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Name: Urumqi (乌鲁木齐; Wūlǔmùqí /oo-room-chee/)
Meaning: Mandarin rendering of 'beautiful pasture' in the Mongolian language
Previous names: Tihwa, Dihua, Luntai, Urabo
Features
- Doorway to travel to the rest of Xinjiang
- An important stop on ancient Silk Road
- Ethnic mix of Hui, Uyghur and other minority ethnic groups.
- Exotic shopping and dining
- Russian, Mongolian, and Central Asian products are also available
Main Attractions
Beautiful scenery of Heavenly Lake- Heavenly Lake, Red Hill, Mt. Nan Pastures and Terai Camp, Grand Bazaar (Erdaoqiao)
- Museums: Xinjiang Museum, Xinjiang Silk Road Museum, Urumqi Museum, Xinjiang Geological and Mineral Museum
- Most popular souvenirs and local products: Atlas silk, Xinjiang carpets, Uyghur handicrafts and other ethnic handicrafts and artwork
- Most popular local food: Mutton kabobs, naan (bread), lamian noodles (handmade noodles), Uyghur nut cakes
History
The city is in a strategic lowlands pass to the Tarim Basin that is a conduit for travel between the east and the west and south.
- 648 The Tang Empire set up Luntai Town to tax the Silk Road traders along this northern route.
- 1220 The Uyghur Khaganate allied with the expanding Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan.
- 1670 The Uighur tribes revolted and formed the Zunghar Khanate.
- 1755 The Qing Empire army under Emperor Qianlong exterminated the Zunghars.
- 1933-1934 Battles took place during the Kumul Rebellion
Geography
- Significance of the city: It is the largest city in a vast region. The location in the pass to the Tarim Basin makes it a transportation hub and a natural location for regional administration.
- Geographical factoid: Urumqi has the Guinness world record for being the city that is the most remote from the sea in the world.
- Nearby cities: Turpan (154 km/94 mi)
- Municipality terrain: The city is in a lowlands between two parallel mountain ranges that span northwest to southeast.
- Elevation: 800 m (2,600 ft)
Location Information
- Municipality location: northwestern China
- Municipality population: 3,110,280
- Municipality area: 10,989 sq km (733 sq mi)
- Municipality population density: 283/sq km (388/sq mi)
- Urban area: 828 sq km (319.7 sq mi)
- Urban population: 2,302146
- Urban population density: 2,780/sq km (7,201/sq mi)
- North to south distance of urban area: 17 km (10 mi)
- East to west distance of urban area: 10 km (6 mi)
- City center: Xinshi (43.85N, 87.58E)
Climate
- Annual average low temperature in January: -16.6 °C (2.1 °F)
- Annual average high temperature in July: 30 °C (86.1 °F)
- Semi-arid climate; annual precipitation: 290 mm (11 in)
Winters are very cold and dry.
Economy
- Average annual income: (2008) 43,311 RMB (5,600 USD)
- Development: developing; the city is rapidly developing as a regional financial center, administrative city, and industrial center for largely undeveloped and vast Xinjiang Province.
- Industry: 53% tertiary industry (services), 45.5% secondary (industry), 1.5% primary (animal husbandry, mining, agriculture)
- CBD: in the Tianshan District (43.80N, 87.63E)
- Shopping Streets: Grand Bazaar (Erdaoqiao), Hualin Market
Transportation
- Urumqi Diwopu International Airport handled 9,100,000 passengers in 2010. It is China's 18th busiest airport.
- 1 train station
- 4 regular rail lines
- 3 national highways link there
Explore Urumqi with Us
See our popular Urumqi itinerary for inspiration:
- 9-Day Lanzhou-Xiahe-Zhangye-Dunhuang-Turpan-Urumqi Tour to experience the Silk Road's ethnic minorities and start a religious pilgrimage
- See more Silk Road tours
Your tour can be customized. Tell us your interests and requirements. We will tailor-make your trip. Click here for a free inquiry.
