·1910年《天津明細(xì)新地圖》所標(biāo)示的天津租界

租界，是半封建半殖民地舊中國的贅疣，是近代帝國主義侵略的產(chǎn)物。天津是繼上海之后，中國第二個設(shè)立租界的城市，但在中國，天津是租界最多的城市。自清咸豐十年(1860)被迫開埠之后，到20世紀(jì)初，先后有9個國家在天津強(qiáng)劃租界，后來美租界歸并英租界，所以也有8國租界之說。這些租界的總面積差不多相當(dāng)于當(dāng)時天津城區(qū)的8倍。
天津設(shè)置租界分3個階段。第一次是天津開埠之后。咸豐十年(1860)十一月六日，英國率先提出在天津設(shè)立租界。此后又進(jìn)行了3次擴(kuò)張。其界址為： 東臨海河，南沿馬場道至佟樓，西到西康路，北沿營口道與法租界毗鄰。面積約4169畝。
英租界劃定不久，法國便在天津設(shè)立租界。其界址為： 東和北皆臨海河，西至大沽路以東吉林路附近，東南接英租界； 后來又進(jìn)行了擴(kuò)張，在向老西開地區(qū)擴(kuò)張時，引起了天津人民聲勢浩大的抗法斗爭，發(fā)生了“老西開事件” 。面積約2860畝。
同時，美國也在天津設(shè)立租界。其界址為： 東臨海河，西至大沽路，北至彰德道，南至開封道東段。面積約131畝。光緒二十八年 (1902)九月二十二日，美租界歸入英租界。
中日甲午戰(zhàn)爭之后，帝國主義第二次在天津強(qiáng)劃租界。光緒二十一年(1895)九月十三日，德國在天津劃定租界。其界址為： 東臨海河，北沿開封道與美租界相連，西至大沽路，南自小劉莊之北起順瓊州道至大沽路。此后，又將三義莊、桃園村一帶擴(kuò)充為“新界” 。面積共約4200畝。
光緒二十四年(1898)七月十三日，日本在天津劃定租界。其專管租界的界址為： 東以沈陽道與張自忠路拐角處起，沿海河至多倫道口止； 北沿多倫道向西經(jīng)海光寺至南京路止； 南界由沈陽道與張自忠路拐角處起，向西劃一直線至南京路止。面積約1667畝。另外，日本還有所謂預(yù)備租界。
庚子事變以后，帝國主義第三次在津強(qiáng)劃租界。光緒二十六年(1900)十一月九日，俄國在天津海河北岸(左岸)劃定租界，俄租界分為東、西兩區(qū)。其西區(qū)界址為： 西南毗鄰意租界，東至火車站西側(cè)，北至鐵路； 東區(qū)界址為： 從海河轉(zhuǎn)彎處向南，西臨海河，隔河與英、法、德租界遙對，東至京山鐵路，南迄十五經(jīng)路。兩區(qū)共占地約5971畝，面積超過英租界，居天津各租界之首。
光緒二十八年 (1902)五月二日，意租界在天津劃定。其界址為： 東北從興隆街沿京榆鐵路至俄租界，西南臨海河，西北沿北安道至興隆街。面積約771畝。
光緒二十七年十二月二十八日 (1902年2月6日),比租界在天津劃定。其界址為： 東穿過大直沽中街附近，南迄天津自行車廠附近，西臨海河，北與俄租界接壤。面積約556畝。
光緒二十八年(1902)十一月二十八日，奧租界在天津劃定。其范圍為： 京山鐵路以西，海河以東，意租界以北，獅子林大街以南。占地約1030畝，是天津各租界最北面的一個。
天津租界的收回，開始于第一次世界大戰(zhàn)。1917年3月，中國北京政府宣布與德國、奧地利斷交，并收回兩國在華租界； 但是，實際上直到第一次世界大戰(zhàn)結(jié)束后，又經(jīng)過天津人民的爭取，才于1919年9月10日，正式收回奧租界。1921年5月，正式收回德租界。1924年5月31日，蘇聯(lián)政府放棄俄租界。1929年8月31日，比利時政府交還比租界(1931年3月，正式交接)。1945年，日本投降后收回日租界。1947年將英、法、意租界收回。其間，英租界在天津存在時間最長，達(dá)87年； 奧租界存在時間最短，為17年。

·1913年天津各國租界位置圖

Concessions were the tumors of semi-feudal and semi-colonial China as well as the products of the invasionof the imperialists. Tianjin is the second city that hadconcessions in China (The first one is Shanghai). From1860 to the beginning of the 20th century,nine countrieshad set up concessions in Tianjin. Later,the USConcession was merged by Britain,so it is also said thatTianjin had concessions of eight countries. The total sizeof the concessions,the largest in China,was eight timesbigger than the space of downtown Tianjin.
There were three phases in the city`s concessionestablishment. In November 1860,or one month afterthe opening of Tianjin as a port,the UK set up its firstconcession in Tianjin and later expanded triple. Itsboundaries were: east,Haihe River; south,MachangRoad to Tonglou; west,Xikang Road; and north,Yingkou Street and French Concession. Its size was4,169 mu.
After UK set up its concession,France followedsuit. Its boundaries were: east and north,Haihe River;west,Dagu Road to Jilin Road; and southeast,the BritishConcession. France doubled its concession later. Theexpansion to Old Xikai Area aroused vast anti-Francestruggle from Tianjin people,or "Old Xikai Event". Thearea was 2,860 mu.
The United States also set up its concession inTianjin. Its boundaries were: east,Haihe River; west,Dagu Road; north,Zhangde Street; and south,KaifengStreet. Its area was 131 mu. In September 1902 (the28th year of Emperor Guangxu),the US Concession wasmerged by UK Concession.
After the Sino-Japanese War in 1894-1895,theimperialist countries sped up their establishment ofconcessions in Tianjin. In September 1895,Germanyacquired its concession,whose boundaries were: east,Haihe River; north,Kaifeng Street; west,Dagu Road;and south,from Xiaoliu Village,Qingzhou Street,toDagu Road. Later,it enclosed Sanyi Village and TaoyuanVillliage as "New Concession". Its space was 4,200 mu.
In July 1898,Japan obtained its concession inTianjin. The boundaries were: east,from the corner ofShenyang Street and Zhangzizhong Road to Haihe Riverand Duolun Street; north,from Duolun Street,HaiguangTemple,to Nanjing Road; south,from the corner ofShenyang Street and Zhangzizhong Road to the west ofNanjing Road. Its area was 1,667 mu. Japan also had theso-called preparatory concession.
After the Gengzi Event,the third climax ofconcession division by force occurred. In November1900,Russia got its concession to the north bank ofHaihe River. It has east and west areas. To the southwestof west concession was Italian concession; east: railwaystation; and north,the railway. To the south of the eastarea was the curve of Haihe River; west,Haihe River(the opposite side were Britain,French and Germanconcessions); east,Jingshan Railway; and south,Shiwujing Road. The two areas occupied 5,971 mu,larger than British Concession. Russian Concessionranked No. 1 in space in Tianjin.
In May 1902,the Italian Concession wasestablished. Its boundaries were: northeast,fromXinglong Street,Jingyu Railway to Russian Concession;southwest,Haihe River; northwest,from Bei`an Street toXinglong Road. Its area was 771 mu.
On February 6,1902,Belgium got its concession.Its boundaries were: to the east,Dazhigu Street; to thesouth,the Tianjin Bicycle Factory; to the west,the northof Haihe River and to the nouth,Russian Concession. Itsarea was 556 mu.
In November 28,1902,Austria founded itsconcession in Tianjin. Its boundaries were: to the west,Jingshan railway; to the east,Haihe River; to the north,Italian Concession; to the south,Shizilin Street. Itsarea was 1,030 mu. Of all the foreign concessions,itslocation was the northest.
The return of concessions in Tianjin began from theWorld War I. In March 1917,the Beijing Governmentdeclared severing diplomatic relationship with Germanyand Austria and took back the concessions of the twocountries. By the end of World War I,the AustrianConcession was returned on September 10,1919 andthe German Concession in May 1921. On May 31,1924,Russian forsook its concession. On August 31,1929,Belgium returned its concession (the ceremonyheld in March 1931) to Chinese Government. In 1945,Japan surrendered and returned its concession. In 1947,British,French and Italian concessions came back oneafter another. The history of the British Concessions inTianjin was the longest,lasting for 87 years. Meanwhile,the history of Belgian Concession was the shortest,which is 17 years.