Ürümqi

This article is about the capital and largest city of Xin gian g autonomous region. For the county, seeÜrümqi County.

Ürümqi Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề thị(Chinese) ئۈرۈمچى شەھىرى(Uyghur) Urumqi, Urumchi, Dihua, Tihwa
Prefecture-level city
From top to bottom, left to right: A panoramic view of Ürümqi'scentral business district,Ürümqi Night Market in the Grand Bazaar, Red Mountain (Hong Shan), and a view ofTian Shanfrom Ürümqi
Ürümqi City jurisdiction (red) in Xin gian g (orange)
Ürümqi Location of the city center in Xin gian g
Coordinates (Ürümqi municipal government):43°49′21″N87°36′45″E
Country	China
Autonomous region	Xin gian g
County-level divisions	8
Municipal seat	Shuimogou District
Government
• Type	Prefecture-level city
• Body	Ürümqi Municipal People's Congress
•CCP Secretary	Zhang Zhu
•CongressChairman	Ahmetjan Ahniyaz
•Mayor	Yahefu Paidula
•CPPCCChairman	Yun Shuxia
Area
•Prefecture-level city	14,577 km2(5,628 sq mi)
• Urban	583 km2(225 sq mi)
Elevation	860 m (2,820 ft)
Population (2020 census)
•Prefecture-level city	4,054,000
• Estimate (2020)	4,054,000
• Density	280/km2(720/sq mi)
Demographics
•Major ethnic groups	74.9%Han Chinese 12.5%Uyghurs
GDP
•Prefecture-level city	CN¥389.3 billion US$57.9 billion
• Per capita	CN¥ 95,511 US$ 14,200
Time zone	De jure:China Standard(UTC+08:00) De facto:BothChina Standard(UTC+08:00) andÜrümqi Time(UTC+06:00)
Postal code	830000
Area code	991
ISO 3166 code	CN-XJ-01
License plate prefixes	Tân A
Website	urumqi.gov.cn(in Chinese)

Ürümqi
"Ürümqi" inSimplified Chinese(top),Traditional Chinese(middle) andUyghur Arabic(bottom) scripts
Chinese name
Simplified Chinese	Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề
Traditional Chinese	Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề
Hanyu Pinyin	Wūlǔmùqí
Postal	Urumtsi
Literal meaning	(fromOirat) "beautiful pasture"
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wūlǔmùqí Bopomofo ㄨ ㄌㄨˇ ㄇㄨˋ ㄑㄧˊ Wade–Giles Wu1-lu3-mu4-ch'i2 IPA [ú.lù.mû.tɕʰǐ] Yue: Cantonese Yale Romanization Wūlóuhmuhkchàih Jyutping Wu1 lou5 muk6 cai4 IPA [wu˥.lɔw˩˧.mʊk̚˨.tsʰɐj˩]
Abbreviation
Simplified Chinese	Ô thị
Traditional Chinese	Ô thị
Hanyu Pinyin	Wūshì
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Wūshì Bopomofo ㄨ ㄕˋ Wade–Giles Wu1-shih4 IPA [ú.ʂɻ̩̂]
Former name
Chinese	Địch hóa
Hanyu Pinyin	Díhuà
Postal	Tihwa
Literal meaning	to enlighten and civilize
Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Díhuà Bopomofo ㄉㄧˊ ㄏㄨㄚˋ Wade–Giles Ti2-hua4 IPA [tǐ.xwâ]
Mongolian name
Mongolian Cyrillic	Өрөмч
Mongolian script	ᠥᠷᠥᠮᠴᠢ
Uyghur name
Uyghur	ئۈرۈمچى‎‎
Transcriptions Latin Yëziqi Ürümchi Yengi Yeziⱪ Ürümqi SASM/GNC Ürümqi Siril Yëziqi Үрүмчи UyghurIPA [ʏrʏmˈtʃi]
Kazakh name
Kazakh	ٷرىمجى Ürimji Үрімжі
Kyrgyz name
Kyrgyz	ۉرۉمچۉ Үрүмчү Ürümçü

Ürümqiis the capital of theXin gian g Uyghur Autonomous RegioninNorthwestern China.With a census population of 4 million in 2020, Ürümqi is the second-largest city in China's northwestern interior afterXi'an,as well as the largest inCentral Asiain terms of population. Ürümqi has seen significant economic development since the 1990s and currently serves as aregional transport nodeand a cultural, political and commercial center.

Ürümqi is one of the top 500cities in the world by scientific research output,as tracked by theNature Index.The city is also home toXin gian g University,a comprehensive university with the highest academic level in Xin gian g, under theProject 211and theDouble First-Class Construction.

Etymology

The name "Ürümqi" comes from theMongolicOirat languageand means "beautiful pasture" (Oirat:Үрмч,romanized:Ürmç,[yrəmˈt͡ʃə]).It was originally the name of a small town founded by the Oirat-speakingDzungars,aMongolic ethnic group.

TheQing dynastytook Ürümqi by force in 1755, duringits conquestof theDzungar Khanate.Qing forces expanded the town into a walled city from 1763 to 1767.Upon completing the expansion, the Qing renamed the cityDihua(Chinese:Địch hóa;previously romanizedas "Tihwa" ), which means "to enlighten and civilize".Believing the name "Dihua" to be belittling andethnically chauvinist,theChinese Communist Partyrestored the name "Ürümqi" on 1 February 1954.

History

Although Ürümqi is situated near the northern route of theSilk Road,the present city is relatively new. The earliest known settlement in the area can be dated to the 7th century CE, but there was no permanent settlement for a long period and it was not known as Ürümqi until theDzungar Khanatein the 17th century.The current city dates from the rebuilding started in the 18th century.

Early period

During prehistory, the site of the future Ürümqi was occupied by a nomadic people known in Chinese accounts as theJushi,who lived mainly on the northern slopes of the surrounding Tianshan Mountains. The Jushi are often regarded as likely precursors of theTocharian peoples,who later established city states in theTarim Basin,south of the present site of Ürümqi.

The oldest known settlement, a town calledUrabo(Chinese: Wulabo), was located about 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) from the southern suburbs of the present-day Ürümqi.

Han Chinesestates, located to the east, exerted increasing control of the Tarim Basin. Under the nameLuntai,the city was founded by theTanggovernment, in 648 CE, the 22nd year ofEmperor Taizong's reign, as part of theProtectorate General to Pacify the West.It was a seat of local government and collected taxes from thecaravansalong the northern route of the Silk Road.

After the Tang retreated from theWestern Regions,the region came under the control of theUyghursof theKhaganateandGaochang/Qocho.There is little information about the Ürümqi area during the time between the Tang and Qing dynasties, and researchers believe that there were no permanent settlements there for most of this period. The Mongols referred to the wider area asBishbalik,meaning five cities, a reference to the five towns that surrounded the present-day Ürümqi area.

Dzungar period

TheOirat-speakingDzungartribes that formed theDzungar Khanatewere the last major power to control Ürümqi before the Manchus gained control of Xin gian g. During theMing dynasty,there was a record of a place at Jiujiawan 5 kilometres (3.1 miles) to the west of present Ürümqi, which may have been the Dzungar town that was later destroyed during the Qing conquest. The Mongolians also used the area as herding ground in this period.Steppe peoples had used the location, the pass between theBogda Shanto the east and theTian Shanto the west, connecting theDzungar Basinto the north and theTurpan Depressionto the south.

Ürümqi remained a small town of lesser importance than theoasisand Silk Road trade centerTurpan200 km (120 mi) to the southeast. Fighting for the control of Dzungaria led to theKhoshuuts(now classified as Mongols) leaving Ürümqi forQinghaiandTibetin the 1620s and 1630s.The Uyghurs were introduced into the Ürümqi area in the 18th century by the Dzungars who moved them from the westTarim regionto betaranchisor farmers in Ürümqi.

Qing rule

In the 18th century, the Qing went to war against theDzungar Khanate.Ürümqi was taken by the Qing in 1755, and the Dzungars of the region were eliminated in theDzungar genocide.One writer,Wei Yuan,described the resulting desolation in what became northern Xin gian g as "an empty plain for a thousandli,with no trace of man ". A fort was built (either in 1755 or 1758 depending on sources), and the Qing then established garrisons of Manchu and Mongolbannermenand Han Chinese troops at Ürümqi.After 1759, the Qing government established state farms in the under-populated areas around Ürümqi, where there was fertile, well-watered land.Manchu soldiers also constructed a temple with red walls dedicated toGuandion Pingding mountain overlooking Ürümqi, which gave Ürümqi the nickname "Red Temple".

The Manchus began to construct a walled city in 1763 to the south of the first fort, and it was completed in 1767.TheQianlong Emperornamed the new settlement "Dihua" (Chinese:Địch hóa;pinyin:Díhuà;Manchu:Wen de dahabure fu), meaning "to enlighten and civilize".In 1771, another city named Gongning Cheng (Củng ninh thành) was built nearby to the northwest to house Manchu bannermen, and this would become the seat of government.The bannermen settlement to the west was commonly referred to as "Mancheng" (Mãn thành;'Manchu City'), while Dihua to the east became a Han Chinese town commonly called "Hancheng" (Seoul;'Han City').The Ürümqi of the early period was therefore atwin-city,with Gongning Cheng forming the administrative center while Dihua grew into Xin gian g's commercial and financial center.

Han Chinese from all over China moved into Dihua, as did ChineseHui MuslimsfromGansuandShaanxi.The origin of Hui in Ürümqi is often indicated by the names of their mosques.By 1762, more than 500 shops had already been opened by Chinese migrants to the area of modern-day Ürümqi.Those Qing literati who visited Dihua were impressed by its cultural sophistication and similarity to eastern China. The writerJi Yuncompared Dihua to Beijing, in that both had numerous wine shops which offered daily performances of Chinese music and dance.

In 1870, theBattle of Ürümqitook place between the Turkic Muslim forces ofYaqub Begagainst theDungan Muslimforces of Tuo Ming (Daud Khalifa). With the help of Xu Xuegong's Han Chinese militia, Yaqub Beg's forces defeated the Dungans.Gongning Cheng was captured, its Qing administrator killed, and the city burnt to the ground and abandoned.The Qing later regained control of Ürümqi. In 1884, theGuangxu EmperorestablishedXin gian gas a province, with Dihua as its capital.

Republican era

After the collapse of the Qing dynasty, Xin gian g was ruled from Ürümqi by a succession of warlords:Yang Zengxin(1911–1928),Jin Shuren(1928–1933),Sheng Shicai(1933–1942), andZhang Zhizhong(1942–1949) as governor of Xin gian g. Of these, Yang and Sheng were considered capable rulers.

During theKumul Rebellion,theFirst Battle of Ürümqiand theSecond Battle of Ürümqitook place between the forces ofMa Zhongying's36th Division (National Revolutionary Army)andJin ShurenandSheng Shicai's provincial forces. At the second battle, Ma was assisted by the Han Chinese GeneralZhang Peiyuan.

People's Republic era

On 1 February 1954, following thefounding of the People's Republic of China,the city's name was officially changed back to Ürümqi. The rulingChinese Communist Partybelieved that the name "Dihua", which literally means "to enlighten and civilize", was belittling andethnically chauvinist.

Ürümqi became thede factopolitical and economic capital of Xin gian g in 1962, following protests against Chinese rule in the previous capitalYining(Ghulja). In what came to be known as theYi–Ta incident,60,000 Chinese citizens left Yining andTachengfor theSoviet Union,prompting the Chinese government to move its administrative buildings and industrial focus from Yining to Ürümqi. The Chinese government also began construction on a railway connecting Ürümqi toChina properin the east. As a result, Xin gian g was culturally and economically reoriented away from Central Asia and toward China proper.

In the late 1970s,Deng Xiaopingrelaxed China's tight control over Xin gian g, and Ürümqi benefited from the development of the oil and gas industry in Xin gian g.

New mosques were built in Ürümqi with financial assistance from the Chinese government.While the Chinese government implemented strict rules on religion in southern Xin gian g, the treatment of the Uyghurs and their religion in Ürümqi were more lax and permissive.

In May 1989,unrest in Ürümqiresulted in 150 injuries. In February 1997, bombings in Ürümqi following theGhulja incidentresulted in 20 deaths and scores of injuries.

July 2009 riots and subsequent unrest

See also:July 2009 Ürümqi riotsandSeptember 2009 Xin gian g unrest

In the largest eruption of ethnic violence in China in decades, there were riots in July 2009 between ethnic Han Chinese and Uyghurs. TheNew York Timesreporter covering the riot described the violence as "clashes with riot police and Uyghurs rampaging through the city and killing Han civilians. Then, for at least three days, bands of Han vigilantes roamed Urumqi, attacking and killing Uyghurs."Before the riot broke out, young Uyghurs had marched through the city "to protest a case of judicial discrimination".According to official figures, most of the 197 killed in the riot were Han, a statement whichNew York TimesreporterEdward Wongsays is disputed by Uyghurs.

Geography

The largest city inwestern China,Ürümqi has earned a place in theGuinness Book of Recordsas the most remote city from any sea in the world. It is about 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi) from the nearest coastline as Ürümqi is the closest major city to the Eurasianpole of inaccessibility,althoughKaramayandAltay,both in Xin gian g, are closer.The city has an administrative area of 10,989 square kilometres (4,243 sq mi) and has an average elevation of 800 metres (2,600 ft).

The location43°40′52″N87°19′52″Ein the southwestern suburbs of Ürümqi (Ürümqi County) was designated by local geography experts as the "center point of Asia" in 1992, and amonument to this effectwas erected there in the 1990s. The site is a local tourist attraction.

Water supply

Although surrounded by deserts (theGurbantünggütin the north and theTaklamakanin the south), the Ürümqi area is naturally watered by a number of small rivers flowing from the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains: the main range of the Tian Shan in south of the city (Ürümqi County), and theBogda Shaneast of the city (Dabancheng District).

There are 20,000 glaciers in Xin gian g – nearly half of all the glaciers in China. Since the 1950s, Xin gian g's glaciers have retreated by between 21 percent to 27 percent due toglobal warming.Tianshan Glacier No. 1(Nhất hào sông băng), origin of Ürümqi River, is the largest glacier near a major city in China, but has already split into two smaller glaciers.

As the Ürümqi region's population and economy are growing, the water demand exceeds the natural supply. To alleviate water shortages, theIrtysh–Ürümqi Canalwas constructed in the first decade of the 21st century. The canal's main trunk terminates in the so-called "Reservoir 500" ("500" đập chứa nước;44°12′00″N87°49′00″E) in the far north-eastern suburbs of the city (on the border of Ürümqi's suburbanMidong DistrictandFukangCity). A new industrial area, called Ganquanbao Industrial Park (Cam tuyền bảo công nghiệp viên), or Industrial New City 500 (500 công nghiệp tân thành) was being developed in 2009, west of the reservoir, relying on it for water supply.From the reservoir area water is further distributed over a network of canals throughout the lower Midong District.

Climate

Ürümqi lies on the boundary between ahumid continental climate(Köppen:Dfa) and acool semi-arid climate(BSk). It sees vast differences between summer and winter temperatures, featuring very warm to hot summers, with a July daily average of 24.2 °C (75.6 °F), and frigid winters, with a January daily average of −12.2 °C (10.0 °F). The annual average temperature is 7.8 °C (46.0 °F). Although the cityʼs summers are slightly wetter than its winters, sunny weather is much more likely in the hotter months, and relative humidity is the lowest during summer. With monthly percent possible sunshine ranging from 33 percent in December to 75 percent in September, the city receives 2,643 hours of bright sunshine annually. Its annual precipitation is about 365 millimetres (14.4 in).Extremes since 1951 have ranged from −41.5 °C (−42.7 °F) on 27 February 1951 to 42.1 °C (107.8 °F) on 1 August 1973.

Climate data for Ürümqi, elevation 935 m (3,068 ft), (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1951–present)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	9.9 (49.8)	13.5 (56.3)	25.6 (78.1)	32.5 (90.5)	37.0 (98.6)	40.9 (105.6)	41.0 (105.8)	42.1 (107.8)	37.0 (98.6)	30.5 (86.9)	22.0 (71.6)	15.6 (60.1)	42.1 (107.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	−7.4 (18.7)	−4.3 (24.3)	5.3 (41.5)	17.4 (63.3)	23.4 (74.1)	28.2 (82.8)	30.1 (86.2)	29.0 (84.2)	23.1 (73.6)	14.2 (57.6)	3.3 (37.9)	−4.8 (23.4)	13.1 (55.6)
Daily mean °C (°F)	−12.2 (10.0)	−8.9 (16.0)	0.4 (32.7)	11.5 (52.7)	17.3 (63.1)	22.4 (72.3)	24.2 (75.6)	22.9 (73.2)	17.2 (63.0)	8.8 (47.8)	−0.9 (30.4)	−9.2 (15.4)	7.8 (46.0)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	−15.7 (3.7)	−12.3 (9.9)	−3.2 (26.2)	6.6 (43.9)	12.2 (54.0)	17.4 (63.3)	19.3 (66.7)	17.9 (64.2)	12.3 (54.1)	4.6 (40.3)	−4 (25)	−12.6 (9.3)	3.5 (38.4)
Record low °C (°F)	−34.1 (−29.4)	−41.5 (−42.7)	−33.4 (−28.1)	−14.9 (5.2)	−2.4 (27.7)	4.6 (40.3)	8.8 (47.8)	5.0 (41.0)	−5.0 (23.0)	−12.4 (9.7)	−36.6 (−33.9)	−38.3 (−36.9)	−41.5 (−42.7)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches)	19.0 (0.75)	13.6 (0.54)	18.8 (0.74)	38.3 (1.51)	41.3 (1.63)	48.8 (1.92)	35.4 (1.39)	30.4 (1.20)	29.8 (1.17)	23.8 (0.94)	23.7 (0.93)	25.3 (1.00)	348.2 (13.72)
Average precipitation days(≥ 0.1 mm)	8.1	7.3	5.5	6.7	6.8	7.2	8.0	6.3	4.4	4.8	6.6	9.6	81.3
Average snowy days	13.6	12.6	7.6	2.8	0.3	0	0	0	0.1	2.1	8.4	14.8	62.3
Averagerelative humidity(%)	77	77	68	45	41	41	43	42	43	54	72	78	57
Mean monthlysunshine hours	101.8	129.7	203.2	261.4	301.9	300.8	306.1	301.1	275.2	234.5	137.0	90.5	2,643.2
Percentpossible sunshine	35	43	54	64	66	65	66	71	75	71	48	33	58
Source: China Meteorological Administration

Cityscape

Urumqi Skyline, from Hongshan Park, in 2018

Air quality and pollution

Blacksmith Institutementioned Ürümqi in2007 World's Worst Polluted Placescaused by air pollution along withLinfenandLanzhou,all in China.In 2008,Toronto Starlisted Ürümqi as one of the Top Ten worst places to live in the world due to sulphurous pollution.Heavy haze is extremely common in winter, which frequently affects air traffic. Officials believed that severe winter air pollution in Ürümqi is mainly caused by energy-heavy industries and the outdated coal-firing winter heating system.

According to a report by Department of Environmental Science and Engineering ofFudan University,the average PM_2.5and TSP concentrations in the winter of 2007 were 12 times higher than USA standard for PM_2.5and 3 times the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of China for TSP.Thesulfur dioxidefrom industrial emissions mixed with the local anthropogenic aerosol with the transported soil dust from outside the city were the main sources of the high concentration of sulfate, one of the main factors causing the heavy air pollution over Ürümqi.

Timing of sunrise

Because of the use of asingle time zonefor all of China, in Ürümqi which is at a far western location in China, the sun is 2 hours and 10 minutes behindChina Standard Time(CST =UTC+8). During early January the sun does not rise until 09:45 and it sets between 18:45 and 19:10 local time. In September and March, the sun rises around 08:00, and sets around 19:45. However, in June the sun rises at about 06:25 and does not set until 21:45.

Administrative divisions

Map including Ürümqi (labeled as TI-HUA (WU-LU-MU-CH'I)) (ATC,1971)

Map including Ürümqi (labeled as WU-LU-MU-CH'I) and nearby areas from theInternational Map of the World(1975)

Ürümqi currently comprises 8county-levelsubdivisions: 7districtsand 1county.

Map
Tianshan Saybag Xinshi Shuimogou Toutunhe Dabancheng ※ Midong Ürümqi County ※
Name	Simplified Chinese	Hanyu Pinyin	Uyghur(UEY)	Uyghur Latin (ULY)	Population (2010)	Area (km2)	Density (/km2)
City proper
Tianshan District	Thiên Sơn khu	Tiānshān Qū	تەڭرىتاغ رايونى‎	Tengritagh Rayoni	696,277	171	4071.79
Saybag District	Sa y ba khắc khu	Shāyībākè Qū	سايباغ رايونى‎	Saybagh Rayoni	664,716	422	1575.15
Xinshi District	Tân nội thành	Xīnshì Qū	يېڭىشەھەر رايونى‎	Yëngisheher Rayoni	730,307	143	5107.04
Shuimogou District	Mài nước mương khu	Shuǐmògōu Qū	بۇلاقتاغ رايونى‎	Bulaqtagh Rayoni	390,943	92	4249.38
Suburban
Toutunhe District	Đầu truân hà khu	Tóutúnhé Qū	تۇدۇڭخابا رايونى‎	Tudungxaba Rayoni	172,796	276	626.07
Dabancheng District	Đạt bản thành nội	Dábǎnchéng Qū	داۋانچىڭ رايونى‎	Dawanching Rayoni	40,657	5,188	7.83
Midong District	Mễ đông khu	Mǐdōng Qū	مىدوڭ رايونى‎	Midong Rayoni	333,676	3,594	92.84
Rural
Ürümqi County	Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề huyện	Wūlǔmùqí Xiàn	ئۈرۈمچى ناھىيىسى‎	Ürümchi Nahiyisi	83,187	4,332	19.20

Demographics

TheGrand Bazaarin Ürümqi

Ürümqi has been a multi-ethnic city from the time of the Qing conquest; in the early years, the Manchus lived in Gongning Cheng, Han Chinese in Dihua and various other ethnic groups such as the Hui, Uyghurs and others in the suburban districts.Muslims settled to the south of the walled-city of Dihua, and although the walls have since been demolished, the Muslims are still concentrated there.

A census in 1787 showed that there were 114,348 Hui and Han in the prefectures of Zhenxi (which included Barköl andHami) and Ürümqi.In Ürümqi city itself, there were 39,000 people in the 1880s and by the early 20th century, 50,000 people.Ürümqi in 1908 was said to have been inhabited by Uyghurs (then called Turkis), Chinese, Manchus and a few Mongols, with the Uyghurs estimated to comprise a quarter of the population.

In the People's Republic era, an active program to resettle Han population in Xin gian g was initiated.In 1960, there were 76,496 Uyghurs and 477,321 Han Chinese in Ürümqi.

According to the 2000 census, Ürümqi had 2,081,834 inhabitants, with a population density of 174.53 inhabitants/km²(452.3 inhabitants/sq. mi.).

In the 2010 census, the population was recorded as 3,112,559. Part of the increase was due to boundary changes, for example, Miquan was merged intoMidong Districtand became part of Ürümqi in 2007.

In 2021, Ürümqi was estimated to have a population of 4.544 million people.

Population by ethnicity

Ethnicity	2000		2010
	Population	%	Population	%
Han Chinese	1,567,562	75.30	2,331,654	74.91
Uyghur	266,342	12.79	387,878	12.46
Hui	167,148	8.03	280,186	9.00
Kazakhs	48,772	2.34	68,076	2.19
Mongol	7,252	0.35	10,454	0.34
Manchu	7,682	0.37	8,541	0.27
Xibe	3,674	0.18	4,820	0.15
Russian	2,603	0.13	3,010	0.10
Tu	1,613	0.08	2,869	0.09
Kyrgyz	1,436	0.07	2,207	0.07
Uzbek	1,406	0.07	1,581	0.05
Zhuang	878	0.04
Tatar	767	0.04
Tibetan	665	0.03
Dongxiang	621	0.03	2,333	0.07
Miao	620	0.03
Korean	588	0.03
Other	2,205	0.09	8,950	0.29
Total	2,081,834		3,112,559

Economy

Outer Ring Road viaducts in Ürümqi at night

Ürümqi is a major industrial center within Xin gian g. Ürümqi, together withKaramayandKorla,account for 64.5 percent of the total industrial output of Xin gian g. Ürümqi is also the largest consumer center in the region, recording¥41.9 billion retail sales of consumer goods in 2008, an increase of 26 percent from 2007. As of 2022,the city's GDP wasCN¥389.3 billion (US$57.9 billion), while the GDP per capita was around CN¥95,511 (US$14,200).Ürümqi has been a central developmental target for theChina Western Developmentproject that the Central Government is pursuing.

TheUrumqi Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Fairhas been held annually since 1991 and has been upgraded into the firstChina-Eurasia Expoin 2011. Its purpose is to promote domestic and foreign markets. The 17th Fair has attracted participants from theMinistry of Commerceand theChina Council for Promotion of International Trade.

Buildings in Ürümqi CBDs nearPeople's Square

Xin gian g Guanghui Industry Investment Groupis the largestreal estateenterprise and most powerfulprivately owned companyin Xin gian g and is currently engaged in energy and automobiles.China CITIC Bank Mansion,headquarters of Guanghui, located in one of the CBDs in North Xinhua Road, is the tallest building in Ürümqi and Xin gian g; with a height of 229 metres (751 feet), it is also the tallest inNorthwestern ChinaandCentral Asia.Zhongshan Road (Sun Yat-sen Road; Chinese:Trung đường núi) has been one of the ten most famous commercial streets in China since 2005. Zhongshan Road has always been the hub ofconsumer electronicsin the city, with the largest computer,mobile phoneandconsumer electronicsmarket in Xin gian g, including Baihuacun, Cyber Digital Plaza and Fountain Plaza.

As the economic center in Xin gian g, Ürümqi has expanded its urban area since the 1990s. TheCBDsin the city increased rapidly all around the major districts. Despite the old city areas being primarily in the south, the development in the north part began since the late 1980s. The completion of the new office tower for Ürümqi Municipal Government in 2003 atNanhu Square(Nam Hồ quảng trường) in Nanhu Road marked a shift of the city center to the north. Lacking a subway, the city commenced the construction ofviaductsfor Outer Ring Road (Ngoại đường vành đai) since 2003, which considerably facilitates transport. Youhao Road (Hữu hảo lộ) and surrounding neighborhood, is the commercial center for business, shopping and amusement. Youhao Group (Hữu hảo tập đoàn), the namesake local enterprise, owns a major market share of retails. Maison Mode Urumqi (Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề mỹ mỹ bách hóa), open since 2008, became one of the few notable department stores forluxury merchandisein the city.The Ürümqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (UETD) located in the northernToutunhe District,has been a leading base for steel, machinery manufacturing, biochemistry and other industrial innovations.

Tourism

People's Square

International Grand Bazaar Xin gian g

• Grand Bazaar,abazaaron South Jiefang Road (Giải phóng nam lộ).
• Hong Shan(Red Mountain) is the symbol of Ürümqi, located in Hongshan Park.
• People's Park,south of Hongshan Park.
• People's Square
• Nanhu Square (Nam Hồ quảng trường)
• Xin gian g Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (Tân Cương duy ngô ngươi khu tự trị viện bảo tàng), which was completely rebuilt in the early 2000s.
• Heavenly Lake Scenic Area,a popular park with some of China's most famous alpine scenery, over two hours outside Ürümqi.
• Shuimogou Hot Springs (Mài nước mương suối nước nóng) is located 5 km (3.1 mi) northeast of Ürümqi.
• Xin gian g Silk Road Museum (Tân Cương con đường tơ lụa viện bảo tàng) is located next to the Grand Bazaar at No. 160 Shengli Road. It is located on the fourth and fifth floors of a large European-style building which houses a shopping complex as well. Most of the exhibits have English names as well and some of the guides speak some English.
• Ürümqi City Museum (Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề viện bảo tàng) is located at South Nanhu Road 123 (Nam Hồ nam lộ 123 hào).
• Ürümqi TatarMosque(Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề tháp tháp ngươi chùa nhà thờ Hồi giáo) is located on Jiefang Road. Permission must be obtained prior to visiting the mosque.
• The monument at theGeographical Center of Asian Continent,in Yongfeng Township,Ürümqi County
• Ürümqi Silk Road Ski Resort (Con đường tơ lụa sân trượt tuyết) is located in Ürümqi County.
• Immaculate Conception Cathedral, Ürümqi:Diocesan Cathedral of theDiocese of Xin gian g(Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề Thiên Chúa Giáo đường)

Education and science

Xin gian g University of Finance and Economics.

Ürümqi No.1 High School.

Ürümqi has many educational campuses includingXin gian g University,Xin gian g Normal University,Xin gian g Agricultural University,Xin gian g Medical Universityand many others.

Universities

• Xin gian g University(Tân Cương đại học)
• Xin gian g Normal University(Tân Cương đại học sư phạm)
• Xin gian g Agricultural University(Tân Cương nông nghiệp đại học)
• Xin gian g Arts Institute(Tân Cương nghệ thuật học viện)
• Xin gian g University of Finance and Economics(Tân Cương kinh tế tài chính đại học)
• Ürümqi Vocational University(Ô Lỗ Mộc Tề chức nghiệp đại học)
• Xin gian g Vocational and Technical Institute(Tân Cương giao thông chức nghiệp kỹ thuật học viện)
• Xin gian g Medical University(Tân Cương y khoa đại học)

High schools

• Ürümqi No.1 High School
• Bingtuan No.2 Middle School
• Bayi Senior High School of Ürümqi
• No.70 Senior High School of Ürümqi
• No.8 Senior High School of Ürümqi
• No.6 Senior High School of Ürümqi

Research institutes

• Xin gian g Astronomical Observatory
• The Xing gian g Technical Institute of Physics & Chemistry.CAS
• Xing gian g Institute of Ecology and Geography

Transportation

Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport.

Ürümqi South Railway Station.

Air

Ürümqi is served by theÜrümqi Diwopu International Airport.It is a hub forChina Southern Airlines.Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport is the largest airport in Xin gian g, and the only airport in China to serve flights fromAfghanistanandTajikistan.

Rail

Ürümqi is Xin gian g's main rail hub with two primary railway stations, the olderÜrümqi South railway station(formerly the Urumqi railway station) andÜrümqi railway stationopened in July 2016. TheLanzhou-Xin gian g High Speed Railwaystops at both stations, running from Ürümqi toLanzhou railway station,and has been in operation since the end of 2014.

The city is served by several conventional rail lines. Ürümqi is the western terminus of theLanzhou–Xin gian g (Lanxin)andÜrümqi–Dzungaria (Wuzhun)Railway, and the eastern terminus of theNorthern Xin gian g (Bei gian g)and theSecond Ürümqi–Jinghe railway.The Bei gian g and the Lanxin Lines form part of theTrans-Eurasian Continental Railway,which runs fromRotterdamthrough theAlataw Passon the Kazakhstan border to Ürümqi and on to Lanzhou andLianyungang.

Road

• China National Highway 216
• China National Highway 312
• China National Highway 314

Many roads to the north and west typically shut down by early October, remaining closed until the end of winter.

Bus rapid transit

TheÜrümqi BRTbus service was launched in August 2011 after an investment of 930 million yuan in an effort to improve urban traffic.There are currently 9 routes operated, BRT1, BRT2, BRT3, BRT4, BRT5, BRT 6, its branch BRT 61, BRT 7, and its branch BRT 71.

Metro

TheÜrümqi Metroopened on 25 October 2018, when the northern section of Line 1 was opened to the public. The southern section of Line 1 opened on 28 June 2019.Line 1 runs betweenÜrümqi Diwopu International Airportand Santunbei in downtown Ürümqi, with a total length of 27.615 km (17.2 mi) and 21 stations.It is fully underground.

The planned system consists of 7 lines being 211 km (131 mi) in length. The first two lines, Line 1 and Line 2 will be constructed with an estimated cost of 31.24 billion yuan.

Media

TheXin gian g Networking Transmission Limitedoperates theÜrümqi People's Broadcasting Stationand theXin gian g People Broadcasting Station,broadcasting in theMandarin,Uyghur,Kazakh,Mongolian,Russian and theKyrgyzlanguages.

TheXin gian g Television Station(XJTV), located in Ürümqi, is the major TV broadcasting station in theXin gian g Uyghur Autonomous Region.The local television station for Ürümqi city isÜrümqi Television Station(UTV).

Sport

• Xin gian g Flying Tigersis a basketball team that is part of theChinese Basketball Association,based in Ürümqi, Xin gian g. Its corporate sponsor is Xin gian g Guanghui Group.
• Xin gian g Tianshan Leopard F.C.is a local football team in theChina League One.

China started abandydevelopment programme by organizing educational days in Ürümqi in June 2009.

In 2015, an indoorspeed skatingarena was opened.

Twin towns and sister cities

See also:List of twin towns and sister cities in China

Ürümqi istwinnedwith:

City	Region	Country
Malaybalay	Bukidnon	Philippines
Osan	Gyeonggi	South Korea
Peshawar	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	Pakistan
Dushanbe	Districts of Republican Subordination	Tajikistan
Klang	Selangor	Malaysia
Bishkek	Bishkek City	Kyrgyzstan
Almaty	Almaty1	Kazakhstan
Chelyabinsk	Chelyabinsk Oblast	Russia
Mashhad	Razavi Khorasan Province	Iran

^1Almatyis a state-level city ofKazakhstan

Notable people

• Dilraba Dilmurat
• Gulnazar
• Rushan Abbas
• Hassan Anvar
• Elnigar Iltebir

References

Sources

• Finley, Joanne N. Smith (12 September 2013).The Art of Symbolic Resistance: Uyghur Identities and Uyghur-Han Relations in Contemporary Xin gian g.BRILL.ISBN978-90-04-25678-1.Archivedfrom the original on 22 August 2016.Retrieved19 October2015.
• Gaubatz, Piper Rae (1996).Beyond the Great Wall: Urban Form and Transformation on the Chinese Frontiers.Stanford University Press.ISBN978-0-8047-2399-2.Archivedfrom the original on 13 September 2022.Retrieved29 August2020.
• Mao, Sheng (2018)."More Than a Famine: Mass Exodus of 1962 in Northwest Xin gian g".China Review.18(2): 155–184.ISSN1680-2012.JSTOR26435651.
• Millward, James A. (1 June 1998).Beyond the Pass: Economy, Ethnicity, and Empire in Qing Central Asia, 1759–1864.Stanford University Press.ISBN978-0-8047-9792-4.Archivedfrom the original on 25 November 2021.Retrieved26 August2016.
• ——— (2007).Eurasian Crossroads: A History of Xin gian g.Columbia University Press.ISBN978-0-231-13924-3.Archivedfrom the original on 26 November 2015.Retrieved21 February2016.
• Wiens, Herold J. (December 1963)."The Historical and Geographical Role of Urumchi, Capital of Chinese Central Asia".Annals of the Association of American Geographers.53(4): 441–463.doi:10.1111/j.1467-8306.1963.tb00459.x.ISSN0004-5608.Archivedfrom the original on 24 July 2022.Retrieved24 July2022.

Further reading

• Lattimore, Owen.1973. "Return to China's Northern Frontier."The Geographical Journal139(2):233–42.
• Zang, Xiaowei. 2013. "Ethnic variation in network composition in Ürümchi: do state policies matter?"Ethnic and Racial Studies36(1):179–98.doi:10.1080/01419870.2011.644313.

External links

• Ürümqi Government official website