were considered by the delegates, according to IOC Executive Director François Carrard. Carrard and others suggested that the selection might lead to improvements in human rights in China. In addition, many IOC delegates who had formerly been athletes expressed concern about heat and air quality during
4095-681: The 2006 Winter Games but produced approximately 2,200 hours of coverage for the 2008 Summer Games. CNN reported that, for the first time, "live online video rights in some markets for the Olympics have been separately negotiated, not part of the overall 'broadcast rights.'" The new media of the digital economy was said to be growing "nine times faster than the rest of the advertising market." The international European Broadcasting Union (EBU) provided live coverage and highlights of all arenas only for certain territories on their website, Eurovisionsports.tv. Many national broadcasters likewise restricted
4212-438: The 2008 Olympic Torch was based on traditional scrolls and used a traditional Chinese design known as the "Propitious Clouds" (祥云). The torch was designed to remain lit in 65 km/h (40 mph) winds, and in rain of up to 50 mm (2 in) per hour. The relay, with the theme "Journey of Harmony", was met with protests and demonstrations by pro-Tibet supporters throughout its journey. It lasted 130 days and carried
4329-461: The 2008 Games. Host nation China won the most gold medals (48), and became the seventh different team to top the Summer Olympics medal standings, winning a total of 100 medals overall. The United States placed second in the gold medal tally but won the highest number of medals overall (112). The third place in the gold and overall medal tally was achieved by Russia . This Olympic Games marked
4446-469: The 2008 Games. The equestrian events were held in Hong Kong , making these the third Olympics for which the events were held under the jurisdiction of two different NOCs. The sailing events were contested in Qingdao , while the football events took place across several different cities. The official logo for the 2008 Games, titled " Dancing Beijing " ( 舞动北京 ), created by Guo Chunning ( 郭春宁 ), featured
4563-528: The 2008 Summer Olympics was "You and Me" , which was composed by Chen Qigang , the musical director of the opening ceremony. It was performed during the opening ceremony by Chinese singer Liu Huan and British singer Sarah Brightman . The theme song was originally going to be a song called "So much love, so far away (Tanto amor, tan lejos)" written by Cuban singer-songwriter Jon Secada and Peruvian singer-songwriter Gian Marco under production from Cuban producer Emilio Estefan Jr. from EMI . The design of
4680-523: The 2020 census, Qingdao built-up (or metro) area made of the seven urban districts ( Shinan , Shibei , Huangdao , Laoshan , Licang , Chengyang and Jimo ) was home to 7,172,451 inhabitants, making it the 15th largest city in China by population. Lying across the Shandong Peninsula and looking out to the Yellow Sea , it borders the prefecture-level cities of Yantai to the northeast, Weifang to
4797-661: The Beijing Games on 24 August 2008. It began at 8:00 pm China Standard Time (UTC+8) and took place at the Beijing National Stadium. The Ceremony included the handover of the Games from Beijing to London. Guo Jinlong , the Mayor of Beijing handed over the Olympic flag to the Mayor of London Boris Johnson , followed by a performance organized by London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games . This presentation included performances by guitarist Jimmy Page and recording artist Leona Lewis . Footballer David Beckham
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4914-673: The Beijing Olympic Games. Athletes from the Republic of China (Taiwan) competed at the 2008 Games as Chinese Taipei (TPE) under the Chinese Taipei Olympic flag and used the National Banner Song as their official anthem. The participation of Taiwan was briefly in doubt because of disagreements over the name of their team in the Chinese language and concerns about Taiwan marching in the Opening Ceremony next to
5031-500: The Berlin treasury as well as Protestant and Roman Catholic missions. In 1910, the Germans drew up for the second time the city planning of Tsingtao (Warner 2001, p. 33). The former urban area was extended four times highlighted by the emphasis on the development of commerce and trade. Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), leader of the Chinese Revolution of 1911 and subsequently first president of
5148-411: The Chinese character for capital ( 京 , stylized into the shape of a human being) in reference to the host city. The 2008 Olympics were watched by 3.5 billion people worldwide, and featured the longest distance for an Olympic Torch relay. The 2008 Games also set numerous world and Olympic records , and were the most expensive Summer Olympics of all time, and the second most expensive overall, after
5265-436: The Chinese government that Tibet activists might try to disrupt its plans to carry the Olympic torch up the world's tallest peak. The originally proposed route would have taken the torch through Taipei after leaving Vietnam and before heading for Hong Kong. However, the government of Taiwan (then led by the independence -leaning Democratic Progressive Party ) objected to this proposal, claiming that this route would make
5382-693: The Games in 2007, the 100-episode The Olympic Adventures of Fuwa featuring the mascots, was released. The 2008 Games were the first to be produced and broadcast entirely in high definition by the host broadcaster. In comparison, American broadcaster NBC broadcast only half of the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics in HD. In their bid for the Olympic Games in 2001, Beijing stated to the Olympic Evaluation Commission that there would be "no restrictions on media reporting and movement of journalists up to and including
5499-456: The Games would exceed the original target of $ 16 million. Other reports, however, estimated the total costs from $ 40 to $ 44 billion, which would make the Games "far and away the most expensive ever". Its budget was later exceeded by the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi , which suffered from major cost overruns ; the 2014 Winter Olympics costed roughly US$ 50 billion in public funding. The Oxford Olympics Study 2016 estimates
5616-485: The Games, considering the high levels of air pollution in Beijing. China outlined plans to address these environmental concerns in its bid application. On 6 March 2009, the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games reported that total spending on the Games was "generally as much as that of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games", which was equivalent to about US$ 15 billion. They went on to claim that surplus revenues from
5733-506: The IOC did not disclose their votes, but news reports speculated that broad international support led to China's selection, especially from developing nations that had received assistance from China to construct stadiums. The size of China, its increased enforcement of doping controls, and sympathy concerning its loss of the 2000 Summer Olympics to Sydney were all factors in the decision. Eight years earlier, Beijing had led every round of voting for
5850-494: The IOC, these are also specified). In addition to the official Olympic sports, the Beijing Organizing Committee was given special dispensation by the IOC to run a wushu competition in tandem with the Games. The 2008 Beijing Wushu Tournament saw 128 athletes from 43 countries participate, with medals awarded in 15 separate events; however, these were not to be added to the official medal tally since Wushu
5967-574: The IOC, but failed to make the short list chosen by the IOC Executive Committee in 2000. After the first round of voting, Beijing held a significant lead over the other four candidates. Osaka received only six votes and was eliminated. In the second round, Beijing was supported by a majority of voters, eliminating the need for subsequent rounds. Toronto's bid was its fifth failure since 1960 (failed bids for 1960, 1964, 1976 and 1996 Games, losing to Rome, Tokyo, Montreal and Atlanta). Members of
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#17328453488536084-410: The Olympic Games." However, some media outlets claimed that organizers ultimately failed to live up to this commitment. According to Nielsen Media Research, 4.7 billion viewers worldwide tuned in to some of the television coverage, one-fifth larger than the 3.9 billion who watched the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. American broadcaster NBC produced only two hours of online streaming video for
6201-642: The Olympics, the Macau Sports and Olympic Committee sent a delegation to participate in the Wushu Tournament Beijing 2008 , being the only unrecognized National Olympic Committee to have taken part in the 2008 Summer Olympics. It also coordinated efforts with the Chinese Olympic Committee to organize the torch relay through Macau. The Marshall Islands and Tuvalu gained National Olympic Committee status in 2006 and 2007 respectively, and 2008
6318-461: The Qing Empire decided to make coastal Qingdao (then known as "Jiao'ao") a defense base against naval attacks and began to improve its fortifications. Imperial German naval officials observed and reported on this activity during a formal survey of Jiaozhou Bay in May 1897. In November of that year, the Juye Incident would take place, in which three German missionaries were attacked, and two were killed. Subsequently, German troops seized and occupied
6435-416: The United States' mediation during the Washington Naval Conference . Today, Qingdao is a major nodal city of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that connects Continental and East Asia with Europe. It has the highest GDP of any city in the province. Administered at the sub-provincial level , Qingdao has jurisdiction over seven districts and three county-level cities ( Jiaozhou , Pingdu , Laixi ). As of
6552-405: The area dates back 6,000 years. The Dongyi lived here and created the Dawenkou , Longshan and Dongyeshi cultures. In the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 BC), the town of Jimo was established, which was then the second-largest one in the Shandong region. The area in which Qingdao is located today was named Jiao'ao ( 胶澳 ) when it was administered by the Qing Dynasty on 14 June 1891. In 1891,
6669-479: The best-known Chinese export beer. It is also home to Haier , a large white goods manufacturer, and Hisense , a major electronics company. In 2002 guitar manufacturers Epiphone opened a factory in Qingdao. In 1984 the Chinese government named a district of Qingdao a Special Economic and Technology Development Zone (SETDZ). Along with this district, the entire city had gone through fast-tracked development of secondary and tertiary industries . Qingdao has been
6786-407: The calligraphic word symbolized the invitation from China to the world to share in its culture. IOC president Jacques Rogge was rather pleased with the emblem, saying, "Your new emblem immediately conveys the awesome beauty and power of China which are embodied in your heritage and your people." The official motto for the 2008 Olympics was " One World, One Dream " ( 同一个世界 同一个梦想 ). It called upon
6903-420: The ceremony cultural segments. It opened with the beating of Fou drums for the countdown. Subsequently, a giant scroll was unveiled and became the show's centerpiece. The official song of the 2008 Summer Olympics, titled " You and Me ", was performed by Britain's Sarah Brightman and China's Liu Huan , on a large spinning rendition of the globe. As the Olympic Charter determines the parade of nations section,
7020-436: The city placed restrictions on construction sites and gas stations and limited the use of commercial and passenger vehicles in Beijing. From 20 July through 20 September, passenger vehicle restrictions were placed on alternative days depending on the terminal digit of the car's license plate. It was anticipated that this measure would take 45% of Beijing's 3.3 million cars off the streets. The boosted public transport network
7137-409: The city planning of the Greater Tsingtao and the City Planning of the Mother Town (Tsingtao City Proper), even though they had not had the opportunity to actualize either, respectively. The period in question did not witness much urban progress except for the logical construction of No. 6 Wharf, some Japanese residences, and a small number of roads and streets (Lu 2001, p. 339). After World War II,
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#17328453488537254-473: The city receives 2,261 hours of bright sunshine annually. During the summer months, the beaches of Qingdao are afflicted by massive algal blooms . The decomposing algae release large amounts of hydrogen sulfide gas, which produces an offensive "rotten egg" odor. Sea lettuce blooms, which are partially caused by seaweed farming in Jiangsu Province, led local officials to declare a "large-scale algae disaster" in 2013. See or edit raw graph data . Of
7371-457: The construction budget for the six main venues was funded by $ 2.1 billion ( RMB¥ 17.4 billion) in corporate bids and tenders. Investments were expected from corporations seeking ownership rights after the Olympics. Some events were held outside Beijing, namely football in Qinhuangdao , Shanghai , Shenyang , and Tianjin ; sailing in Qingdao ; and, because of the "uncertainties of equine diseases and major difficulties in establishing
7488-476: The construction of all 31 Beijing-based Olympic Games venues had begun. The Chinese government renovated and constructed six venues outside Beijing, and constructed 59 training facilities. The largest structures built were the Beijing National Stadium , Beijing National Indoor Stadium , Beijing National Aquatics Center , Peking University Gymnasium , Olympic Green Convention Center , Olympic Green , and Beijing Wukesong Culture & Sports Center . Almost 85% of
7605-502: The county-level cities consist of Jiaozhou City, Pingdu City, and Laixi City. Geographically, there are three districts (Shinan, Shibei, Licang) constituting a peninsula on the east coast of the Jiaozhou Bay as the core urban area, one (Chengyang) on the north coast and one (Xihai'an) on the west coast of the Yellow Sea . Qingdao is located on the south-facing coast of the Shandong Peninsula ( German : Schantung-Halbinsel ). It borders three prefecture-level cities, namely Yantai to
7722-405: The decision by their team not to register them. The IOC tried up until the last minute, midday Friday 8 August 2008, the day of the official opening, to have them register, but to no avail." Brunei's Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports issued a press release stating that their decision not to participate was due to an injury to one of their athletes. Georgia announced on 9 August 2008, that it
7839-458: The declaration of independence in Kosovo, the IOC specified requirements that Kosovo needs to meet before being recognized by the IOC; most notably, it has to be recognized as independent by the United Nations . However, it has since been recognised by the IOC in 2014 without fulfilling these criteria and made its debut in the 2016 games . More than 100 sovereigns, heads of state and heads of government as well as 170 Ministers of Sport attended
7956-445: The design became official in April 2003. Construction of the stadium was a joint venture among the original designers, project architect Stefan Marbach, artist Ai Weiwei , and a group of CADG architects led by Li Xinggang. Its $ 423 million cost was funded by the state-owned corporate conglomerate CITIC and the Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Company. To prepare for Olympic visitors, Beijing's transportation infrastructure
8073-408: The east bay area. The development of Tsingtao urban space during the ROC-ruled period (1922–1938). This period saw the substantial progress of the urban development of Tsingtao. The government engaged itself in mass construction that gave birth to villa districts at the beach and bank groups in CBD. Plenty of public buildings and facilities for entertainment and sports were completed. By the year 1937,
8190-399: The event. All but one of the 205 recognized National Olympic Committees (NOCs) that existed as of 2008 participated in the 2008 Summer Olympics, the exception being Brunei . Three countries participated in the Olympic Games for their first time: the Marshall Islands , Montenegro and Tuvalu . While not a full member recognized by the IOC and thus not allowed to compete formally in
8307-400: The first amputee to qualify for the Olympic Games since Olivér Halassy in 1936. She was able to compete in the Olympics rather than the Paralympics because she does not use a prosthetic leg while swimming. Polish athlete Natalia Partyka , who was born without a right forearm, competed in Table Tennis in the 2008 Summer Olympics and 2008 Paralympic Games. The program for the Beijing Games
8424-506: The flame, the torch was extinguished in Paris the following day. The American leg in San Francisco on 9 April was altered without prior warning to avoid such disturbances, although there were still demonstrations along the original route. The relay was further delayed and simplified after the 2008 Sichuan earthquake hit western China . The flame was carried to the top of Mount Everest on
8541-462: The fortification. The preindustrial, waning Qing Empire was forced to concede the area to Germany the following year, and the Kiautschou Bay concession , as it became known, existed from 1898 to 1914 (Li 2005, p. 81). With an area of 552 km (136,000 acres; 213 sq mi), it was located in the imperial province of Shandong ( alternately romanized as Shantung or Shan-tung ) on
8658-776: The highest levels in the region. There are a total of 1,145 km (711 mi) of roads in the Qingdao area, with nearly 500 km (310 mi) of expressways. These National Trunk Highway System (NTHS) Expressways begin or pass through in Qingdao. Expressways that begin in Qingdao are in Bold : Spur Route: G2011 Qingxin Expressway (Qingdao- Xinhe , Pingdu , Shandong) These provincial expressways begin in or pass through Qingdao. Expressways that begin in Qingdao are in Bold : Other than Expressways, there are also National Highways that pass through or begin in Qingdao. National Highways that begin in Qingdao are in bold : On 30 June 2011,
8775-406: The left, the calendar lists each sport with events held during the Games, and at the right how many gold medals were won in that sport. There is a key at the top of the calendar to aid the reader. 125 Olympic records including 37 world records were set in various events at the Games. In swimming, sixty-five Olympic swimming records including 25 world records were broken because of the use of
8892-533: The longest bridge over water opened in Qingdao. The bridge, Haiwan Bridge , is 26.4 miles (42.5 km) long and connects Qingdao to Huangdao and Hongdao. The bridge is almost three miles (4.8 km) longer than the previous record-holder , the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in the American state of Louisiana . Haiwan Bridge is supported by more than 5,000 pillars and costs about 10 billion yuan which
9009-448: The northeast, Weifang to the west, and Rizhao to the southwest. The city occupies an area totaling 10,654 km (4,114 sq mi), and stretches in latitude from 35° 35' to 37° 09' N and in longitude from 119° 30' to 121° 00' E. The populated sections of the city are relatively flat while mountains spur up within city limits and nearby. The highest elevation in the city is located 1,133 meters (3,717 ft) above sea level . Of
9126-488: The only sports in which men and women compete together, although three events in the Sailing allowed the opportunity for both males and female participants. However, only male participants took part in all three events. The following were the 302 events in 28 sports that were contested at the Games. The number of events contested in each sport is indicated in parentheses (in sports with more than one discipline, as identified by
9243-701: The opening ceremonies of the preceding three Games that it entered ( 2000 in Sydney , 2004 in Athens , and 2006 in Turin ), paraded separately this time. Under the direction of Liu Qi , Beijing was elected as the host city for the 2008 Summer Olympics on 13 July 2001, during the 112th IOC Session in Moscow, defeating bids from Toronto, Paris, Istanbul , and Osaka . Prior to the session, five other cities ( Bangkok , Cairo , Havana , Kuala Lumpur , and Seville ) had submitted bids to
9360-581: The outturn cost of the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics at US$ 6.8 billion in 2015-dollars. This includes sports-related costs only, such as those incurred by the organizing committee or those incurred by the host city, country, and private investors to build structures required to host the Games. Indirect capital costs—those not directly related to staging the Games—are not included. The Beijing Olympics' cost of US$ 6.8 billion compares with costs of US$ 4.6 billion for Rio 2016 and US$ 15 billion for London 2012. By May 2007
9477-469: The port had become the world's sixth-busiest by Total Cargo Volume, having handled 372,000,000 metric tons (366,000,000 long tons; 410,000,000 short tons) of cargo in that year. As of 2016, it was the 8th in the world in terms of TEUs (Twenty Foot Equivalent Units). The Orient Ferry connects Qingdao with Shimonoseki , Japan. There are two ferry lines connecting Qingdao with South Korea . The New Golden Bridge II operates between Qingdao and Incheon , and
9594-618: The portion of the relay in Taiwan appear to be part of the torch's domestic journey through China, rather than a leg on the international route. This dispute, as well as Chinese demands that the flag and the national anthem of the Republic of China be banned along the route led the government of Taiwan to reject the proposal that it be part of the relay route. The two sides of the Taiwan Strait subsequently blamed each other for injecting politics into
9711-480: The possibility of sending a united team to the 2008 Olympics. The proposal failed, because of disagreements about how athletes would be chosen; North Korea was demanding a certain percentage representation for its athletes. A subsequent attempt to broker an agreement for the two nations to walk together during the March of Nations failed as well, despite their having done so during the 2000 and 2004 Games. On 24 July 2008,
9828-487: The recipient of large foreign investment and its port is a hub for local and international trade. South Korea and Japan in particular made extensive investments in the city. In terms of primary sector industries , Qingdao has an estimated 50,000 acres (200 km ) of arable land . Qingdao has a zigzagging pattern coastline, and thus possesses an invaluable stock of fish, shrimp , and other sea resources. Qingdao's wind power electricity generation performs at among
9945-476: The relocation of Chinese dwellers along the coast. With the completion of such series of mass construction projects such as wharves, the Tsingtao-Jinan Railway Line, Tsingtao Railway Station and locomotive works, a city was starting to take shape. The area had the highest school density and highest per capita student enrollment in all of China, with primary, secondary and vocational schools funded by
10062-765: The return of the Summer Olympic Games to Asia after the 1988 Olympics in South Korea. It was the first Olympics for Serbia as a separate state since 1912 and the first for Montenegro , having separated from Serbia in 2006. It was also the first Olympics for Nepal as a republic, the Marshall Islands and Tuvalu . Mongolia and Panama each won their first Olympic gold medal. In addition, Afghanistan , Mauritius , Serbia, Sudan , Tajikistan and Togo won their first Olympic medals at these Games. North Korea , having symbolically marched with South Korea as one team at
10179-589: The second largest brewery in China, are legacies of the German occupation (1898–1914) . Qingdao is classified as a Large-Port Metropolis. In the 2020 Global Financial Centers Index , Qingdao ranked 47th; the index is published by the Z/Yen Group and China Development Institute , the other Chinese cities on the list being Shanghai , Hong Kong , Beijing , Shenzhen , Guangzhou , Chengdu , Nanjing , Xi'an , Tianjin , Hangzhou , Dalian , and Wuhan . In 2007, Qingdao
10296-622: The seventh nation to rank top in the medal table in the history of the modern Olympics, along with the United States (fifteen times), France (in 1900), Great Britain (in 1908), Germany (in 1936), the Soviet Union (six times), and the Unified Team (in 1992). Qingdao Qingdao (Qingdao Mandarin: t͡ɕʰiŋ˧˩ tɒ˥) is a prefecture -level city in the eastern Shandong Province of China . Located on China's Yellow Sea coast, Qingdao
10413-593: The southern coast of the Shandong Peninsula in northern China. Jiaozhou was alternatively romanized as Kiaochow, Kiauchau, or Kiao-Chau in English, and Kiautschou in German; Qingdao was its administrative center. "The so-called Marktstrasse (Market Street) was nothing more than the old main street of the Chinese village of Qingdao, and the buildings lining it were the former homes of fishermen and farmers. Having sold their property, they resettled their homes and fields in
10530-614: The special administrative region of Hong Kong. A compromise based at the Nagoya Protocol about the naming was reached some months before the opening ceremonies, and Taiwan was referred to during the Games as "Chinese Taipei", rather than "Taipei, China," as the mainland China government had proposed. In addition, the Central African Republic was placed between Taipei and Hong Kong,China on protocol order. Starting in 2005, North Korea and South Korea held meetings to discuss
10647-428: The strong export economy and relatively high family wages. There is a large Korean community in Qingdao. By 2009, there were approximately 100,000 Koreans working, studying and living in Qingdao, which makes Qingdao the second in terms of Korean population in China, following Beijing which has about 200,000 Koreans. According to the 2021 Qingdao Statistical Yearbook, the permanent resident population of Qingdao in 2020
10764-406: The swimming discipline. Team events (men and women) in table tennis replaced the doubles events. In fencing , the women's team foil and women's team saber replaced men's team foil and women's team épée . Two sports were open only to men, baseball and boxing , while one sport and one discipline were open only to women, softball and synchronized swimming . Equestrian and mixed badminton are
10881-651: The territory through what became known as the Twenty-One Demands . In 1918, the Chinese government, under the control of the warlord Duan Qirui , secretly agreed to Japanese terms in exchange for a loan. Following the First World War, during the Paris Peace Conference , Japan secured agreements with the Allied powers to recognize its claim to the areas in Shandong, which included Qingdao, previously occupied by Germany. In 1922, Shandong reverted to Chinese control following
10998-655: The torch 137,000 km (85,000 mi)—the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition began at the 1936 Berlin Games . The torch relay was described as a "public relations disaster" for China by USA Today , with protests against China's human rights record, particularly focused on Tibet . The IOC subsequently barred future Olympics organizers from staging international torch relays. The relay began 24 March 2008, in Olympia, Greece . From there, it traveled across Greece to Panathinaiko Stadium in Athens, and then to Beijing, arriving on 31 March. From Beijing,
11115-596: The torch followed a route passing through every continent except Antarctica . The torch visited cities on the Silk Road , symbolizing ancient links between China and the rest of the world. A total of 21,880 torchbearers were selected from around the world by various organizations and entities. The international portion of the relay was problematic. The month-long world tour encountered wide-scale anti-Chinese protests. After trouble in London involving attempts by protesters to put out
11232-410: The total area of Qingdao, 15.5% is highland, while the foothill, plain, and lowland areas constitute 25.1%, 37.8%, and 21.7%, respectively. The city has a 730.64-kilometer (454.00 mi)-long coastline. Five significant rivers exceeding 50 kilometers (31 mi) in length can be found in the region. Qingdao has a temperate, four-season, monsoon -influenced climate that lies in the transition between
11349-506: The two areas more convenient. Qingdao (official name: Qingdao port international co. ltd.) hosts one of the world's busiest seaports . Cooperative relations have been established with 450 ports in 130 countries worldwide. The port of Qingdao is part of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road . In 2003, the annual cargo handling capacity exceeded 100 million tons for the first time. The number of containers reached 3.41 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) of cargoes. By 2011,
11466-477: The urban population numbered 385,000(Lu 2001, p. 327). Tsingtao consequently distinguished itself as a prominent holiday resort and summer retreat. The development of Tsingtao urban space during the second Japan-occupied period (1938–1945). Japanese armed forces returned to Tsingtao in 1938 and started to strive for the construction of the Greater Tsingtao in the following June. Accordingly, they worked out
11583-456: The viewing of online events to their domestic audiences. The General National Copyright Administration of China announced that "individual ( sic ) and websites will face fines as high as 100,000 yuan for uploading recordings of Olympic Games video to the internet", part of an extensive campaign to protect the pertinent intellectual property rights. The Olympic Committee also set up a separate YouTube channel at Beijing 2008. The theme song of
11700-492: The villages further east." Upon gaining control of the area, the Germans outfitted the impoverished fishing village of Qingdao with wide streets, solid housing areas, government buildings, electrification throughout, a sewer system and a safe drinking water supply, a rarity in large parts of Asia at that time and later. The area had the highest school density and the highest per capita student enrollment in all of China, with primary, secondary and vocational schools funded by
11817-457: The west and Rizhao to the southwest. Qingdao is a major seaport and naval base , as well as a commercial and financial center . It is home to electronics multinationals such as Haier and Hisense . The Jiaozhou Bay Bridge , links the main urban area of Qingdao with Huangdao district, straddling the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas. Its historic German-style architecture and Tsingtao Brewery ,
11934-490: The whole world to join in the Olympic spirit and build a better future for humanity, and was chosen from over 210,000 entries submitted from around the world. Following the announcement of the motto, the phrase was used by international advocates of Tibetan secession . Banners reading "One World, One Dream, Free Tibet" were unfurled from various structures around the globe in the lead up to the Beijing Olympics, such as from
12051-464: Was awarded the 2008 Games over four competitors on 13 July 2001, having won a majority of votes from members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) after two rounds of voting. The Government of the People's Republic of China promoted the 2008 Games and invested heavily in new facilities and transport systems. 37 venues were used to host the events, including twelve constructed specifically for
12168-670: Was 10.1057 million, an increase of 182700 people compared to the previous year. In recent years, an important region in Eastern China, Shandong Province has seen substantial change in its economic landscape. Much of this development has been concentrated in Qingdao. Qingdao has seen rapid development. With an annual growth rate of 18.9 percent in 2006, the city's GDP reached 42.3 billion, ranking first in Shandong Province and tenth out of China's top 20 cities. GDP per capita comprised CN¥ 52,895 (US$ 7,616) in 2008. The GDP has grown steadily at an average pace of 16% annually. In 2006, Qingdao
12285-730: Was administered by the Imperial Department of the Navy ( Reichsmarineamt ) rather than the Imperial Colonial Office ( Reichskolonialamt ). The growing Imperial German Navy based their East Asia Squadron there, allowing the warships to conduct operations throughout the western Pacific . Beginning in January 1898, the marines of III. Seebataillon were based at Qingdao. Construction of the Jiaoji Railway began on 23 September 1899, and
12402-416: Was also featured during London's presentation. Of the 204 nations that participated in the 2008 Games, 87 earned medals and 54 of those won at least one gold medal, both of these figures setting new records for Olympic Games. There were 117 participating countries that did not win any medals. Athletes from China won the highest number of gold medals of any nation at these Games, with 48, thus making China
12519-512: Was completed in 1904. Before the outbreak of World War I (1914–1918), ships of the German naval forces under Admiral Count von Spee were located at central Pacific colonies on routine missions. The fleet then rendezvoused in the Marianas Islands to plan a transit back to Germany rather than be trapped in the Pacific by more powerful and numerous Allied fleets (British and Japanese). After
12636-467: Was considering withdrawing from the Beijing Olympic Games because of the 2008 South Ossetia war , but it went on to compete while the conflict was still ongoing. South African swimmer Natalie du Toit , whose left leg was amputated following a motor scooter accident, qualified to compete at the Beijing Olympics. The five time gold medalist at the Athens Paralympics in 2004 made history by becoming
12753-567: Was expanded. Beijing's airport underwent a major renovation with the addition of the new Terminal 3, designed by architect Norman Foster . Within the city itself, Beijing's subway was doubled in capacity and length, with the addition of seven lines and 80 stations to the previously existing four lines and 64 stations. Included in this expansion was a new link connecting to the city's airport. A fleet of thousands of buses, minibuses, and official cars transported spectators, athletes, and officials between venues. In an effort to improve air quality,
12870-452: Was expected to absorb the demand created by these restrictions and the influx of visitors, which was estimated at more than 4 million additional passengers per day. The 2008 Summer Olympics emblem was known as Dancing Beijing . The emblem combined a traditional Chinese red seal and a representation of the calligraphic character for "capital" ( 京 , also the second character of Beijing's Chinese name) with athletic features. The open arms of
12987-531: Was founded in 1891 to support coastal defence fortifications. In 1897, the city was ceded to Germany. For the Germans Qingdao (Tsingtau) was a strategic trade center, port and base for its East Asia Squadron , allowing the German navy to project dominance in the Pacific. In 1914, following the outbreak of World War I , Japan occupied the city and the surrounding province during the Siege of Tsingtao . In 1915, China agreed to recognize Japan's special position in
13104-726: Was named as one of China's top ten cities by the Chinese Cities Brand Value Report, which was released at the 2007 Beijing Summit of China Cities Forum. In 2009, Qingdao was named China's most livable city by the Chinese Institute of City Competitiveness. In 2018, Qingdao held the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit. In 2020, Qingdao was rated as a Gamma+ level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Qingdao
13221-446: Was not on the official program of the 2008 Summer Olympics. In the following calendar for the 2008 Summer Olympics, each blue box represents an event competition, such as a qualification round, on that day. The yellow boxes represent days during which medal-awarding finals for a sport were held. Each bullet in these boxes is an event final, the number of bullets per box representing the number of finals that were contested on that day. On
13338-406: Was quite similar to that of the 2004 Summer Olympics held in Athens. There were 28 sports and 302 events at the 2008 Games. Nine new events were held, including two from the new cycling discipline of BMX . Women competed in the 3,000-meter (9,843 ft) steeplechase for the first time. Open water swimming events for men and women, over the distance of 10 kilometers (6.2 mi), were added to
13455-460: Was ranked one of six "golden cities" by the World Bank, out of 120 Chinese cities assessed on factors including investment climate and government effectiveness. In 2018, Qingdao's GDP reached CN¥1200.15 billion, though it shrank a little in 2019. Internationally, Qingdao is perhaps best known for its Tsingtao Brewery , founded by a German-British joint venture in 1903 that produces Tsingtao beer ,
13572-524: Was the first Games in which they were eligible to participate. The states of Serbia and Montenegro , which participated at the 2004 Games jointly as Serbia and Montenegro , competed separately for the first time since Serbia last participated in 1912 . Montenegro made its debut appearance, as the Montenegrin Olympic Committee was accepted as a new National Olympic Committee in 2007. Neighboring Kosovo , however, did not participate. After
13689-427: Was to be run by "an interim committee proposed by its national sports federations and approved by the IOC." Brunei Darussalam was due to take part in the 2008 Summer Olympic Games. However, they were disqualified on 8 August, having failed to register either of their two athletes. The IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said in a statement that "it is a great shame and very sad for the athletes who lose out because of
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