In ancient times,when there was a lack of thchnology and means of transportation,Haina was considered"the end of the earth." Now it has become, however, the youngest province and the largest special economic zone in China. In recent years, this island has drawn Asia's or even world's attention by successfully holding a series of activities, such as the annual meetings of Boao Forum for Asia and Miss World finals. On a map of the world, Hainan sits on the 18th parallel of the north latitude, the sae as Hawaii, Miami, and Casablanca. It is said that the magnetic field along this parallel is particulaly good for mental and physical health. The industrious,kind-hearted, and brave people of Hainan welcome visitors from all over the world for sightseeing, spending their holidays, enjoying the sunshine, sea, beaches and delicious food, or even settling down.

　　It is easy to have a auick look at China's past and present, but it takes time to gain a panoramic knowledge of China. The "Pan oramic China" series is meant to assist readers, especially those overseas, in this respect. Each volume in the series focuses on a province, municipality or autono mous region, describing, with illustrations, the outstanding char acteristics of each area from dif ferent perspectives.