Chinatown is the catch-all name for an ethnic enclave of Chinese people located outside Greater China,most often in an urban setting. Areas known as "Chinatown" exist throughout the world,including Europe,Asia,Africa,Oceania,and the Americas.
The Chinatown–International District of Seattle,Washington is the center of the city's Asian American community. Within the district are the three neighborhoods known as Chinatown,Japantown and Little Saigon,named for the concentration of businesses owned by people of Chinese,Japanese and Vietnamese descent,respectively. The geographic area also once included Manilatown.
Chinatown is a community in Southwest Houston,Texas,United States.
Chinatowns in Asia are widespread with large concentrations of overseas Chinese in East Asia and Southeast Asia,and ethnic Chinese whose ancestors came from southern China —particularly the provinces of Guangdong,Fujian,and Hainan —and settled in countries such as Brunei,Cambodia,East Timor,Indonesia,India,Laos,Malaysia,Myanmar,the Philippines,Singapore,Sri Lanka,Thailand,Vietnam,Japan and Korea centuries ago —starting as early as the Tang dynasty,but mostly notably in the 17th–19th centuries,and well into the 20th century. Today the Chinese diaspora in Asia is primarily concentrated in Southeast Asia;however,the legacy of the once widespread overseas Chinese communities in Asia is evident in the many Chinatowns found across East,South and Southeast Asia.
Urban Chinatowns exist in several major European cities. There is a Chinatown in London,England,as well as major Chinatowns in Manchester,Birmingham,Newcastle and Liverpool. In Paris there are two Chinatowns:one where many Vietnamese –specifically ethnic Chinese refugees from Vietnam –have settled in the Quartier chinois in the 13th arrondissement of Paris which is Europe's largest Chinatown,and the other in Belleville in the northeast of Paris. Berlin,Germany has two Chinatowns,one in the East and one in the West. Antwerp,Belgium also has an upstart Chinese community.
This article discusses Chinatowns in Oceania.
In non-Asian countries,an Asian supermarket largely describes a category of grocery stores that focuses and stocks items and products imported from countries located in the Far East.
The Chinatown neighborhood in Oakland,California,is traditionally Chinese which reflects Oakland's diverse Chinese American,and more broadly Asian American community. It is frequently referred to as "Oakland Chinatown" in order to distinguish it from nearby San Francisco's Chinatown. It lies at an elevation of 39 feet.
Philadelphia Chinatown is a predominantly Asian American neighborhood in Center City,Philadelphia,Pennsylvania. The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation supports the area. The neighborhood stretches from Vine Street on the north,Arch Street on the south,North Franklin Street and N. 7th Street on the east,to North Broad Street on the west.
Chinatown,Boston is a neighborhood located in downtown Boston,Massachusetts,United States. It is the only surviving historic ethnic Chinese enclave in New England since the demise of the Chinatowns in Providence,Rhode Island and Portland,Maine after the 1950s. Because of the high population of Asians and Asian Americans living in this area of Boston,there is an abundance of Chinese and Vietnamese restaurants located in Chinatown. It is one of the most densely populated residential areas in Boston and serves as the largest center of its East Asian and Southeast Asian cultural life.
Chinatown in Adelaide,South Australia,Australia,also called Adelaide Chinatown or Moonta Street Chinatown,is located on Moonta Street,within the large Adelaide Central Markets precinct between Grote and Gouger streets in the Adelaide city centre. Two large Paifang,which were erected by the city council,are guarded by the Chinese guardian lions. They mark the entrances at either end. Adelaide Chinatown consists mainly of Chinese restaurants,grocery stores and markets but also consists of many non-Chinese Asian restaurants offering cuisines of Indian,Japanese,Korean,Malaysian,Nepali,Thai and Vietnamese origins.
Nankin-machi is a neighborhood in Kobe,Japan located south of Motomachi station adjacent to the Daimaru Department Store and is a major tourist attraction. Considered as Kobe's Chinatown,the area has over a hundred Chinese restaurants,shops,and a Chinese temple dedicated to Lord Guan.
The East Asian hip-and-gable roof also known as 'resting hill roof',consists of a hip roof that slopes down on all four sides and integrates a gable on two opposing sides. It is usually constructed with two large sloping roof sections in the front and back respectively,while each of the two sides is usually constructed with a smaller roof section.
Chinatowns in Australia is a term used to describe major Chinese ethnic enclaves in Australia,especially those that claim to retain a strong Chinese cultural identity and a strong relationship with China. Chinatowns exist in most Australian states and territories,especially in the highly-populous and cosmopolitan capital cities but also in rural areas. Many large present-day Chinatowns in Australia have developed out of smaller historical Chinese settlements in Australia dating back to the 19th century. Chinese people first immigrated to Australia in large waves in the midst of the Australian gold rushes. Many of these people subsequently chose to return to China or were forcefully deported from Australia. The first known Chinese Australian was John Shying,who immigrated to Australia in 1818.
Chinatown,Brisbane is a precinct in Fortitude Valley,Brisbane,Australia. It is centred on Chinatown Mall,a pedestrian street which occupies all of Duncan Street. The Mall runs parallel to Brunswick Street Mall,and connects Wickham Street and Ann Street. The precinct is the location of Chinese restaurants and shops,and is the venue for events including Chinese New Year and Valley Fiesta. Street signs in the area are written in both English and Chinese. It is also home to many restaurants offering Chinese,Korean,Indonesian,Japanese,Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. Its pan-Asian nature is also emphasized through the hosting of many Asian festivals including the annual Indian festival,Diwali.
The Asian Pacific Thematic Historic District (APTHD) is a historic Chinatown in San Diego,California. It is an eight-block district adjacent to and in part overlapping with the Gaslamp Quarter. The district is bounded by Market Street to the north,2nd Ave. to the west,6th Ave. to the east and J St. to the south. 22 structures are considered historically contributing.
Chinatowns are enclaves of Chinese people outside of China. The first Chinatown in the United States was San Francisco's Chinatown in 1848,and many other Chinatowns were established in the 19th century by the Chinese diaspora on the West Coast. By 1875,Chinatowns had emerged in eastern cities such as New York City,Boston,Pittsburgh,and Philadelphia. The Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 barred Chinese immigration to the United States,but the Magnuson Act of 1943 repealed it,and the population of Chinatowns began to rise again.
Bangkok's Chinatown is one of the largest Chinatowns in the world. It was founded in 1782 when the city was established as the capital of the Rattanakosin Kingdom,and served as the home of the mainly Teochew immigrant Chinese population,who soon became the city's dominant ethnic group. Originally centred around Sampheng,the core of Chinatown now lies along Yaowarat Road,which serves as its main artery and sometimes lends its name to the entire area,which is often referred to as Yaowarat. Chinatown's entire area roughly coincides with Samphanthawong District,and includes neighbourhoods such as Song Wat and Talat Noi along the Chao Phraya River,and Charoen Chai,Khlong Thom and Nakhon Khasem along Charoen Krung Road.
The Chicago metropolitan area has an ethnic Chinese population. While historically small in comparison to populations on the coasts,the community is rapidly expanding. As of 2023,there are 78,547 Chinese Americans who live in Chicago,comprising 2.9% of the city's population,along with over 150,000 Chinese in the greater Chicago area - making Chicago's Chinese community the 8th largest among US metropolitan areas. This population includes native-born Chinese as well as immigrants from Mainland China,Taiwan,Hong Kong and Southeast Asia,and also racially mixed Chinese.
