Ürümqi ئۈرۈمچى 乌鲁木齐
—  Prefecture-level city  —
ئۈرۈمچى شەھىرى · 乌鲁木齐市
From top: A panoramic view of Ürümqi's CBD, Red Mountain (Hong Shan), Ürümqi Night Market, and a view of Tian Shan from Ürümqi
Ürümqi (red) in Xinjiang (orange) and China
Coordinates: 43°48′N 87°35′E / 43.8°N 87.583°E / 43.8; 87.583
Country	People's Republic of China
Region	Xinjiang
County-level divisions	8
Government
• CPC Committee Secretary	Zhu Hailun[1]
• Mayor	Jerla Isamudin (吉尔拉·衣沙木丁 / جەرۇللاھ ھېسامىدىن)
Area
• Prefecture-level city	10,989 km2 (4,243 sq mi)
• Urban	828 km2 (320 sq mi)
• Metro	4,422 km2 (1,707 sq mi)
Population (2010 census)
• Prefecture-level city	3,110,280
• Density	280/km2 (730/sq mi)
• Urban	2,302,146
• Urban density	2,800/km2 (7,200/sq mi)
• Metro	2,744,280
• Metro density	620/km2 (1,600/sq mi)
Time zone	China Standard Time (UTC+8)
Postal code	830000
Area code(s)	991
License plate prefixes	新A
GDP (2008)	CNY 102 billion
- per capita	CNY 43,211
ISO 3166-2	CN-65-01
Website	http://www.urumqi.gov.cn/ (Chinese)

This article contains Chinese text. Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

Ürümqi ( /uːˈruːmtʃi/), formerly Tihwa, is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, in the northwest of the country.

With a built up population of 2,744,280 as of 2010 census (5 urban districts plus Midong) and 2.3 in urban districts, Ürümqi, whose name means "beautiful pasture" in the Mongolian language of the Dzungar people,^[2] is the largest city in China's western interior. Since the 1990s Ürümqi has developed economically and now serves as a regional transport node and commercial centre.

History[link]

Although Ürümqi is situated near the northern route of the Silk Road, it is likely to be a relatively young city. According to Chinese scholars, during the 22nd year of Emperor Taizong's reign in the Tang Dynasty, AD 648, the Tang government set up the town of Luntai in the ancient town seat of Urabo,^[3] 10 kilometers from the southern suburb of present-day Ürümqi. Ancient Luntai Town was a seat of local government, and collected taxes from the caravans along the northern route of the Silk Road.

Steppe peoples had used the location, the pass between the Bogda Shan mountains to the East and the Tien Shan mountains to the west, connecting the Dzungar Basin to the north and the Turpan Depression in the south. In the 7th century the location was controlled by tribes of the Göktürks (Turkic Khaganate). In 742 AD, the Göktürk Khaganate split as the Uyghur tribes and the Eastern "wing" of the Göktürks broke off to form the Uyghur Khaganate. Ürümqi sat in the center of this empire until 1220, when it merged with the Mongol Empire under Genghis Khan. After the division of the Mongol Empire, the town then passed into the Chagatai Khanate where Sufi Islam dominated Ürümqi culture. Around 1670 the Uyghur tribes revolted from the Chagatais and united with the Dzungar tribes to form Zunghar Khanate. Ürümqi remained a small town, and less important than the oasis and Silk Road trade center Turpan 200 km to the southeast.

Thus, little is heard of the region following the Tang Dynasty in the Chinese texts until the Qing Dynasty conquest of Dzungaria in 1755 under the Emperor Qianlong. The Dzungars were deliberately exterminated in a brutal campaign of ethnic genocide. One writer, Wei Yuan, described the resulting desolation in what is now northern Xinjiang as: "an empty plain for a thousand li, with no trace of man." After 1759 state farms were established, "especially in the vicinity of Urumchi, where there was fertile, well-watered land and few people."^[4] It has been estimated that more than a million people were slaughtered, and it took generations for it to recover.^[5]

During the Qing Dynasty (1763) the Qianlong Emperor named the expanded town of Luntai "Dihua" (Chinese:迪化; pinyin: Díhuà; Manchu: Wen de dahabure fu), meaning "to enlighten." In 1884, the Guangxu Emperor established Xinjiang as a Province, with Dihua as its capital.^[6]

The Battle of Urumqi (1870) took place in 1870 between the Turkic Muslim forces of Yaqub Beg against the Dungan Muslim forces of Tuo Ming (Daud Khalifa). With the help of Xu Xuegong's Han Chinese militia, Yaqub Beg's forces defeated the Dungans.^{[7][8][9][10][11]}

During the Kumul Rebellion the Battle of Urumqi (1933) and the Battle of Urumqi (1933–34) took place between the forces of Ma Zhongying's 36th Division (National Revolutionary Army) and Jin Shuren and Sheng Shicai's provincial forces. At the second battle Ma was assisted by Han chinese General Zhang Peiyuan.

Following the founding of the People's Republic of China, on 1 February 1954, the city was renamed Ürümqi, meaning "beautiful pasture" in the Mongolian language of the Dzungar people.

The city suffered unrest in May 1989 with 150 injuries, and was the site of major rioting in July 2009 due to conflicts between Han and Uyghur ethnic groups in which nearly 200 people were left dead. Reports of extensive police retaliation against the Uyghur minority have circulated ever since, despite the Chinese government having shut down access to emails and overseas phone calls.

Geography[link]

The largest city in western China, Ürümqi has earned a place in the Guinness Book of Records as 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 Eurasian pole of inaccessibility, although Karamay and Altay, both in Xinjiang, are closer.^[12] The city has an administrative area of {{convert/km²|10989|0|||||||r=re|d=LoffAoffDbSoff|s=}} and has an average elevation of 800 metres (2,600 ft).

Climate[link]

In Ürümqi a semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) prevails, with very large differences between summer and winter, hot summers, with a July daily average of 23.7 °C (74.7 °F), and very cold winters, with a January daily average of −12.6 °C (9.3 °F). The annual average temperature is 6.9 °C (44.4 °F). The city is semi-arid, with its summers slightly wetter than its winters. Yet sunny weather is more likely in the warmer months, and relative humidity is the lowest during summer. Its annual precipitation is about 290 millimetres (11.4 in). Extreme temperatures have ranged from −41.5 °C (−43 °F) to 42.1 °C (108 °F).^[13]

Administrative divisions[link]

Ürümqi currently comprises 8 county-level subdivisions: 7 districts and 1 county.

Map	#	Name	Hanzi	Hanyu Pinyin	Uyghur (UEY)	Uyghur Latin (ULY)	Population (2003 est.)	Area (km2)	Density (/km2)
	City proper
	1	Tianshan District	天山区	Tiānshān Qū	تىيانشان رايونى	Tiyanshan Rayoni	490,000	171	2,865
	2	Saybag District	沙依巴克区	Shāyībākè Qū	سايباغ رايونى	Saybagh Rayoni	450,000	422	1,066
	3	Xinshi District	新市区	Xīnshì Qū	يېڭىشەھەر رايونى‎	Yéngisheher Rayoni	390,000	143	2,727
	4	Shuimogou District	水磨沟区	Shuǐmògōu Qū	شۇيموگۇ رايونى	Shuymogu Rayoni	180,000	92	1,957
	Suburban
	5	Toutunhe District	头屯河区	Tóutúnhé Qū	تۇدۇڭخابا رايونى	Tudungxaba Rayoni	120,000	276	435
	6	Dabancheng District	达坂城区	Dábǎnchéng Qū	د اۋانچىڭ رايونى	D Avanchyng Rayoni	40,000	5,188	8
	7	Midong District	米东区	Mǐdōng Qū	میدونگ رايونى	Midong Rayoni	290,000	3,594	56
	Rural
	8	Ürümqi County	乌鲁木齐县	Wūlǔmùqí Xiàn	ئۈرۈمچى ناھىيىسى	Ürümchi Nahiyisi	80,000	4,332	18

Demographics[link]

According to the 2000 census, Ürümqi has 2,081,834 inhabitants, with a population density of 174.53 inhabitants/km².^[14]

Economy[link]

Ürümqi is a major industrial center within Xinjiang. Ürümqi, together with Karamay and Korla, account for 64.5% of the total industrial output of Xinjiang. 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% from 2007. The GDP per capita reached US$6,222 in 2008.^[15] According to statistics, Urumqi ranked 7th in 2008 by the disposable income for urban residents among cities in Western China.^[16] Ürümqi has been a central developmental target for the China Western Development project that the Central Government is pursuing.

The Urumqi Foreign Economic Relations and Trade Fair (Chinese: 乌洽会) has been held annually since 1991 and has been upgraded into the first China-Eurasia Expo in 2011. Its purpose is to promote domestic and foreign markets. The 17th Fair has attracted participants from the Ministry of Commerce and the China Council for Promotion of International Trade.^[17]

Buildings in Urumqi CBDs near People's Square

Xinjiang Guanghui Group (新疆广汇集团) is the largest real estate enterprise and most powerful privately owned company in Xinjiang and is currently engaged in energy and automobile. China CITIC Bank Mansion (中信银行大厦), headquarters of Guanghui, located in one of the CBDs in North Xinhua Road, is the tallest building in Urumqi and Xinjiang; with a height of 229 metres, it is also the tallest in Northwestern China and Central Asia. Zhongshan Road (Sun Yat-sen Road, Chinese: 中山路) has been one of the ten most famous commercial streets in China since 2005. Zhongshan Road has always been the hub of consumer electronics in the city, with the largest computer, mobile phone and consumer electronics market in Xinjiang, including Baihuacun, Cyber Digital Plaza and Fountain Plaza.

As the economic center in Xinjiang, Urumqi has expanded its urban area since the 1990s. The CBDs in 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 Urumqi Municipal Government in 2003 at Nanhu Square (南湖广场) in Nanhu Road marked a shift of the city center to the north. Lacking a subway, the city commenced the construction of viaducts for Outer Ring Road (外环路) since 2003, which considerably facilitates transport. Youhao Road (友好路) and surrounding neighborhood, is the commercial center for business, shopping and amusement. Youhao Group (友好集团), the namesake local enterprise, owns a major market share of retails. Maison Mode Urumqi (乌鲁木齐美美百货), open since 2008, became one of the few notable department stores for luxury merchandise in the city.^[18] The Urumqi Economic and Technological Development Zone (UETD) located in the northern Toutunhe District, has been a leading base for steel, machinery manufacturing, biochemistry and other industrial innovations.

Pollution[link]

Ürümqi can be always found to be one of the most polluted cities in China and in the world. Blacksmith Institute mentioned Urumqi in 2007 World’s Worst Polluted Places caused by air pollution along with Linfen and Lanzhou, all in China.^[19] In 2008, Toronto Star listed Ürümqi as one of the Top Ten worst places to live in the world due to sulphurous pollution.^[20] 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.^[21] According to a report by Department of Environmental Science and Engineering of Fudan University, the average PM_2.5 and TSP concentrations in the winter of 2007 were 12 times higher than USA standard for PM_2.5 and 3 times the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of China for TSP.^[22] The sulfur dioxide from industrial emissions mixed with the local anthropogenic aerosol with the transported soil dust from outside the city was the main sources of the high concentration of sulfate, one of the main factors causing the heavy air pollution over Urumqi.^[22]

Tourism[link]

People's Square

• The International Grand Bazaar Xinjiang (Chinese: 新疆国际大巴扎, Uyghur: شىنجاڭ خەلقئارا چوڭ بازىرى) is an Islamic bazaar located on South Jiefang Road (解放南路).
• Hong Shan Mountain (红山) is the symbolic scenic spot of Urumqi, located in the Hong Shan Park. The highest point of the park contains a three story temple-like structure which houses some spectacular photography of the surrounding area. The third floor contains a model of the city.
• Glacier No. 1 (一号冰川), origin of Urumqi River, is the largest glacier located near a city in China.
• People's Square (人民广场)
• Nanhu Square (南湖广场)
• Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆)
• Heavenly Lake Scenic Area (天池风景区)
• Shuimugou Hot Springs (水磨沟温泉) is located 5 km northeast of Urumqi.
• Xinjiang Silk Road Museum (新疆丝绸之路博物馆) is located right next to the Grand Bazaar at No.160 Shengli Road. It is located on the fourth and fifth floor of a very large European style building which houses a shopping complex as well. Most of the exhibits have English names as well and some of their guides speak some English.
• Ürümqi City Museum (乌鲁木齐博物馆) is located at South Nanhu Road 123 (南湖南路 123).
• Dinghaishenzhen(定海神针) Einem üppigen, grünen Ufer des Sees Tianchi, stolz unabhängig von der großen Ulme, die der Tianchi einer der berühmten "Stand" ist.

Education[link]

Urumqi has many educational campuses including Xinjiang University, Xinjiang Normal University, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Xinjiang Medical University and many others.

Universities[link]

• Xinjiang University (新疆大学)
• Xinjiang Medical University (新疆医科大学)
• Xinjiang Normal University (新疆师范大学)
• Xinjiang Agricultural University (新疆农业大学)
• Xinjiang Arts Institute (新疆艺术学院)
• Xinjiang University of Finance & Economics (新疆财经大学)
• Wulumuqi Vocational University (乌鲁木齐职业大学)
• Xinjiang Vocational and Technical Institute(新疆交通职业技术学院)

High schools[link]

• Ürümqi No.1 High School (乌鲁木齐市第一中学)
• Ürümqi No.8 Middle School (乌鲁木齐市第八中学)
• Xinjiang Experimental High School (新疆实验中学)
• Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps No.2 High School (新疆生产建设兵团第二中学)
• Senior High School of Ürümqi (乌鲁木齐市高级中学)
• Bayi Middle School of Ürümqi (乌鲁木齐市八一中学)

Transportation[link]

Air[link]

Ürümqi is served by the Ürümqi Diwopu International Airport. The airport is one of the five major airports in the People's Republic of China. It is also a hub for China Southern Airlines. It has been rumored that a new airline China Central Airlines will start operations at the airport sometime in late 2010.

Rail[link]

• Ürümqi Railway Station

Ürümqi is Xinjiang's main rail hub. It is the western terminus of the Lanzhou-Xinjiang (Lanxin) and Ürümqi-Dzungaria (Wuzhun) Railway, and the eastern terminus of the Northern Xinjiang (Beijiang) and the Second Ürümqi-Jinghe Railway. The Beijiang and the Lanxin Lines form part of the Trans-Eurasian Continental Railway, which runs from Rotterdam through the Alataw Pass on the Kazkhstan border to Ürümqi and on to Lanzhou and Lianyungang. There is also a high-speed rail line under construction, which is expected to connect Ürümqi with Xining and Lanzhou in 2014.

Road[link]

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

Many roads North & West typically shut down rapidly in the early October period, remaining shut until winter breaks. Trains should remain operational.

Metro[link]

Ürümqi Light Rail Transit is currently under construction and expected to open in 2015.

Bus rapid transit[link]

The Ürümqi BRT bus service was launched in August 2011 after an investment of 930 million yuan in an effort to improve urban traffic.^[23] There are currently three routes operated, BRT1, BRT2, BRT3, mainly along the north-to-south downtown major roads.^[24]

Media[link]

The Xinjiang Networking Transmission Limited operates the Urumqi People's Broadcasting Station and the Xinjiang People Broadcasting Station, broadcasting in the Mandarin, Uyghur, Kazakh, Mongolian, Russian and the Kyrgyz languages.

The Xinjiang Television Station (XJTV), located in Urumqi, is the major TV broadcasting station in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. The local television station for Urumqi city is Urumqi Television Station (UTV)(乌鲁木齐电视台).

Sport[link]

• Xinjiang Flying Tigers is a major basketball team in the region.
• Xinjiang Ticai is a local football team in the Chinese Football Association Yi League

International relations[link]

Twin towns and sister cities[link]

Ürümqi is twinned with:

City	Region	Country
Orem[25]	Utah	United States
Osan	24px Gyeonggi	South Korea
Peshawar	Khyber Pakhtunkhwa	Pakistan
Dushanbe	Districts of Republican Subordination	Tajikistan
Bishkek	Chuy Province	Kyrgyzstan
Almaty	Almaty1	Kazakhstan
Chelyabinsk	Chelyabinsk Oblast	Russia

^1 Almaty is a state-level city of Kazakhstan

Timing of the sun[link]

Because of its location, the sun is 2 hours and 10 mintues ahead mean time. During early January the sun will not rise until 9:45 AM and the sun will set between 6:45 PM and 7:10PM. In September and March the sun rises around 8:00 AM, and sets around 7:55 PM. However in June, the sun rises at about 6:25 AM and will not set until 9:45 PM.

Footnotes[link]

References[link]

• Owen Lattimore. (1973) "Return to China's Northern Frontier." The Geographical Journal, Vol. 139, No. 2 (Jun., 1973), pp. 233–242.

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Urumqi

• Ürümqi Government Official website
• Ürümqi travel guide from Wikitravel