Qingdao
Qingdao, the host city for the 29th Olympic Sailing Regatta in 2008, is a coastal city located between 
north latitude 35°35' to 37°09' and east longitude 119°30' to 121°00'. The city faces North Korea, South Korea and Japan across the sea. The total area of Qingdao is 10,654 square kilometers with the urban area totaling 1,102 square kilometers. The population of Qingdao totals 7,104,900, while the urban population is 2,376,000.Qingdao is one of China's five largest ports and the only port with an annual handling capacity of 100 million tons of coal, ore, petroleum, containers and bulk cargo.
The landscape of Qingdao is often described as the pearl on the crown of the Yellow Sea. Surrounded by the sea on three sides , Qingdao attracts many tourists with its charming seascape sunshine and fresh air . The western part of the city was developed by the early German colonists and thus this area is characterized by the "red-roofs, green trees, blue sky and azure sea " . Centered on the May 4 th Square, the newly developed area with high – rise buildings and broad streets lies in the eastern part of the city. Historical sites and constantly improved modern facilities add to the attractiveness of the city. Qingdao is an excellent place for sightseers, holidaymakers and for holding business talks and exhibitions.
Climate
Qingdao is called the south of the Northern China and the north of the Southern China. Thanks to the adjustment of the tidal current at the bay, the climate is generally mild and agreeable in all the four seasons. It is a nice place which " has flowers in Spring and full moon in Fall; in Summer there is cool wind and in Winter there is snow. " For over a hundred years, Qingdao has been a famous tourism resort with a rich historical background and natural beauty.
The meeting will be held in early Summer, when the average temperature is around 23 ℃ . occasional rains, constant, cool breeze from the sea makes pleasant days and nights.
FOOD
The sunshine, beach, beer and seafood.
Qingdao is full of all kinds of Chinese food. And the seafood culture in Qingdao is called Northern School Seafood , which attaches importance to keep the very fresh taste in cooking process .
There are also some restaurants with foreign flavor in Qingdao. For example: Pizza Hut , La villa , and many Korean restaurants and Japanese restaurants .
Festivals in Qingdao
Festivals in Qingdao include modern festivals like "Qingdao International Beer Festival" , "Qingdao Ocean Festival", "The International Festival of Sand Beach Culture" , as well as traditional festivals such as "Haiyunan Fair of Candied Haws Sticks", "Yuanxiaoshan Fair", "Lantern Fair of Qingdao Summer", "Zhanshan Fair" and "Cherry Blossom Fair in Zhongshan Park", ect..
Qingdao International Beer Festival is the festival for beer lovers and also an important festival for every Qingdao resident. Qingdao is the home of the famous Qingdao (Tsingtao) Beer , so there is a joke about the beer: every Qingdao native can drink a lot, because they grow up with drinking beer instead of milk.
Institutes and Universities in Qingdao
Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yellow Sea Fisheries Institute
The First Institute of Oceanography, SOA
China Ocean University
Qingdao University
Qingdao University of Science Technology
Qingdao Technological University
Qingdao Agricultural University
Shandong University of Science and Technology
The city has gathered almost 50% of all the marine scientists in China.